Tag: UFC 316

Amanda Nunes says she’s down for return from retirement for Julianna Peña-Kayla Harrison winner

Former two-division UFC women’s champion Amanda Nunes on Friday said she’s planning a return from retirement.

MIAMI – Former two-division UFC women’s champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] on Friday, in the form of an assertive and repeated head nod, said she’s planning a return from retirement.

Nunes was in a VIP seat at Kaseya Center for the UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of Saturday’s card in Miami. Conveniently for the South Florida resident and ex-champ, the prelude to the weigh-ins was a ticket on-sale news conference for UFC 316 later this year in New Jersey.

At that event, women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will take on challenger [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and a two-time PFL $1 million season winner. Harris is nearly a 6-1 betting favorite in the fight, nearly unheard of for a challenger. It will be just her third fight in the UFC.

Peña beat Nunes to become champion in an upset in December 2021. She lost it in a rematch the next year. Then, after more than two years on the sidelines, and after Nunes retired in 2023, Nunes returned and beat Raquel Pennington to win the title back. That fight was a split decision that 96 percent of media members tracked by MMA Decisions scored for Pennington.

She has asked for a trilogy fight with Nunes – and Friday said Nunes’ return hinges on who wins between her and Harrison on Saturday.

But when UFC CEO Dana White was asked if he would be open to Nunes coming out of retirement later this year to fight the winner, he didn’t need to answer. Nunes was shown on camera quickly nodding her head that she would unretire to fight again.

White recently said he thinks Nunes retired too early.

Peña and Harrison fight June 7 in the UFC 316 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) co-main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Nunes retired in mid-2023 not long after she beat Irene Aldana in a bantamweight title fight. The 135-pound belt was filled, but her featherweight title remains in limbo. The UFC has held very few women’s fights at 145 pounds, and no plans for a new champion ever have been made.

Harrison fought at featherweight in the PFL and only first made the cut to bantamweight when she came to the UFC. If she beats Peña to win the title and Nunes comes out of retirement, she technically still would be featherweight champ – meaning a meeting between the two could kick off a lengthy two-division rivalry and reignite things at women’s featherweight for the UFC.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

UFC 316 video: Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison heated first title fight faceoff

After trading words at the UFC 316 press conference, Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison had an intense first title fight staredown.

MIAMI – There was no shortage of intensity when [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] got in front of each other for the first time ahead of their UFC 316 title fight.

Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense in her second reign as women’s bantamweight champion when she takes on two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the co-main event of the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

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Both women launched strong words and insults at each other when the microphones were hot at Friday’s UFC 316 on-sale press conference. The disdain between them was even more clear when they stood inches from each other for the staredown afterward.

Check out the video above to see the Peña vs. Harrison faceoff from the UFC 316 press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

UFC 316 video: Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley have first faceoff for title rematch

Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley had the first faceoff Friday for their UFC 316 title rematch on June 7.

MIAMI – [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] got a first look at each other Friday after their UFC 316 bantamweight title rematch became official.

After Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) took the belt from O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) by unanimous decision this past September, the pair will run it back in the main event of the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

Leading into the first meeting, Dvalishvili and O’Malley had some heat between them. The tone has dramatically changed for the sequel, however, with both men expressing a degree of admiration toward each other.

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That attitude was clear in the staredown, which was a respectful and professional scene.

Check out the video above to see the Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley faceoff from the UFC 316 on-sale press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Video replay: ‘UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2’ press conference

UFC 316 title fight athletes Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley, Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison will attend a Friday press conference.

MIAMI – The first UFC 316 press conference takes place Friday, and you can watch a live stream of the event in the video above. The press conference takes place at Kaseya Center.

In advance of the event, which takes place June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+), the title fight athletes of [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) and [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who rematch for bantamweight gold, and [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) vs. [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who meet for the women’s bantamweight strap, will answer questions from reporters.

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Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 316 press conference.

What time does the UFC 316 press conference start?

The UFC 313 press conference starts at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

Who’s taking part in the UFC 316 press conference?

The four title fight competitors are slated participate in the UFC 316 press conference: Dvalishvili, O’Malley, Peña and Harrison.

It’s unclear if UFC CEO Dana White will oversee the UFC 316 pre-fight press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Kayla Harrison admits cutting down to bantamweight is ‘torture’ and ‘definitely not healthy’

Kayla Harrison acknowledges that her cut down to bantamweight takes a toll on her body.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] acknowledges that her cut down to bantamweight takes a toll on her body.

Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) challenges bantamweight champion Julianna Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the UFC 316 co-main event June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Former UFC title challenger Megan Anderson told MMA Fighting she doesn’t see Harrison having a long run at 135 pounds due to the strenuous weight cut. The two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka and two-time PFL champion didn’t sugar coat the process after admitting to peeing blood one week prior to her most recent outing at UFC 307.

“It’s torture,” Harrison said of the weight cut on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “But, everything I’ve wanted is on the other side of that torture. I feel like I become refined in the fire. It’s a very lonely process. It’s a much harder mental grind than I think expected.

“First, it was like this fear of, ‘Oh my gosh, can I do this?’ And now, it’s this fear of, ‘Oh my gosh, I know what I have to do in order to do this.’ It’s definitely not healthy. Don’t do this, kids. I do not recommend. My team is so dialed in, and I know what I have to do. It’s not easy, but I do believe in the end it will be worth it, and we do it in as healthy and safe of a manner as possible.”

Harrison competed at lightweight during her time at PFL. She successfully cut down to featherweight in a one-off fight for Invicta FC in 2020, and competed in a 150-pound catchweight bout right before signing with the UFC.

Since joining the UFC roster in 2024, Harrison has hit 136 pounds twice in wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira. She will have to go down to her lowest-ever weight when she’s tasked to make the 135-pound championship limit against Peña at UFC 316.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili defends Sean O’Malley rematch: ‘He deserves it’

Amid backlash of their UFC 316 fight, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili insists Sean O’Malley is worthy of a rematch.

Amid backlash of their UFC 316 fight, bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] insists [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] is worthy of a rematch.

Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will run things back with O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the June 7 headliner at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Dvalishvili has since notched his first title defense by bouncing Umar Nurmagomedov out of the ranks of the unbeaten at UFC 311 in January.

Considering that Dvalishvili was dominant in his unanimous decision win over O’Malley at UFC 306, not too many people were clamoring for a rematch. Dvalishvili took issue with his past opponent, Nurmagomedov, getting a title shot but has a different outlook on O’Malley.

“Even though a lot of people criticize O’Malley getting the rematch, I think he deserves it,” Dvalishvili said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I want to find out, too. He made lots of excuses after the fight. Now he did surgery, and I know he will make adjustments, and he will change the game plan.

“It’s going to be a totally different fight. Like O’Malley said, if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. But I think it’s going to be a good fight because I’m going to make some adjustments, too. I know he will attack me from the beginning with the body kicks and striking, and I want to test my striking, too.”

Dvalishvili’s build-up with O’Malley the second time around has been drastically different. The pair have been cordial, even snapping pictures together at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. Dvalishvili joked that he prefers the trash talking version of O’Malley but can’t help but like him.

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“That was so cool,” Dvalishvili said of his jacuzzi session with O’Malley at the UFC PI. “All positive. I always liked the guy. I don’t follow many 135’ers on Instagram, and I follow him. He’s funny, he’s cute, and he’s a good fighter too.

“I only have positive feelings other than him talking stupid about my friend Aljamain Sterling. I feel bad for this guy. I stole his jacket, I stole his belt, I stole his fans. I made him humble. He’s definitely a different guy now.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Kayla Harrison wants to respect Julianna Peña, ‘but she’s pretty dumb sometimes’

Kayla Harrison appreciates UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña’s journey – even if she has a hard time doing it sometimes.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] appreciates UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag]’s journey – even if she struggles to sometimes.

Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) challenges Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the UFC 316 co-main event June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka and two-time PFL champion Harrison has opened up as a massive favorite over Peña, but does she see “The Venezuelan Vixen” as her toughest test to date?

“We’ll see, we’ll find out. I mean, there’s always that little bit of unknown when you fight a new opponent,” Harrison said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “So, skill-wise, I don’t think she’s the top of the top, but I think in terms of heart and maybe experience, she’s got some good experience, and she’s definitely got confidence. I would argue cockiness, maybe.”

Peña’s confidence comes from being a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, with one of her title wins coming in a big underdog finish over former dual-champ Amanda Nunes. Harrison admires Peña for becoming the first mom-champ in the UFC, but admits she has mixed feelings about her.

“I want to have a lot of respect for Julianna because she’s a single mom, she’s a veteran of the sport, she scratched and clawed her way to the top, she believed in herself when nobody believed in her,” Harrison said. “I really want to have admiration for her, and I think probably deep down, I do.

“And I love that she’s confident and she says what she thinks, but she’s just pretty dumb sometimes. So, it’s hard. It’s difficult. Just some of the stuff, cheesy, very cringe. She reminds me a lot of Henry (Cejudo). Trying too hard.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Sean O’Malley relishing Merab Dvalishvili prep this time, says ‘don’t watch’ if unhappy about rematch

Sean O’Malley is a lot more confident going into his second fight with Merab Dvalishvili and couldn’t care less if you tuned in or not.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] is a lot more confident going into his second fight against UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag].

O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) rematches Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) on June 7 in the UFC 316 headliner at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. O’Malley lost his bantamweight title to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 by unanimous decision last September.

O’Malley later revealed that he went into the fight with a torn labrum in his hip and underwent surgery after the fight to repair it. He said the injury hampered his ability to do any grappling in camp.

“This sounds like I’m exaggerating, and I’m not,” O’Malley said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Just today, this morning practice that I had, I grappled more today than I grappled last fight camp for Merab. I know it sounds like – we did seven, six-minute rounds today, grappling hard, picking the hardest guys, just straight grappling today. I wasn’t able to do that once last camp. That last camp was not a great camp.

“It was great for what I was able to do. … I felt as good as I could going into the fight. I know I could wrestle better than I showed in that last fight. That was borderline embarrassing what I was able to do against Merab. Merab’s tough. Merab’s good. Merab’s probably considered the greatest bantamweight of all time as of right now. So I’m going to go out there, knock him out. What does that make me?”

Don’t like the rematch? ‘Don’t watch’

O’Malley is well aware of the criticism surrounding the UFC’s decision to give him an immediate rematch. He had a simple solution for those unhappy with the fight.

“Don’t watch,” O’Malley said. “Saturday night, June 7, f*cking watch your reality TV show. Don’t watch the fight. I do (understand where they’re coming from), 100 percent. That last fight, I don’t think a lot of people went and truly rewatched it. It’s not one of those fights that’s super worth rewatching unless – I do think the second time watching it, it is a little bit closer than the first time you watched it live.

“But I don’t think many people rewatched it, and they weren’t interested in rewatching it. Their opinion is just going to kind of stay the same. But, again, if they’re not interested, don’t watch it. But when I go out there and win, I guarantee people are going rewatch it or at least rewatch the finish, if there’s a finish. Might be a five-round decision, could be a finish, we’ll see. At the end of the day, that Sunday rolls around, people are going to be talking about it.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 316 co-main event

Kayla Harrison is a massive betting favorite in her first UFC title fight against Julianna Peña.

Women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] faces a stern test at UFC 316.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison preview

Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) claimed the bantamweight title for a second time when she defeated Raquel Pennington by split decision at UFC 307 this past October. “The Venezuelan Vixen” is owner of one of the biggest upset wins in octagon history when she submitted former dual champion Amanda Nunes in their title fight at UFC 269.

Two-time PFL champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) earned her shot at a UFC title after a submission of former champion Holly Holm and a decision win over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison odds

According to FanDuel, Harrison is a huge -590 favorite to dethrone bantamweight champion Peña, who’s a +370 underdog.

How to watch Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison at UFC 316

  • When: Saturday, June 7, 2025
  • Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.
  • Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.