UFC 316 matchmaker: Who’s next for champs Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison?
Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison had title-fight wins at UFC 316. What’s next for the champs? MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker.
Two of the most memorable title fight results of the year so far went down Saturday at UFC 316 when Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison emerged with the men’s and women’s bantamweight belts.
Both fighters put away their opponents by submission, with Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) tapping out Sean O’Malley in their rematch to defend his belt for a second time, while Harrison (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) forced a changing of the guard with a tapout of Julianna Peña in the co-main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Dvalishvili made his desire to stay extremely active known, and the 135-pound division remains one of the best in the sport where contenders will always exist. Harrison, meanwhile, has one clear and obvious option going forward in a showdown with Amanda Nunes, who entered the octagon after her win.
Watch the video above to hear senior MMA Junkie reporter Mike Bohn discuss what the future holds for Dvalishvili and Harrison in the aftermath of UFC 316.
