UFC 316 on Saturday. June 7, is a stacked main card with elite fighters top to bottom. The number of high level wrestlers is sure to excite the grappling enthusiasts tuning in. Of the elite grapplers on the card, Merab Dvalishvili stands out amongst the rest; he’ll take on former champion Sean O’Malley and his equally top tier striking will be looking to earn back UFC Gold in a rematch that will set the tone of the Bantamweight division.
Co-headlining the UFC 316 card, we have the reigning champion Juliana Peña defending her belt against Olympic gold medalist, Kayla Harrison.
Click here to go straight to our UFC 316 Main Card Predictions below, including PrizePicks UFC picks for every main card fight.
The UFC 316 main card is set to start at 10 p.m. ET, with the Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley fight expected to start around 12 a.m. ET, depending on when the other fights end. Live from Newark, New Jersey, in the Prudential Center, it should be an electric start to a summer full of UFC action.
Below, we’ll cover who’s fighting in UFC 316, including UFC 316 predictions and picks to watch for the main card fight, plus PrizePicks UFC projections for the big fights on Saturday night.
PrizePicks is the easiest way to win cash on UFC 316 Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2; just pick More or Less on fighter projections — like significant strikes or fight time — and get paid if your picks are correct.
UFC 316 Projections & Start Times: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2
UFC 316 main card is expected to start at 10 p.m. ET with the main card prelims on Saturday, June 7, while the Dvalishvili vs O’Malley main event is expected to start at 12 a.m. ET — subject to change based on other fights before it.
UFC 316 projections are via the PrizePicks MMA board as of Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, but are subject to change until lock.
Here’s the UFC 316 main card schedule, in reverse order.
Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Sean O’Malley – Main Event
- Main event
- Bantamweight title fight
- Expected start time: 12 a.m. ET
- Dvalishvili Projections: 80.5 Significant Strikes, 5.5 Takedowns, 71.55 Fantasy Score, 9.5 Minutes Control Time, 15.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- O’Malley Projection: 72.5 Significant Strikes, 16.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Dvalishvili (c) vs. O’Malley Prediction
Juliana Peña (c) vs. Kayla Harrison – Co-Main Event
- Co-main event
- Women’s bantamweight title fight
- Expected start time: 11:30 p.m. ET
- Peña Projection: 30.5 Significant Strikes, 10.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Harrison Projections: 54.5 Significant Strikes, 3.5 Takedowns, 65.55 Fantasy Score, 9 Minutes Control Time, 16.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Fight Time Projection: 16.5 minutes
- Peña (c) vs. Harrison Prediction
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer
- Middleweight
- Expected start time: 11 p.m. ET
- Gastelum Projection: 44.5 Significant Strikes, 18.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Pyfer Projections: 50.5 Significant Strikes, 60.55 Fantasy Score, 19.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Fight Time Projection: 12.75 minutes
- Gastelum vs. Pyfer Prediction
Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix
- Bantamweight
- Expected start time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- Bautista Projection: 49.5 Significant Strikes, 1.75 Minutes Control Time, 16.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Mix Projections: 46.5 Significant Strikes, 48.55 Fantasy Score, 2 Takedowns, 3.5 Mintues Control Time, 16.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Bautista vs. Mix Prediction
Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland
- Welterweight
- Expected start time: 10 p.m. ET
- Luque Projection: 36.5 Significant Strikes, 16.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Holland Projections: 46.5 Significant Strikes, 60.55 Fantasy Score, 19.5 Round 1 Significant Strikes
- Fight Time Projection: 9.75 minutes
- Luque vs. Holland Prediction
Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Sean O’Malley: Pick & Preview
Merab Davlishvili has long been regarded as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the sport, and his most recent fight against Umar Nurmagomedov reaffirmed that claim. Dvalishvili landed seven takedowns against Nurmagomedov, breaking and setting the record for total career takedowns, which Dvalishvili now holds alone at 92.
His opposition in this title fight, Sean O’Malley, stands in stark contrast to the champion. The former champ turned challenger rarely relies on his wrestling, averaging just .29 takedowns per 15 minutes of fight time.
What O’Malley lacks in grappling, he makes up for with elite striking. With his 12 wins by knockout, Dvalishvili should once again be on high alert for the power coming his way.
The first time this matchup played out, the aggression of Dvalishvili paid dividends. However, ample time between their UFC 306 clash and the rematch may have allowed both fighters to hone their strategies and bring their best into this stylistic matchup.
Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley Prediction: Dvalishvili 5.5 Takedowns
- In Dvalishvili’s last matchup, he landed seven takedowns.
- In their first meeting, Dvalishvili netted six takedowns on O’Malley.
- Sean O’Malley has 62% takedown defense.
- Dvalishvili’s career takedown average per 15 minutes is 5.89 takedowns – this fight is set for 25 minutes if it goes the distance.
Juliana Peña (c) vs. Kayla Harrison: Pick & Preview
Since the departure of Amanda Nunes, Peña has reigned supreme above the women’s bantamweight division. However, the arrival of Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison has put the division on notice. With concerns of a lack of legitimate gold challengers, Harrison is here to prove that the division is right where it needs to be.
Peña is not the type of fighter to bend to expectations, with her original reign coming off of a shocking submission of Amanda Nunes. Peña has proven that she has the speed, power, and technique to beat any opponent, and that no name is too big for her.
Since Harrison's arrival in the world of MMA, she has looked terrifying. Her Olympic gold Judo background combined with freakish athleticism has allowed her to dominate the increasingly impressive opponents thrown her way. With incredible grappling and powerful striking, Harrison has been a force regardless of where the fight goes. Her prowess is proven by her 13 finishes, nine of which came in the first round.
Peña vs. Harrison Prediction: Harrison 16.5 Fight Time (Mins)
- Harrison has nine first round finishes in 18 wins.
- Harrison’s average fight time is 10:54.
- Peña has nine finishes in 13 wins.
- Both fighters' previous fights went to decision.
Kelvin Gastelum vs Joe Pyfer: Pick & Preview
In this fight, we have a long-time veteran against a rising phenom in what has all the makings of a banger.
Kelvin Gastelum has been a premier contender for years, fighting amongst the top of the ranks in middleweight. Not seeing action in nearly a year following his decision victory last June, this could be one of Gastelum’s final attempts to earn a title shot.
Joe Pyfer on the other hand, is part of the new lifeblood of the division. Pyfer is electric, with 12 of his 13 wins coming by finish.
Offense is the brand of both fighters in this matchup, with defense being only a secondary concern. This fight should be a war, regardless of where, or how, it goes.
Gastelum vs. Pyfer Prediction: Gastelum 44.5 Significant Strikes
- Pyfer has only had a single fight in which he scored a takedown since joining the UFC.
- Gastelum has 35% takedown accuracy.
- Gastlum’s average fight time is 13:37.
- Gastelum landed 112 significant strikes in his last fight.
Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix: Pick & Preview
While potentially overshadowed by the bantamweight main event, this fight should excite fight enthusiasts and casual viewers alike. High-level, fast-paced grappling could be the standard set in this bantamweight matchup.
Both Mario Bautiast and Patchy Mix stand out in their ground game, and while his recent bouts have gone to decision, Bautista has a three-fight string of first-round submission wins to his name and just notched a decision victory of UFC legend Jose Aldo.
UFC newcomer Mix is also a submission specialist. Of Mix’s 20 victories, 13 have come by submission. Mix will look to continue his fine form from Bellator, where he had been on a seven-fight win streak.
Bautista vs. Mix Prediction: Bautista 49.5 Significant Strikes
- Bautista has landed 49 or more Significant Strikes in three straight bouts.
- Bautista lands 5.33 Significant Strikes per minute, or 79.95 across 15 minutes.
- Mix has nine professional first-round finishes in his 21 fights.
Vincente Luque vs. Kevin Holland: Pick & Preview
To kick off the main card we have fan favorite Kevin Holland matching up against the welterweight contender Vicente Luque. Both fighters have a unique blend and flow of both standing and ground game, meaning this fight could go and potentially end anywhere.
Both fighters are very experienced, with multiple signature wins under their belts. The most notable similarity, however, is their finishing rates. Luque boasts an impressive 20 finishes in 23 wins, 14 of which were in the first round. Holland matches these stats with his own 22 finishes in 27 fights, 13 of which were in the first as well.
Both of these fighters are also versatile in how they get their opponent out of there — with nine and eight submission wins respectively.
Luque vs. Holland Prediction: 9.75 Fight Time (Minutes)
- Luque has an average fight time of 9.37 minutes.
- Luque absorbs 5.05 strikes per minute.
- Holland has a 55% takedown defense.
- Over 50% of these fighters' wins have ended in the first round.
Make UFC 316 Picks Tonight on PrizePicks
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With a stacked card featuring multiple fan favorites and top-ranked fighters, and two title bouts to round us out, it will be an electrifying night of fights in the Prudential Center for UFC 316.
Head to the PrizePicks app, pick More or Less on two or more fighters, lock in your picks, and get ready for the sweat during UFC 316.
