UFC 316 takeaways: Merab Dvalishvili, Kayla Harrison convey the best of all time debates again into focus

UFC 316 set the inspiration for among the subsequent title fights we’ll see sooner or later, as Merab Dvalishvili beat Sean O’Malley to retain the men’s bantamweight title and Kayla Harrison knocked off Julianna Peña to say the women’s bantamweight championship. Each Dvalishvili and Harrison received through submission.

Dvalishvili and Harrison’s subsequent opponents seem like all however set. It is anticipated that Cory Sandhagen will problem Dvalishvili, whereas the brand new girls’s bantamweight title holder is predicted to face the ladies’s MMA GOAT, Amanda Nunes, in her subsequent struggle. Nunes announced that she will return to face the winner of Harrison-Peña earlier this week.

Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale supply their takeaways from the largest moments at UFC 316.

‘Dvalishvili is the bantamweight GOAT’ is probably not a scorching take anymore

play

Merab Dvalishvili stops Sean O’Malley in dominant style to retain belt

Merab Dvalishvili celebrates after a large win over Sean O’Malley in a rematch of their bout to retain the title at UFC 316.

There have been some distinctive bantamweights in UFC historical past however it could be time to anoint Merab Dvalishvili as the best of all of them.

Sure, even whereas he is nonetheless energetic.

Dvalishvili made it look simpler the second time round in opposition to O’Malley and submitted the previous champion within the third spherical at UFC 316. No, he would not have as many title struggle wins as TJ Dillashaw (5), Dominick Cruz (4) or his teammate, Aljamain Sterling (4), however the stage of dominance that he has demonstrated since beginning his UFC tenure 0-2 is astounding.

Dvalishvili prolonged his successful streak to 13, two behind Islam Makhachev‘s 15 for the lead amongst energetic fighters. He additionally added to his all-time lead in profitable takedowns with 5 in opposition to O’Malley. That brings his present complete to 97 in 15 fights. The exclamation level on his outstanding run is that no choose has scored a struggle in favor of his opponent. He is defeated José Aldo, O’Malley (twice), Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and Umar Nurmagomedov. All however Nurmagomedov have held UFC gold. The bantamweight division is a loaded weight class that’s arguably probably the most stacked within the promotion’s historical past.

Watching him placed on yet one more suffocating efficiency in opposition to the division’s premier striker in O’Malley cemented his standing. Between his improved placing, absurd cardio and relentless strain, it is going to be onerous to discover a fighter with the proper mixture to beat Dvalishvili. Sandhagen seems to be subsequent in line and presents some challenges along with his size, however Sterling sliced proper by way of him in 2020 and can absolutely present tips to his teammate.

It is humorous to suppose that Dvalishvili obtained a lot criticism for not combating Sterling, however the actuality was that he was loyal to his buddy and easily waited for a title alternative to current itself. Now that he holds gold, it would not seem like there’s any true menace to his reign. Former Bellator champion Patchy Mix was regarded as a formidable challenger however put up a dud in a loss in opposition to Mario Bautista on Saturday.

What’s scary is Dvalishvili hasn’t even reached his closing type. His efficiency in opposition to O’Malley showcased a fighter who continues to be bettering and including instruments to his sport. His submission of O’Malley was his first within the UFC and solely the second in his complete MMA profession. Now that he is including a ending ingredient to his skillset, the hole between Dvalishvili and the remainder of the division could solely widen. — Hale

Kayla Harrison is the favourite over Amanda Nunes in my eyes

play

Amanda Nunes, Kayla Harrison face off after Harrison wins belt

Kayla Harrison beats Julianna Pena and calls out Amanda Nunes, who declare within the Octagon she’s coming again.

Name me over-reactive, however Chael Sonnen dropped a line this week main as much as UFC 316 and it has caught with me. “You aren’t getting higher at one thing by not doing it.”

Nunes is the GOAT and that may actually by no means change. She has set such a legacy in MMA, it is practically not possible to surpass it. However Harrison utterly ran by way of Peña. There have been issues about how she would deal with the reduce to 135 kilos and what it’d do to her cardio, however she’s appeared to primarily grasp one of the tough weight cuts within the sport.

She’s acquainted with Nunes from their time as sparring companions at American High Staff, so there will not be as a lot of an “aura” issue for Harrison to beat. MMA is a sport during which you will get previous in a single day, and though I do not imagine that is what has occurred or will occur to the 37-year-old Nunes, I feel it will be naive to count on her to return again higher than she was when she retired in 2023.

Generally, a psychological break could be nice, however this brief retirement would not actually qualify as that to me. This seems like Nunes completed what she needed to in MMA already however misses the game. I imagine she’ll look good and has an opportunity to win. I am not instantly saying the “Lioness” is not champion materials, however Harrison is the favourite in my eyes. — Okamoto

Combine continues ‘Octagon jitters’ idea with poor efficiency

I am undecided who that man was within the Octagon in opposition to Mario Bautista, however it absolutely wasn’t former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Combine. The hype surrounding Combine’s UFC debut was palpable due to his distinctive grappling pedigree. Nevertheless, Combine utterly deserted his calling card in a weird debut and opted to make it a simple night time for Bautista by placing with him for quarter-hour.

UFC CEO Dana White has routinely cited the “Octagon jitters,” a time period to explain the anxiousness and nerves fighters expertise earlier than competing within the UFC for the primary time, and Combine did subsequent to nothing to dispel the notion. Combine was sluggish, tentative and never remotely near the fighter many thought could be a contender within the bantamweight division. His efficiency was on par with Patricio Pitbull‘s UFC debut in opposition to Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 in April, which was additionally a far cry from the wrecking machine that made him arguably the best fighter in Bellator historical past.

Combine can have loads of probabilities to show himself throughout his UFC tenure. However dropping a call with out even making an attempt a takedown till the ultimate spherical in opposition to Bautista suggests the Octagon jitters phenomenon may be actual. — Hale