UFC 316’s Exciting Bantamweight Display: Post-Fight Facts

Elsewhere on the main card, Joe Pyfer battered the normally very durable Kelvin Gastelum, dropping the middleweight standout twice with strikes. Also, surging bantamweight contender Mario Bautista spoiled the anticipated company debut of former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Patchy Mix, taking a one-sided unanimous decision. Finally, Kevin Holland got himself back into the welterweight top 15 with a first round submission over Vicente Luque. 

Now, let’s take a look at some post-event facts from the main card fighters of UFC 316.  

UFC 316 Main Event: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley

Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili’s triumph over O’Malley marked his twentieth career win as a professional. His third-round submission over O’Malley marked his first stoppage victory since 2021 after he knocked out Marlon Moraes at UFC 266. It is also his first submission win since 2017.

This win over O’Malley marked his second consecutive bantamweight title defense since snatching the championship last year at UFC 306, coincidentally over O’Malley. Dvalishvili’s win over O’Malley marked his 13th straight win dating back to 2018.

Sean O’Malley

O’Malley’s loss to Dvalishvili marked his second defeat in a row, making it the longest losing streak of both his amateur and professional mixed martial arts career. His tapout defeat to Dvalishvili marked the first time he has ever been beaten by submission.

His loss to Dvalishvili also marked the only time where he wasn’t able to avenge a defeat in a rematch, having done so previously against Marlon Vera. 

UFC 316 Co-Main Event Kayla Harrison vs. Julianna Peña

Kayla Harrison

Harrison’s triumph over Peña at UFC 316  marked her fourth straight win after falling to Larissa Pacheco at the PFL 2022 Championships. It also stands as her third consecutive victory in the UFC since arriving to the promotion last year at UFC 300, as well as her third contest as a bantamweight.

By defeating Peña, Harrison tied Holly Holm for the least amount of fights that a competitor needed to capture the women’s bantamweight belt at three. Harrison’s kimura finish win over Peña marked her eighth overall victory by submission.

She’s now only the second individual to have ever won both an Olympic gold medal and a UFC title, behind only Henry Cejudo.

Julianna Peña

Peña’s loss to Harrison at UFC 316 marked her fourth overall stoppage across her six defeats as a professional competitor.

Peña’s setback last Saturday marked marked the second time that she was unable to successfully defend her bantamweight championship after previously failing to do so against Amanda Nunes at UFC 277 after wresting the strap away from the Brazilian in their first encounter. 

Peña’s submission defeat to Harrison marked the first time she has been stopped since suffering a third round guillotine choke loss to Germaine de Randamie in 2020. 

UFC 316: Joe Pyfer vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Joe Pyfer

Pyfer’s unanimous decision victory over Gastelum at UFC 316 last weekend marks his second ever win to come by the judge’s scorecards since second professional bout in 2018.  His two knockdowns of Gastelum marked the first time he had dropped to the canvas in a middleweight contest since his 2021 scrap with Jared Cannonier.

Pyfer’s win over Gastelum marked his second straight victory after losing to Jack Hermansson in 2024.

Kelvin Gastelum

Gastelum’s fight against Pyfer marked his return to the 185-lb category after making a short expedition back to 170-lb, where he went 1-1 with a win over Daniel Rodriguez and loss to Sean Brady. After his defeat to Pyfer at UFC 316, Gastelum is now 1-7 in his last eight middleweight appearances. 

His 33 significant strikes landed against Pyfer marked the least amount he was able to score in a middleweight fight since his 2017 meeting with Michael Bisping.

UFC 316: Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix

Mario Bautista

Bautista’s win over Mix marked his eighth victory in a row after falling to Trevin Jones by knockout at UFC 259 in 2021. His 173 significant strikes landed on Mix were the most he has ever landed on an opponent in his UFC career thus far. 

Bautista’s triumph over Mix marked the second time he has beaten a fighter who had once held a championship from a major promotion, the first being José Aldo. 

Patchy Mix

Mix’s loss to Bautista at UFC 316 brought an end to his seven fight-winning streak that began all the way back in 2020.  His unanimous decision setback to Bautista marked the second time he has lost by decision. 

UFC 316: Kevin Holland vs. Vicente Luque

Kevin Holland

Holland’s win over Luque marked his second victory in a row in welterweight. His win over Luque marked the first time he had defeated a ranked 170-lb competitor since toppling Michael Chiesa by submission at UFC 291.

Holland has now won two bouts back-to-back since being beaten by Reinier de Ridder this past January at UFC 311.

Vicente Luque

Luque’s defeat to Holland marked the first time he had been submitted as a professional since 2013.  With his loss to Holland, Luque is now 2-4 in his last six contests. He has also been finished three times in five of those fights.