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June 7, 2025 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
(c) Merab Dvalishvili (134 lbs.) vs. #1 Sean O’Malley (135 lbs.) – for bantamweight title
(c) Julianna Peña (135 lbs.) vs. #2 Kayla Harrison (135 lbs.) – for women’s bantamweight title
Kelvin Gastelum (185 lbs.) vs. Joe Pyfer (185 lbs.)
#10 Mario Bautista (135.1 lbs.) vs. Patchy Mix (135.1 lbs.)
Kevin Holland (170.1 lbs.) vs. #14 Vicente Luque (170 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
#12 Bruno Silva (125 lbs.) vs. #14 Joshua Van (125.1 lbs.)
#12 Azamat Murzakanov (205 lbs.) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205 lbs.)
#11 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (265 lbs.) vs. #7 Serghei Spivac (251 lbs.)
Andreas Gustafsson (170 lbs.) vs. Khaos Williams (170 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Wang Cong (125 lbs.) vs. #13 Ariane da Silva (132 lbs.)*
Jeka Saragih (145 lbs.) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (145.1 lbs.)
Yanal Ashmouz (155 lbs.) vs. Quillan Salkilld (156 lbs.)
Mark Choinski (155 lbs.) vs. MarQuel Mederos (155 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 316, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. After the disaster that was last weeks card the UFC is back on PPV with a solid enough offering. The main event is a rematch for the bantamweight title as Merab Dvalishvili looks for his second title defense against the man he dethroned to claim the belt, Sean O’Malley. O’Malley has been absent since losing the belt but he could become a two time champion here. The co-main event is for the women’s bantamweight title, a division that’s a total wasteland these days, with champion Juliana Pena looking to start her second reign with what would be her fist successful title defense. On the other side is two time Olympic gold medalist in judo Kayla Harrison. Beyond that we’ve got the UFC debut of former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix against ranked contender Mario Bautista. On the prelims Joshua Van is usually good for a fun scrap, Azamat Murzakanov tends to have moderately entertaining finishes, and Wang Cong continues to rebuild after her upset loss last year with a fight against Ariane da Silva who weighted in 7 pounds over the limit for flyweight in a baffling display of unprofessionalism. Obviously there’s more on this card but those are the things that stand out to me, so let’s see how the action goes.

UFC 316 comes to the world from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier will be providing commentary. As a minor note New Jersey sucks and has not adopted the new rules, so anything besides the soles of your feet on the mat means you’re downed and 12-6 elbows are illegal. Ugh, just ugh. We’re also in the usual 30 foot Octagon set up.

MarQuel Mederos is on an eight fight winning streak including two wins in the UFC and he’s looking to establish himself as a prospect of note with another win here. Mark Choinski is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and he’s looking to make the most of his chance at a first impression. The odds are with Mederos at -175 to +145 on Choinski.

Lightweight Bout: Mark Choinski (8-0, 155 lbs.) vs. MarQuel Mederos (10-1, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mederos is two inches taller but the reach is identical. Some early pressure from Mederos, a bit of stance switching as well. Mederos with a one two. A few jabs from Choinski land. Knee from Mederos lands then a calf kick. Spinning back kick from Mederos. Both men block punches in close then Mederos lands a front kick followed by a calf kick. Bit of a right hand from Choinski. Choinski with a knee tap attempt then he spins to the backs standing. Choinski jumps for the backpack position and gets it. Mederos is trying to fight the hooks while Choinski is starting to fish for a choke. Eventually Choinski bails on the backpack but keeps the back standing. Mederos gets chest to chest then they break with a left hook from Choinski. Calf kick from Mederos, then another one. They trade front kicks then a few jabs go back and forth. Mederos lands another calf kick. Choinski lands a right hand in close. Mederos with a few punches then a front kick. They feint away the final seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mederos but a competitive one

ROUND TWO: Both men trade a few punches to start the round. They both show push kicks for a bit. Choinski lands a leg kick. Both men land rights then Mederos lands an inside leg kick. Calf kick from Mederos. They trade punches in close, then Mederos lands another calf kick. They trade again then Choinski tries a takedown against the fence which stalls out. Mederos sneaks in an elbow before spinning free. Right hand then a left hook from Mederos. Mederos drops Choinski with a calf kick, Choinski wrestles up but that lead leg is not doing well. More jabs from Mederos. Knee from Mederos. They trade rights then Mederos drops Choinski with another calf kick. Choinski wrestles up again and this time gets a takedown from the single leg position then jumps to the back. Mederos stands and Choinski keeps the backpack but this time Mederos breaks his hooks and slings him off then they reset. Another calf kick from Mederos, then another. Inside leg kick from Mederos. Mederos with a combination, Choinski fires a right hand in response though as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mederos, 20-18 Mederos overall

ROUND THREE: Choinski starts coming forward to start the last round. Jab from Choinski. Mederos lands a calf kick then Choinski tries a takedown but Mederos defends. Choinski is throwing more punches but gets calf kicked down again. Mederos with more leg kicks as Choinski is down, then Choinski wrestles up and swings into a clinch. They hit the fence and Mederos gets a body lock then turns Choinski into the fence before pulling free. Inside leg kick from Mederos. Another calf kick from Mederos. Choinski pushes forward and lands a couple of punches. Solid right hand from Mederos, Choinski is throwing but he’s behind on pretty much every metric. Mederos with a few more calf kicks. Front kick from Mederos. Choinski with a front kick of his own then tries a takedown but that stalls on the fence again. Double leg from the clinch from Choinski and he’s able to get Mederos down and moves to full mount. Mederos avoids an arm triangle attack then Choinski looks for the back as Mederos moves to a hip. Choinski does get the back and looks for a choke but he wont find one before Mederos is able to scramble to his feet as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mederos, 30-27 Mederos overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – MarQuel Mederos via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Mic time for Mederos, he plays with the crowd and puts over Choinski before talking a bit about how he feels he needs to be critical of himself to achieve big things. He again puts over Choinski for taking the short notice fight, then he plays to the crowd again to close.

Quillan Salkilld is on an eight fight winning streak which includes a very quick knockout win in his UFC debut back in February, he’s looking for another decisive win here to solidify himself as a prospect to watch. Yanal Ashmouz has gone 2-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win, he’s looking for his first UFC winning streak. Salkilld is a heavy favorite at -410 to a +320 comeback on Ashmouz.

Lightweight Bout: Yanal Ashmouz (8-1, 155 lbs.) vs. Quillan Salkilld (8-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Salkilld is three inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Both men come out swinging, Ashmouz pushes into a clinch but ate some punches to get there. Salkilld fights off a takedown that briefly hits the mat but he can’t get out of the clinch yet. They jockey for position then Salkilld gets a takedown and Ashmouz wrestles up looking for a single leg but Salkilld keeps the back standing. Some knees from Salkilld as he’s working mat returns. Ashmouz is able to get chest to chest and looks for a few trips. Eventually they separate. Salkilld shows some kicks then lands a calf kick. Uppercut from Salkilld. Takedown from Salkilld then he gets the ride position, Ashmouz rolls through though and wrestles up into a clinch. A few elbows from Ashmouz but Salkilld then hits an high elevation slam to get back on top. Again Ashmouz wrestles up on a single leg, Salkilld slips to the ride and lands punches. Ashmouz gets chest to chest but Salkilld is out wrestling him thus far. Body lock takedown from Salkilld then he gets the back with both hooks in, he’s a little high though and Ashmouz is able to spin into him and get on top. Salkilld kicks Ashmouz off and they reset with punches. Both me land punches before they clinch and the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Salkilld

ROUND TWO: Salkilld opens the round with a front kick. Calf kick from Ashmouz. Single leg from Salkilld, Ashmouz defends though and they clinch up on the fence where Salkilld hits a takedown into half guard. Ashmouz bases up and Salkilld moves to his back in the clinch. Salkilld with punches as he’s riding Ashmouz before they get chest to chest. Ashmouz spins Salkilld then looks for a single leg, he can’t finish it though then Salkilld moves to the ride position again. Salkilld with some punches but then Ashmouz inverts to force a scramble but he can’t get ahead of Salkilld positionally. Ultimately Salkilld lands more punches from the ride position. Ashmouz works to stand against the fence then gets chest to chest. Another takedown from Salkilld and he lands some punches but Ashmouz wall walks again. They get chest to chest again then separate. Salkilld with a body kick. Ashmouz counters a double leg then grabs a front headlock, he lands a knee before they hit the fence and the round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Salkilld, 20-18 Salkilld overall

ROUND THREE: Salkilld shows kicks to start the last round. Ashmouz lands a left hook. Ashmouz avoids a takedown then lands a knee. Body kick from Salkilld, then another one. Ashmouz is stalking forward, he knows he needs a finish. Left hook from Ashmouz then a right hand wobbles Salkilld. Salkilld is circling but Ashmouz has him on the fence and is looking to tee off. Salkilld misses an uppercut but hits a takedown into half guard. Ashmouz wrestles up but Salkilld gets to his back standing again. They break and Ashmouz lands a right hand. Salkilld jabs while moving now but Ashmouz is still coming forward. They trade left hooks. Calf kick from Ashmouz. Both men land in close as they trade in the clinch then Salkilld keeps punching as they exit the pocket. Ashmouz lands a jab but misses a right hand. Salkilld tries a double leg, Ashmouz defends and gets back on pressure. Right hand from Salkilld. Ashmouz with a couple of punches that land. Salkilld lands a front kick then tries another takedown, again Ashmouz defends and lands a left hook. Salkilld might be a little hurt from that one. Ashmouz keeps coming forward, keeps showing kicks to keep distance and ice the round if possible. Body shots from Ashmouz then a right hand, Salkilld ties up and looks for another takedown against the fence. Salkilld is able to get to the back standing again, Ahsmouz tries to roll for a leg and they’ll end the round on the mat.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ashmouz, 29-28 Salkilld overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Quillan Salkilld via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Fun little fight there. Mic time for Salkilld, he says the goal was to show all of his skills. He is happy to get the Rogan interview to close.

Joo Sang Yoo is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he’s looking to make the most of his only chance at a first impression as well as to remain perfect as a professional. Jeka Saragih has gone 1-2 in the UFC, he’s coming off of a loss though and now looks to avoid his first losing streak while also getting his UFC record back to the .500 mark. Yoo is a pretty big favorite at -535 to Saragih’s +400.

Featherweight Bout: Jeka Saragih (14-4, 145 lbs.) vs. Joo Sang Yoo (8-0, 145.1 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Saragih is an inch taller while Yoo has two and a half inches of reach advantage. No touch of gloves, then Yoo misses a wheel kick. Pressure from Saragih early. Yoo probes with a few kicks then they trade rights. A counter left hook from Yoo ENDS Saragih, slow motion face plant and everything.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joo Sang Yoo via KO, punch, at :28 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yoo for his work. Mic time for Yoo and the translator after that lovely bit of work, he talks us through the finish and mentions this is the product of all his hard work. He thanks his team for all of their work then sends love to his mentor the Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung, and he wants to win a title and give it to Jung.

About as picture perfect a check hook as you’ll see, Saragih gets way out in front of his base as he misses a right hand and is wide open for the textbook counter.

Ariane da Silva is on a two fight losing streak and also missed weight very badly, she needs a win to try and smooth things over as a loss compounding things could end her time with the UFC. Wang Cong has gone 2-1 in the UFC, she made waves with her debut in 2024 and with her kickboxing history with Valentina Shevchenko it was thought she might get fast tracked to the title picture but a loss in November of last year slowed those plans. She’s coming off of a win back in February and now looks to recapture the momentum she had previously with an impressive win. All things considered it’s not surprising to see Wang as a sizeable favorite at -455 to a +350 comeback on da Silva.

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Wang Cong (7-1, 125 lbs.) vs. #13 Ariane da Silva (17-10, 132 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while da Silva has half an inch of reach advantage, plus she badly missed weight. They touch gloves to get things going. Both women probe a bit with the jab. Leg kick from Wang. Another leg kick from Wang. Right to the body from Wang then another leg kick. Da Silva lands a right hand. Da Silva has started showing some stance switches. Both women swing punches in close. More leg kicks, both inside and outside, from Wang. Knee from da Silva. Wang keeps up the kicking offense then they both land punches again. Right to the body from Wang but da Silva counters with a left hook. Wang avoids a takedown attempt and lands punches. Hard calf kick from Wang and da Silva is hobbling now, Wang with a couple of punches to follow up. Da Silva separates but has to go southpaw now. Wang with a right to the body then a front kick. Double rights from Wang as she’s looking to keep the pressure up. Inside leg kick from Wang then a one two. They clash on kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wang

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Da Silva has gone orthodox for now. Wang keeps her lead hand busy then lands a calf kick. Da Silva clinches up and they trade in the clinch then break. Calf kick from Wang and da Silva goes southpaw again, her left leg is badly compromised. Right to the body from Wang. Both women land punches in close. Da Silva lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Wang then a calf kick. Da Silva is orthodox again and Wang lands a right hand. Wang with an inside leg kick. Another calf kick from Wang then a right to the body. Jab from Wang. Wang with an inside leg kick. They trade in close then Wang lands another inside leg kick. Jabs from Wang as she circles. Bit of a head kick from da Silva then they trade punches. A calf kick from Wang drops da Silva, she stands over her and lands some leg kicks then makes da Silva stand. Da Silva into southpaw. Wang with a front kick, then another one to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wang, 20-18 Wang overall

ROUND THREE: Da Silva opens southpaw. Wang fires a right hand. Another bit of a right hand from Wang. Front kick from Wang, da Silva is looking to press forward and turn this into a brawl. Solid right hand from Wang. Both women land punches in close. Da Silva tries a takedown, Wang defends but eats some knees before they break. Inside leg kick from Wang. A few stiff jabs from Wang land. Wang with a side kick then a left hook. Another left hook from Wang. Leg kick from Wang after she avoided a kick. Da Silva blocks a high kick then lands a body kick. Wang with a one two. Knee from da Silva then they both swing punches in close. Da Silva is showing orthodox again and takes a calf kick then goes back southpaw. Wang with more jabs while circling. Right hand from Wang. Wang with an inside leg kick. Bit of a left hook from Wang. Wang with a right hand, they trade again to close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Wang, 30-27 Wang overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Wang Cong via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Wang does get an interview along with the translator, the quick finish in the prior fight helped, and isn’t happy with her fight as she feels she could have done better. She mentions thinking she might have had a finish but gave da Silva time to recover and feels her next fight will be more exciting. To close she mentions fighting a lot of Brazilians lately and would like to fight Jessica Andrade. Well that’s a heck of a call out, not fully unreasonable but a bit unexpected.

Khaos Williams has gone 6-3 in the UFC, most recently being choked out by Gabriel Bonfim. Williams had two different opponents fall out for this card but he’s finally got one to stick and now looks to avoid his first losing streak. Andreas Gustafsson brings a three fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s also had trouble getting an opponent to the cage as he’s had three different opponents fall out before he got rescheduled for this card when his fight from last week didn’t come to fruition. The odds like Williams at -200 while that +165 comeback on Gustafsson might tempt some bettors.

Welterweight Bout: Andreas Gustafsson (11-2, 170 lbs.) vs. Khaos Williams (15-4, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gustafsson is an inch taller while Williams has three and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves then both men start swinging, nothing really lands and they clinch up. Williams has Gustafsson on the fence but Gustafsson is the one landing some knees while they jockey for grips and position. Knee from Gustafsson again but things are stalling just a bit here in the clinch. A few more short knees from Gustafsson then the ref separates them. They both start throwing again as Gustafsson keeps moving forward. Gustafsson with a punch into a clinch and he’s got Williams on the fence. Williams avoids an elbow then they break. They both land left hooks. Gustafsson punches into a clinch again. A few more knees from Gustafsson but again not much is happening here. Short right from Gustafsson in close then an elbow. Williams with a knee, they’re both able to get some offense off briefly then they clinch chest to chest again. Gustafsson with a knee then Williams lands a bit of a left right before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gustafsson

ROUND TWO: Gustafsson quickly presses forward and gets another clinch. Some dirty boxing from Gustafsson then Williams slipped free. Gustafsson presses forward again, he’s just trying to keep a high pace and a lot of effort. They trade punches then clinch up again. Williams is able to pull free but then eats a right hand. Left hook from Gustafsson. Gustafsson grabs another clinch and pushes things to the fence. Takedown from Gustafsson and he starts landing some punches but Williams wall walks. Gustafsson with a mat return then gets on top in side control. Elbows from Gustafsson then he moves to the ride and lands punches while Williams stands with Gustafsson on his back. Gustafsson lands a knee to the head then takes Williams down again and drops short elbows. Williams is cut now and Gustafsson keeps looking to do damage. Williams wall walks but he can’t get free and Gustafsson keeps holding a rear waist lock and then lands punches. Knee from Gustafsson as they get chest to chest. Some dirty boxing again from Gustafsson and a few knees to the leg. Elbow from Gustafsson then a knee and another elbow. The round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gustafsson, 20-18 Gustafsson overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Gustafsson with punches into another clinch and he drives Williams into the fence. They fight for position while Gustafsson lands a few knees. Gustafsson grabs a front headlock briefly then lands an elbow from a collar tie. Some short knees and punches from Gustafsson, he’s doing a passable Randy Couture impression overall. A few more rights from Gustafsson then Williams pulls free. Gustafsson immediately punches back into a clinch and we resume dirty boxing. Elbow from Gustafsson, then another one. Williams is just kind of drowning by degrees here the longer this goes. Gustafsson with some knees to the leg then a takedown, Williams bounces up but Gustafsson still has him in a clinch. Gustafsson has moved to the back standing and fires more knees to the leg then hits a mat return. Williams tries to roll but Gustafsson is with him and gets on top in side control then resumes dropping elbows. More strikes from Gustafsson, Williams is able to scramble up with Gustafsson on his back but he gets mat returned again. Gustafsson with punches as Williams stands. More punches from Gustafsson and knees to the leg. Mat return from Gustafsson then more punches from the ride, Williams is just in survival mode. Gustafsson keeps up the offense as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Gustafsson as Williams got worked over that round, 30-26 Gustafsson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andreas Gustafsson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)

Mic time for Gustafsson, he heard the boos early but says he’s the least technical guy in the UFC and likes to fight hard. He puts over Williams for making the fight hard but feels he handled the fight well overall.

Serghei Spivac has gone 4-2 in his last six fights but he is coming off of a loss and is dealing with an opponent shift but he is still trying to defend his ranking then start looking to fight up the ranks instead of down. Waldo Cortes-Acosta is on a four fight winning streak which has seen him move into the rankings at heavyweight, and now he’s looking to crack the top 10 with another win here. Fairly close one here, -160 for Spivac to +135 on Cortes-Acosta.

Heavyweight Bout: #11 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (13-1, 265 lbs.) vs. #7 Serghei Spivac (17-5, 251 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Cortes-Acosta is an inch taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get going. Spivac with a front kick then he checks a calf kick. Both men show some jabs then Cortes-Acosta lands a calf kick. Glancing head kick from Spivac. A few leg kicks are shown by both men. A lot of pressure from Spivac, not reckless but he’s doing all the forward motion. Cortes-Acosta with a leg kick but Spivac gets a takedown. Pretty quick wall walk from Cortes-Acosta but Spivac is on his back in the clinch now. They get chest to chest and Spivac lands some short punches. Eventually Cortes-Acosta is able to get free then misses a right hand. Spivac with a few jabs, Cortes-Acosta is against the fence and something weird happened there. Right hand from Cortes-Acosta but Spivac clinches him off of it. They break cleanly and reset. Jab from Spivac. Cortes-Acosta avoids a clinch attempt. A few jabs go back and forth. Spivac blocks a few punches, he’s got a decent read on Cortes-Acosta’s offense so far. Leg kick from Cortes-Acosta. Spivac lands a right hand and clinches things on the fence. Cortes-Acosta is able to push free but he misses a combination of punches. Spivac blocks punches then lands a jab to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Spivac but a close one

ROUND TWO: Spivac gets back to kind of lumbering forward. Both men show jabs but nothing’s really landing. Leg kick from Spivac. Cortes-Acosta with a right to the body. Spivac punches into a clinch but Cortes-Acosta is able to spin free fairly quickly. Body kick from Spivac then he checks a calf kick. Right hand from Spivac in close. Calf kick from Cortes-Acosta. Spivac grabs a clinch again and they hit the fence but again Cortes-Acosta is able to slip free pretty quickly. Knee from Cortes-Acosta. Cortes-Acosta with a right to the body. Spivac grabs at a takedown but he can’t finish it. They trade a few jabs. Right to the body from Cortes-Acosta then they trade jabs. Spivac lands a leg kick. Cortes-Acosta jabs the body. Bit of a right from Spivac. A few lefts are traded then Cortes-Acosta lands a body shot to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Both men show jabs as the round begins. Cortes-Acosta misses a right hand. A few more jabs go back and forth. A right hand from Spivac wobbles Cortes-Acosta, Cortes-Acosta waves him in and Spivac punches into a clinch. Right hand from Spivac then an elbow. Cortes-Acosta pushes out of the clinch but he’s a little more gun shy now. Spivac punches forward, partially lands. Cortes-Acosta has a lot of punches blocked. Knee from Cortes-Acosta. Spivac keeps moving forward, lands a one two but can’t quite tie up with a clinch. Spivac pushes in close but Cortes-Acosta avoids a clinch. Cortes-Acosta keeps having punches blocked. Glancing high kick from Spivac. Cortes-Acosta avoids a right hand. Spivac blocks a right hand. Spivac pushes into a clinch, he’s after a takedown against the fence and gets it this time. Cortes-Acosta quickly wall walks but Spivac is on him. Cortes-Acosta does spin free but getting up there cost him a lot of energy. Jab from Spivac. A right hand from Spivac lands. Cortes-Acosta avoids a right hand then they both fire punches in close to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Spivac, 29-28 Spivac overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Well I don’t agree with that, clearly as almost everything he threw was blocked. Mic time for Cortes-Acosta and the translator, the crowd is booing him, he feels he won and tries to suck up to the crowd with no real success. He mentions expecting more wrestling but Spivac did a lot of striking with him.

Azamat Murzakanov is undefeated including four wins in the UFC but he’s had trouble remaining active as his last fight was almost a year ago. Despite that Murzakanov is ranked and now he’s looking to remind everyone that he’s a rising contender in a division perpetually in need of them. Brendson Ribeiro has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he is on a two fight winning streak and despite stepping in on short notice for this fight he could crack the top 15 with a win. Murzakanov is a very large favorite at -625 to Ribeiro’s +455.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #12 Azamat Murzakanov (14-0, 205 lbs.) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (17-7 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ribeiro is five inches taller with a large nine and a half inches of reach advantage, he’s also 8 years younger. Southpaw for Murzakanov and they touch gloves to get us going. Ribeiro shows a few kicks early as Murzakanov pressures forward. Left to the body from Murzakanov. Ribeiro misses a right hand. Bit of a left from Murzakanov. Murzakanov keeps looking to pressure forward, and he lands a glancing left hand. Left to the body from Murzakanov. Murzakanov with a left hand, another one slumps Ribeiro over and Murzakanov gets on top and starts throwing strikes. Hammer fists and elbows from Murzakanov get through and Ribeiro just covers up until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Azamat Murzakanov via TKO, punches, at 3:25 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Murzakanov for his work. Mic time for Murzakanov and the translator, he thinks he’s underrated and needs to stay active but he’s 5-0 in the UFC with five knockouts and he wants a ranked opponent next. He does thank Ribeiro for stepping in on fairly short notice. He talks us through some highlights of the finish. When asked about the future he will fight anyone ranked above him, he wants to get to a title fight and would like a main event. They’ll be going back to the Apex in a few months, I’m sure he could headline one of those.

Bruno Silva just had a four fight winning streak broken by Manel Kape late last year, he’s still highly ranked and looks to defend that spot here while avoiding his first losing streak since 2020. Joshua Van is on a three fight winning streak which has seen him begin rising through the flyweight ranks, he’s taking on a higher ranked fighter here and is looking to continue his ascent towards the title level. The odds are heavily with Van at -750 to Silva’s +525.

Flyweight Bout: #12 Bruno Silva (14-6-2 1 NC, 125 lbs.) vs. #14 Joshua Van (13-2, 125.1 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Van is an inch taller while the reach is identical, he’s also 13 years younger. Calf kick from Silva early. Van shows the jab a bit and looks to pressure forward. Silva is showing some stance switches now as he circles. Jab from Van as Silva starts working the inside leg kick. Glancing right from Van, Silva barely avoided disaster there. Bit of a counter right from Van. Van with a front kick. Silva misses a left hand then Van lands a counter right. Calf kick from Silva but he eats a counter right. Van is starting to get a read on things now and is countering nicely. Left hook from Van. Van with a one two, then a left hand puts Silva down for a moment but Silva bounces back up. Bit of a right from Silva. One two from Van. Bit of a blitz from Van and Silva is backing up again. Van with a counter left hook. Silva ties up but Van quickly gets free then both men miss punches. Calf kick from Silva, then another one. Bit of a right from Van. Van lands a jab. Again Van with a pull counter punch, when Silva lunges in he’s getting hit pretty much every time. They feint away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Van

ROUND TWO: They trade some calf kicks to start the round. Silva with a right to the body. Van lands a jab. They tie up then Van lands a knee and pushes free. Van keeps up the forward pressure and lands a jab. Silva is starting to windmill his punches at distance. Van with another jab. They split a few jabs then Van lands a counter right. Calf kick from Silva, that’s been his best weapon thus far. Van with more jabs, he almost can’t miss with that punch. Right hand from Van. More jabs from Van then a perfectly timed intercepting right drops Silva but Silva fights upright despite still being hurt. Silva hits a takedown, Van bounces up quickly then punches him in close before they break. Van with a front kick. Silva fails at a single leg then Van lands a front kick. Right hand from Van. Van keeps landing punches then lands a knee while defending a single leg, Silva is down again and Van goes into his guard looking to finish. Silva is able to tie up enough to stop most of the momentum but he’s having a bad night. Van with some body to head punches then he stands free and makes Silva get up. Silva misses a jab as the last relevant exchange of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Van but a marginal one, 20-17 Van overall

ROUND THREE: Van gets back to jabbing and pressuring forward. Silva lands a body kick. Van blocks a body kick. Jab from Van, then Silva lands a calf kick. Bit of a left hook from Van. Silva avoids a few punches then lands a right. Short right from Van. Van avoids a few punches then lands a lightning fast right hand. Combination from Van, he’s landing a lot. Silva lands a jab, he’s still throwing back but he’s just out matched technically. Short left from Silva. Van lands a couple of rights in close. Right uppercut from Van then a left hook. Silva lands a right hand. Van avoids a takedown attempt then lands a right hand. Another jab from Van. They trade jabs. Both men land punches in close the Van digs a left to the body. Silva is hurt, Van drops him against the fence with a right hook and a brief flurry to follow up will polish things off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joshua Van via TKO, punches, at 4:01 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Van for his work. Mic time for Van, he thanks God first then promises he’s still getting better and he’s not forcing knockouts.

That does it for the prelims, and as the current President of the United States makes his way cage side we head to PPV.

Vicente Luque has gone 2-3 in his last five fights but his most recent win was enough to let him keep his ranking in the division and now he’s trying to defend it while proving he’s still got a lot to offer the promotion despite having been with the UFC for 24 fights dating back to July of 2015 so he’s almost hit the decade mark. Kevin Holland scored a win when he returned to welterweight back in March which broke a two fight losing streak when he was at middleweight. Holland is looking to get back into the welterweight rankings here and make a push towards the top of the division. Holland is your favorite at -205 while +170 on Luque might tempt a few bettors out there.

Welterweight Bout: Kevin Holland (27-13 1 NC, 170.1 lbs.) vs. #14 Vicente Luque (23-10-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Holland is four inches taller with five and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. A lot of feinting from both men early. Holland with some lefts as Luque is holding a single leg, and Luque bails on the attempt after taking some punches. Bit of a right from Luque. Luque lands a leg kick. Holland lands a jab. Right hand from Holland in close then a knee and a right elbow out of the clinch that wobbles Luque. Luque fires back with some punches, he’s not that out of it and they kind of reset. Holland blocks a few punches. Some stance switching from Luque but he mostly stays orthodox. They trade lefts. Holland with a leg kick then a right but Luque lands a left hook. Bit of a counter right from Holland. Holland shows a few jabs then Luque lands a leg kick. They both do some stance switching now as they move around. A jab from Luque closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Holland

ROUND TWO: Both men get back to feinting early. Holland looks to work his jab then lands a left hook. Holland catches a leg kick and off balances Luque then grabs an anaconda choke as Luque tries to stand, that’s tight and Luque had to tap out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kevin Holland via Submission, anaconda choke, at 1:03 of Round 2

Mic time for Holland after that, he’s been channeling the trash talk of Muhammad Ali this camp and showed that and they had a good fun fight together with Luque. He talks us through the finish, he’s got a good front headlock series given his long arms. Asked about the future he wants to learn bow hunting with Rogan but he’d also like to keep building himself up at welterweight then brings up Colby Covington specifically.

Our next Hall of Fame inductee will be Mark Kerr in the pioneer wing, I’m sure the upcoming biopic about him has nothing to do with this decision. Kidding aside I have no major issues with this.

Mario Bautista is on a seven fight winning streak including a somewhat debated split decision loss to Jose Aldo his last time out, now he’s defending his ranking against a UFC debutante and then will look to fight someone closer to the title level. Patchy Mix is on a seven fight winning streak coming into his UFC debut, he’s a former Bellator champion but because the PFL is kind of a mess he had one fight last year in May and he’s been out of action since then. Now in the UFC Mix is looking to showcase his skills and immediately make his way into the rankings of a stacked division. The newcomer Mix is the favorite at -180 to +160 for Bautista

Bantamweight Bout: #10 Mario Bautista (15-2, 135.1 lbs.) vs. Patchy Mix (20-1, 135.1 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Mix is two inches taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. Southpaw for Mix. Bautista with an inside leg kick, he’s looking to keep a high pace early. Some stance switching from Bautista as they move around. Mix with some side kicks to the leg. Right to the body from Bautista. Mix with a leg kick, then Bautista lands a couple of right hands. Bit of a left from Mix. Leg kick from Bautista then a right to the body, he’s keeping a very high pace thus far. Mix with an inside leg kick. Bautista lands a right hand. Bit of a body kick from Mix, then a front kick. They tie up but nothing comes of it besides a Mix knee before they break apart. Bautista with a right to the body. Right hand from Bautista. Mix avoids a few punches. Bit of a right from Bautista. Mix with a few jabs, he still looks a little flat though. Bautista with a body kick then a couple of rights to the body. Mix lands a left hand. Right to the body from Bautista. Bautista avoids a combination then lands a solid right hand. That’ll be the last relevant blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bautista

ROUND TWO: Bautista lands a body kick to start the round. Mix with a few side kicks. Bautista just keeps up the offensive output while moving around. Mix lands a jab. Both men miss rights in close. Bautista is playing around southpaw this round. Mix with a few right hooks that land. Bautista with a darting left hand. Inside leg kicks go back and forth then Bautista lands a right to the body. The lack of wrestling from Mix is a problem, he really can’t win a kickboxing bout with Bautista. Bautista with a bit of a left hand. Mix fires a couple of high kicks that partially land. Bautista is backing up now, Mix with a bit of a one two. Short right hook from Mix. Bautista lands a jab. Right hand from Bautista. Bautista is cut around the right eyebrow, not bad but it’s there. One two from Bautista. Both men land punches in close again but Bautista is getting a slight edge just with his volume. They split a few jabs again then Mix lands a knee to the body. A couple of rights land for Bautista. Right to the body from Bautista. Mix lands an intercepting elbow. They both miss rights to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bautista but a closer one, 20-18 Bautista overall

ROUND THREE: Bautista avoids a takedown and lands a few punches. Left hand from Bautista, he’s bordering on tuning Mix up on the feet at this point. Mix is cut around the eyes, again not a fight ender but he’s bleeding. They trade jabs but Bautista is extending these exchanges and keeping his feet moving which is winning the day. Mix lands a left hand. More jabs from Bautista as he’s moving around. Leg kick from Bautista. Bit of a left from Mix. Short right from Mix in close quarters. Bautista with a one two. Mix tries to goad things into a brawl but Bautista isn’t biting on that. Bautista avoids a few punches. Inside leg kick from Mix. Bautista with a left hand. They trade punches in close. Glancing left from Mix but he’s taking a lot of offense. Another left from Mix gets through. Bautista is circling away, he jabs the body a few times. One two from Bautista, then Mix lands a left hand. Bit of a knee from Mix but he’s not got enough time and Bautista will see out the round with a badly split lip.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bautista but could go either way, 30-27 Bautista overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mario Bautista via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

No interview for Bautista.

Kelvin Gastelum has been with the UFC since 2013 when he won a season of TUF, during his time with the UFC he’s bounced between middleweight and welterweight and most recently has gone 2-3 in his last five. Gastelum is coming off of a win though and could get his first winning streak since 2018 up and running. Joe Pyfer has gone 4-1 in the UFC and most recently scored a win a little under a year ago, now he’s looking for another winning streak and to resume his march up the middleweight ranks. Pyfer is a notable favorite at -380 while +300 for Gastelum might tempt some bettors out there.

Middleweight Bout: Kelvin Gastelum (19-9 1 NC, 185 lbs.) vs. Joe Pyfer (13-3, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Pyfer is five inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Gastelum. Both men circle to start. The size difference is obvious as they’re in proximity to each other. Bit of a body kick from Pyfer. A right from Pyfer floors Gastelum, he looks to follow up but Gastelum fights up and free. Pyfer keeps Gastelum along the fence and looks to hit him again but Gastelum does get away from the fence for a bit. They both miss looping punches. Gastelum seems mostly recovered and Pyfer lands a right to the body. Bit of a left hook from Pyfer. Both men are back to hand fighting and looking for openings. Gastelum with a left to the body. Bit of a body kick from Pyfer. Gastelum lands a leg kick. Pyfer misses a left hook. Gastelum with a left to the body. Head kick from Pyfer lands but Gastelum just eats it. Pyfer with a jab. Right hand from Pyfer drops Gastelum again, he then makes Gastelum stand back up. Gastelum is still hurt and Pyfer stalks forward but we’ve only got 15 seconds left in the round. Pyfer lands a left hook then misses a right hand to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Pyfer but a slightly generous one

ROUND TWO: Gastelum misses a looping punch. Left to the body from Gastelum. Pyfer with a jab. Another left to the body from Gastelum. Left uppercut from Pyfer, that was nicely placed. Gastelum falls short with some punches then Pyfer cracks him with a right hand. Another right from Pyfer lands. They both miss lefts but Pyfer is getting Gastelum towards the fence reliably at this point. Bit of a right from Pyfer. Both men avoid a few hooks. Gastelum with a left to the body. Bit of a front kick from Pyfer then a right hand to follow up. Short left from Gastelum lands then they both have punches blocked in close. Gastelum lands a jab. Pyfer with a few jabs while looking to set up the right hand. Both men miss lefts. Bit of a right from Pyfer then a left hook behind it to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Pyfer but could go either way, 20-17 Pyfer overall

ROUND THREE: Bit of a right from Pyfer to start the round. Gastelum is trying to be the one pushing forward and they trade a couple of punches in close. Pyfer misses a right hand. Fake takedown from Gastelum then he lands a right hand. Bit of a right hand from Pyfer. They both miss power hand punches. One two from Gastelum lands. They tie up and then Pyfer pushes free. Pyfer tries a takedown, that hits the fence but Pyfer finishes the single leg. Gastelum looks to wrestle up on his own single leg, that turns into a clinch. Bit of an elbow from Pyfer as they break the clinch. Glancing left from Gastelum. Pyfer misses a right hand. Short right from Pyfer, then another one. Gastelum pushes forward and fires a few lefts. They both miss strikes to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gastelum, 29-27 Pyfer overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Joe Pyfer via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27)

Pyfer gets an interview despite the fight mostly sucking. He is upset he didn’t get the finish but then puts over Gastelum as a tough fighter then he promises to be back. He admits he didn’t listen to his coaches about how to fight Gastelum, then tries to appeal to the crowd via President Trump and Mike Tyson with mixed results. Asked about the future he admits to being rusty after back surgery and the layoff.

Kayla Harrison is the most accomplished judoka the United States has ever produced as she’s a back to back Olympic gold medalist in that sport. In MMA Harrison is a former tournament winner in the PFL and has gone 2-0 since moving to bantamweight in the UFC, this represents her first UFC title opportunity and given the extreme toll this weight cut takes on her it might be her last if she comes up short. Conversely a win would further her claim to being one of the finest female combat sports athletes ever. Julianna Pena is in her second title reign, her first was a shocking upset over Amanda Nunes, then she got badly beaten by Nunes in the rematch. Most recently she scored a controversial split decision win to reclaim the title and now she’s after her first successful title defense. Harrison is the biggest favorite on the main card at -675 to a +490 comeback on Pena.

Women’s Bantamweight Title Bout: (c) Julianna Peña (12-5, 135 lbs.) vs. #2 Kayla Harrison (18-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Harrison is two inches taller but Pena has three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Harrison. Both women with some lead hand play as they circle. They both do some range finding, nothing serious happening yet. Bit of a left from Harrison. They’re both starting to throw a bit but neither is landing much. Harrison pushes into a clinch and they hit the fence. Outside trip from Harrison and she’s on top in side control. A few short blows from Harrison land and she puts herself into half guard for more control. Pena is able to get butterfly guard then closed guard. Harrison with a few punches then postures up and lands a pretty solid right hand. Pena fires a few illegal up kicks and the ref takes a point from her then they restart on the feet. Inside leg kick from Harrison. Pena misses a few punches. Harrison misses a left hand. They feint away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Harrison after the point deduction

ROUND TWO: They both come out working the lead hand again. Bit of a left from Harrison. Harrison with an inside leg kick. Body kick from Harrison. Another bit of a body kick from Harrison. They tie up on the fence and Harrison starts landing some knees. Harrison with a few short punches but Pena is blocking trips thus far. A few more knees from Harrison then she trips Pena down into full guard. Harrison with a few short elbows then a left hand. Pena rolls to her knees and Harrison gets to the ride position and lands a few punches. Harrison pulls Pena back down into half guard and lands an elbow. Arm triangle attack from Harrison, the guard of Pena is complicating things and the clock is pretty short. Harrison bails on that attack to attack a kimura and wrenches it to get the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and NEW UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Kayla Harrison via Submission, kimura, at 4:55 of Round 2

Harrison is very emotional after the win and after the belt is put on her. Mic time for the new champion, she has a lot to say and hopes everyone will bear with her. She dedicates the win to her family, thanks the fans for being the lifeblood of the sport, and says this is for anyone who’s overcome being hopeless and wanting to quit and she really wanted to quit during her weight cut for this fight. She also gives words of encouragement to single mothers out there, then brings up John 3:16 at UFC 316 and gives glory to God. Rogan brings up Harrison and Pena sharing a moment together after the fight and praying for each other, then she thanks Pena for making her better. Asked about the weight cut she says only God can get that last pound off of her, she’s not strong enough to do it on her own. We see Amanda Nunes in the crowd, and Harrison invites her into the cage and says this is the next fight. Nunes does get into the cage and the two share a hug before staring down. Nunes says she’s coming back and that the two of them knew this was always going to happen. Both women are down for the fight, and Harrison says Nunes is the greatest and Harrison wants what Nunes has. Some more mutual admiration follows, and the division badly needs something like this kind of energy even if only for a short time. The two face off to close.

Sean O’Malley is a former bantamweight champion but he’s been out of action since losing the title in September of last year. Now O’Malley is trying to reclaim the title and embark on a second run as champion. Merab Dvalishvili is the bantamweight champion with one title defense already under his belt, he’s also on a 12 fight winning streak and if he can get another defense here at the expense of the man he claimed the title from then he’ll begin entering his name into the conversation for best bantamweight ever. The odds here are pretty much swapped from their first fight, -300 on Dvalishvili to +240 for O’Malley.

Bantamweight Title Bout: (c) Merab Dvalishvili (19-4, 134 lbs.) vs. #1 Sean O’Malley (18-2 1 NC, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: O’Malley is five inches taller with four inches of reach advantage. Both men open orthodox but O’Malley will switch his stance a lot, as will Dvalishvili if it strikes him. Bit of a spinning back kick from O’Malley. A bit of forward pressure from Dvalishvili now but nothing’s landing yet. O’Malley lands a jab. Bit of a left hook from Dvalishvili. Right to the body from O’Malley. Dvalishvili misses a few punches, he’s not got a read on the range yet. They trade lefts. Dvalishvili avoids a right hand then O’Malley lands a front kick. Left hook from Dvalishvili then he gets a clinch on the fence and trips him down. O’Malley looks to wall walk, he’s up but Dvalishvili is on his back throwing knees to the thigh. They get chest to chest and trade a few knees then separate. O’Malley slips throwing a knee but Dvalishvili doesn’t get on top of him. They trade lefts. Double leg from Dvalishvili, that hits the fence and Dvalishvili needs a second effort to finally get O’Malley to his seat. A few punches from Dvalishvili land as he’s in the guard of O’Malley. Dvalishvili with elbows now, O’Malley fires from his back but Dvalishvili is landing better strikes. O’Malley wrestles up to his feet just before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dvalishvili

ROUND TWO: O’Malley opens southpaw this time, but again he switches a lot. Dvalishvili avoids a spinning back kick. Right to the body from O’Malley. Bit of a flurry from Dvalishvili to counter a body shot. Both men land punches, O’Malley landed the better blow though. A few leg kicks go back and forth. Front kick from O’Malley then Dvalishvili lands a left hand. O’Malley with another right to the body. Dvalishvili punches then tries a takedown but this time O’Malley defends and avoids the cage wall. Both men feint again as Dvalishvili keeps looking to pressure forward. They tie up but O’Malley disengages quickly then lands a left hand. Right hand from Dvalishvili lands. Both men with a few punches in close. Counter right from Dvalishvili lands then he ties up and looks for a takedown against the fence. O’Malley defends then lands a right hand of his own. Bit of a right from O’Malley. Both men miss punches then they swing and tie up with Dvalishvili throwing a flurry of strikes to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 O’Malley but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: The touch gloves for the round. Dvalishvili punches then tries a knee tap but can’t find it and O’Malley lands a counter right hand. Dvalishvili with another takedown and this time hits a double leg slam to get on top in full guard. O’Malley tries to angle his hips but Dvalishvili is following them and landing a few almost meaningless punches. Not much going on here, O’Malley is trying to work his guard but Dvalishvili is blocking him and sneaks in a few elbows. Dvalishvili with a few knees to the body, he’s nearly passed to half guard and uses that motion the get the ride position as O’Malley moves to his knees. O’Malley wall walks but Dvalishvili is holding his back and landing some knees to the leg. They get chest to chest and Dvalishvili hits a takedown into half guard again. Dvalishvili lands some punches as O’Malley wall walks again into a clinch. Outside trip from Dvalishvili and he’s back on top in half guard. More knees to the body from Dvalishvili on the ground, O’Malley wrestles to his knees and Dvalishvili grabs a modified ninja choke, O’Malley rolls to his back but the choke is still in and Dvalishvili adjusts it towards a north-south choke, tightens things down to forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili via Submission, north-south/Ezekiel choke, at 4:42 of Round 3

Heck of a win for Dvalishvili, one of the better performances of his career. Mic time for the champion, he puts over Trump and then plays with the crowd for a bit. He puts over the UFC brass and then says he’s on top of the world right now and he’s grateful to be an inspiration to the younger generation. A few of the usual inspirational sound bytes follow. He says he’s just the product of hard work, I’m calling BS on that one as there’s more to it for him than just his work ethic. He again says he’s not talented, he says he’s just the product of hard work and healthy living. Next he talks us through the finish and puts over O’Malley but he feels he’s built his skills and is happy to show them off. A little more UFC fellating then he thanks his team for all of their work, especially naming Aljamain Sterling. Asked about the future and fighting Cory Sandhagen, he says he’d like that and puts over Sandhagen as a fighter and feels Sandhagen is the most deserving contender. To close he sends love to Georgia, the country not the state.

O’Malley gets some mic time as well, he puts over Dvalishvili then thanks everyone for coming out and expresses gratitude for his life which this all makes possible. He says he’ll definitely be back.

Alright, on that note UFC 316 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus looking ahead to UFC on ESPN 69 (nice) when Kamaru Usman tries to prove he’s still relevant at welterweight against Joaquin Buckley. I’ll be back here for that event and I hope you will as well. Until next time thank you for reading, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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