Overview

• UFC 316 headlines the bantamweight title rematch between champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley at Prudential Center in Newark on June 7, with O’Malley aiming to avenge his unanimous decision loss at UFC 306.
• Dvalishvili boasts a 12-fight winning streak and is the betting favorite to win by decision thanks to relentless takedowns, but he’s admitted to a grueling cut to 135 pounds and is seeking new methods through the UFC Performance Institute.
• O’Malley has ditched social media and smoking and studied key historical rematches to sharpen his game, yet Henry Cejudo warns of gaps in his wrestling prep even as Daniel Cormier praises his renewed focus.
• Veteran analyst Chael Sonnen has cast the bout as a fight for the greatest bantamweight of all time, underscoring the high stakes that go beyond the title itself.
• In the co-main event, Julianna Peña defends the women’s bantamweight crown against Kayla Harrison, who enters as a strong favorite in expert predictions to finish under 4½ rounds.