'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMtmBt//xAAhEAACAgAFBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIRAAQFEiETIjFBYv/aAAgBAQABPwBuo5PKaE5yFiTIuKGdXye3kCo/Q94mV75bbq+LGP/EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESH/2gAIAQIBAT8ACtn/xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQNB/9oACAEDAQE/AKYj/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The UFC's latest pay-per-view is in the books. The fans in New Jersey last night were treated to a solid show featuring two major title bouts.
UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 saw two masterful performances from a pair of champions, but what's next for them?
As always, the matchmakers have plenty of options, but in some cases, they're a little more clear than others.
Here are five fights to make following UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
#5. UFC light-heavyweight bout: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Jan Blachowicz
Trending
While his win did come over a late-notice replacement in the form of Brendson Ribeiro, it was hard not to be impressed by light-heavyweight prospect Azamat Murzakanov last night.
'The Professional' dispatched the Brazilian violently, forcing him to tap out to strikes before the end of the first round.
Murzakanov was initially pegged to fight No.11 ranked Johnny Walker, but at this stage, it's probably worth pushing the Russian further. At the end of the day, he's already 36 years old, meaning he doesn't have time to waste.
Therefore, a solid fight for him next could be former titleholder Jan Blachowicz. He's still ranked at No.5 in the division, and despite winning just one fight since 2021, clearly has a lot left to offer. His last fight, in March, saw him push high-level contender Carlos UIberg to his limit.
Would this be a step too far for Murzakanov? Perhaps, but given he's 15-0 and has beaten five opponents in the UFC, including Dustin Jacoby and Alonzo Menifield, it's well worth throwing him into a big fight to see whether he sinks or swims.
#4. UFC welterweight bout: Kevin Holland vs. Colby Covington
Last night's main card saw Kevin Holland pick up one of the most impressive wins of his lengthy UFC career. He dispatched dangerous finisher Vicente Luque with one of his own signature moves - the D'Arce choke - in the second round.
Remarkably, the fight was Holland's third of 2025. It should see him move back into the top fifteen at 170 pounds, given Luque was ranked at No.14 coming in.
Post-fight, 'The Trailblazer' was pretty clear about what he wants next. He stated he wants to stay at welterweight, and called out former interim champ Colby Covington.
The fight does sound like a good one, too. Holland labeled 'Chaos' an "easy fight", but given he's had trouble with wrestlers before, that might not be true.
However, it's easy to see why he'd be confident, given Covington hasn't looked like the same fighter he was in his prime for a while now.
Given the trash talk that could also ensue before a fight between these two, it does sound like the perfect bout that the UFC could book to headline a Fight Night event later in the year.
#3. UFC bantamweight bout: Sean O'Malley vs. Mario Bautista
It's safe to say that things couldn't have gone much differently for bantamweights Sean O'Malley and Mario Bautista last night.
Bautista ruined the UFC debut of the highly-touted former Bellator champ Patchy Mix, clearly outpointing him for a three-round decision win.
Meanwhile, O'Malley lost in the headliner to bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili, failing to regain his title in the process.
The matchmakers don't always like to pit a fighter coming off a win against one coming off a loss, but in this case, they should make an exception.
Bautista is now riding an eight-fight win streak, and has already beaten Jose Aldo, as well as other dangerous foes like Da'Mon Blackshear and Ricky Simon. He clearly needs a step up the ladder.
Furthermore, 'Suga' needs a rebound fight following his loss to Dvalishvili, and does match well with Bautista, who isn't likely to outstrike the former champion as easily as he outstruck Mix.
Given Bautista isn't exactly a marketing dream, seeing his winning run snapped wouldn't harm the promotion. Instead, it's more important for O'Malley to get back on track, but equally, he can't be handed a softball.
Therefore, from that perspective, this fight could make perfect sense.
#2. UFC bantamweight title: Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes
Last night's event saw a new women's bantamweight champion crowned in the co-headliner, as Kayla Harrison unsurprisingly dominated Julianna Pena to claim the gold.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist has looked phenomenal ever since she arrived in the UFC last year, and appears to be too physically dominant for anyone to handle.
Thankfully, the matchmakers won't have to look hard to find her next opponent. That's because former champ Amanda Nunes - the consensus female GOAT of MMA - is returning to action to face off with her.
Quite how much 'The Lioness' has left in the tank after spending two years on the shelf is a fair question, but there's no denying that this is the biggest possible fight that the UFC could book for both women right now.
Whether the fight will take place at 135 pounds for Harrison's title, given both women are comfortable at 145 pounds, remains to be seen. Really, though, it doesn't matter.
The fact is that this fight pits two physically dominant, brilliant fighters against each other, and anything could happen. It should be the biggest female fight the promotion has seen in some time.
#1. UFC bantamweight title: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
UFC 316's headliner saw Merab Dvalishvili prove that he's not just the best bantamweight on the planet right now, but he's probably the greatest 135 pounder in UFC history, too.
'The Machine' thoroughly dominated former champ Sean O'Malley in their rematch, and this time around, he finished him too, forcing him to tap out to a choke variant in the third round.
Given he's already beaten the No.1, No.2 and No.3 ranked fighters in the division, Dvalishvili is almost running out of viable opponents.
Thankfully, No.4 ranked Cory Sandhagen would work as a fresh opponent for the Georgian.
'The Sandman' has won four of his last five bouts, and most recently looked excellent in a win over Deiveson Figueiredo. To add to this, he's blessed with remarkably well-rounded skills, and is a consummate finisher.
Does anyone really believe he can beat 'The Machine'? In all honesty, no, as he doesn't offer anything that Dvalishvili hasn't seen before.
However, he has basically earned a shot at the gold, so the matchmakers should probably go with it anyway. It's a mark of excellence if a champion can move onto what old-school fans would call 'contender of the month' fights - and that's where Dvalishvili is right now.
