UFC 316 Recap: Assessing Dvalishvili’s Rise and Key Takeaways

Martin: It exceeded expectations. Despite initial skepticism about the lineup, the card delivered compelling drama. While the outcomes of the main and co-main events were largely anticipated, the manner in which they unfolded was truly exciting.

Lee: The top two fights were excellent, featuring two genuine all-time talents delivering strong performances. Several dark horse contenders stepped up, and promising prospects made their mark. Overall, it was a solid night for the UFC, serving as a good prelude to the more star-studded event scheduled for June 28th.

Heck: One of the year`s better cards overall. Four out of the five main card bouts offered interesting storylines. Kayla Harrison positioned herself for one of the biggest potential fights in the UFC currently, and Merab Dvalishvili simply performed like a machine.

Meshew: Surprisingly enjoyable! Yes, the main event was arguably one of the most undeserved title fights recently, but the result was entertaining (a rarity for Dvalishvili), and the rest of the card featured many significant and memorable performances. A very robust offering from the UFC.

Meshew: Absolutely not, and I find this discussion tiring. Every time a fighter wins a belt and gets a single defense, they`re suddenly crowned the new GOAT. Dvalishvili has two defenses, one being this rather questionable rematch that wasn`t necessary. He might eventually reach that status, but declaring it prematurely is disrespectful to champions with long reigns. Honestly, Merab might not even be ahead of Aljamain Sterling right now.

If Merab defeats Cory Sandhagen, we can at least begin the discussion. If he adds another title defense after that, he`s likely sealed the deal. However, there`s a vast difference between “if” and “does.” I recall people saying Kamaru Usman was the welterweight GOAT, a claim that disappeared after he lost his next fight. Defending a belt consistently is incredibly difficult, which is why Dominick Cruz`s five title defenses are so impressive.

Furthermore (since his recent impressive win streak is often highlighted), it`s crucial to remember that two of those victories were three-rounders, not championship fights. Equating his wins over Henry Cejudo and Jose Aldo to title defenses is simply absurd.

So please, let fighters truly earn their GOAT status before rushing to anoint them out of eagerness. If he`s as good as believed, he will get there in due time.

Martin: Yes, he is the GOAT, primarily due to the caliber of his opponents.

It`s difficult to praise one fighter by diminishing another, but Dvalishvili has faced tougher competition during his championship run and subsequent defenses than someone like Dominick Cruz. Cruz undoubtedly deserves mention, but many of his key victories in WEC were against fighters who would later compete at flyweight.

Examples include Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez, who essentially fought at bantamweight because the flyweight division didn`t exist yet. Cruz also beat Ian McCall, another true flyweight. Cruz`s most significant wins were against Urijah Faber (a legitimate bantamweight) and a debated decision over T.J. Dillashaw.

In contrast, Dvalishvili has consistently fought and defeated elite contenders over the past few years: Jose Aldo, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Umar Nurmagomedov, and now Sean O’Malley twice. Cruz competed when bantamweight was still developing, while Dvalishvili benefits from a deep division arguably the best in the sport today. This is why he`s the GOAT, and each victory only strengthens his argument.

Lee: I don`t believe so yet, but I lack a strong argument against it.

For a long time, the consensus GOAT was Cruz, and rightfully so. In his prime, “The Dominator” was the undisputed king at 135 pounds, and his list of wins is remarkable. People forget he was the only fighter to defeat “Mighty Mouse” between 2012 and 2017! Adding his multiple wins over Faber and Benavidez, plus a controversial decision against Dillashaw, he defeated almost all top contenders of his era (excluding the odd Cody Garbrandt loss). That`s really all you can ask of a great fighter. So, for now, I`m comfortable keeping him at No. 1.

The emphasis is on “for now,” because Dvalishvili`s current streak is nearly unbelievable, and he hasn`t suffered the lengthy injury layoffs that plagued Cruz`s career. To preemptively address criticism, I`ll state now that regardless of who Dvalishvili beats next (provided it`s not O`Malley again), I will finally rank him at the top spot.

Heck: I`m not quite there yet, but he`s next in line.

Make no mistake, Dvalishvili`s win streak is incredible. He`s defeated several former champions, beat Sean O’Malley for the title, submitted him convincingly in the rematch, and handed the man many considered the division`s boogeyman his first loss in January. To say he isn`t fully part of the conversation is, in my opinion, ridiculous. I tried to view this O`Malley fight as if the first hadn`t happened, but we can`t ignore it took place nine months ago, and O`Malley didn`t win any fights in between.

The gap in the Merab vs. Cruz debate has definitely narrowed, but despite injuries and long breaks, Cruz still defined the standard of greatness that shaped this division into what it is today. He holds three UFC title defenses, one more than Dvalishvili, and championship reigns are significant to me in these discussions. That said, if Dvalishvili performs against Cory Sandhagen like he did against O`Malley, he will effectively become the bantamweight GOAT.

Heck: Extremely excited! The faceoff after Harrison`s title win made it one of the coolest moments of 2025, a year where the UFC frankly needs such highlights.

Although the women’s divisions currently lack significant buzz, Harrison`s arrival provides a much-needed boost. This fight has been years in the making, with many believing it would never happen. Now that it`s set, it`s one of the top five biggest fights the UFC can put on right now.

With the narrative surrounding it, Nunes` return from retirement, Harrison`s dominant title-winning performance, and the new TV deal discussions, the potential to promote this fight to its maximum potential is limitless. It could easily headline Madison Square Garden as the first women`s MMA fight to do so. It could also potentially launch a Netflix debut for the UFC. If Harrison wins, the discussions about her combat sports accomplishments will become incredibly intriguing. As someone who appreciates the best fighting the best and enjoys a good storyline, this fight checks all the boxes and more.

Meshew: I`m genuinely hyped, and honestly, I wasn`t expecting to be.

Heading into Saturday, I was quite sure Harrison would easily defeat Peña, but I felt rather indifferent about the subsequent Harrison-Nunes matchup. Then they had their staredown in the cage, and suddenly, I`m completely invested.

Bantamweight used to be the premier women’s weight class in the sport, and currently, it`s struggling. I`m not sure if this single fight will revitalize the entire division, but it provides a significant boost, and it`s refreshing to be excited about a women’s bantamweight title fight again.

Martin: This is precisely the fight women’s MMA needed, and now the UFC must capitalize on it. Ever since watching Harrison dominate 170-pound women in the Olympics and declare her intention to do the same in MMA, I`ve believed she was the future of the sport. Now, Harrison is finally a UFC champion, and the only person standing between her and potential GOAT status is the actual GOAT, Amanda Nunes.

Women’s MMA, particularly the bantamweight division, has been somewhat stagnant lately, lacking major excitement. However, Harrison vs. Nunes is exactly the type of matchup that can headline a major pay-per-view, and we would all willingly pay to watch it.

Lee: I didn’t feel a pressing need to see this fight initially, but now that it`s happening, I eagerly await the official announcement.

Harrison executed her plan perfectly on Saturday, decimating Peña, delivering a heartfelt post-fight speech, and then making the widely anticipated callout with Nunes present to hear it. The timing is also ideal, with Harrison in her prime and Nunes returning from retirement, leaving the outcome completely unpredictable. Has Harrison evolved enough to defeat the GOAT? Will Nunes` time off be beneficial or detrimental? We`ll finally find out, moving beyond hypotheticals! MMA is exciting!

Lee: I`m glad I get to go first here because I don`t see any other possible answer than Patchy Mix.

What happened?

Was it octagon jitters? An undisclosed injury? A bad style matchup? Or was Mario Bautista simply that good (this is the explanation I prefer)? Who knows?

Heading into his UFC debut, it seemed impossible for Mix to stumble like fellow Bellator star Patricio Pitbull, but it was even worse. His dynamic grappling game was absent, he was vulnerable in striking exchanges, and even when he landed a few punches later, he started taunting Bautista. My friend, you were losing!

The second-biggest losers are observers like us who have supported Mix for years. It was a tough night all around.

Heck: To start, it`s absolutely Patchy Mix, as already explained, and any other answer is incorrect. I said leading up to this fight that we would learn Mix`s UFC ceiling within 15 minutes, and we did. As I`ve mentioned on our shows over the years, I was never fully convinced Mix was the world`s best bantamweight, and Saturday confirmed he is one of the top 10-15 bantamweights in the sport, but he won`t win a UFC title. There are significant distinctions between good, really good, and great, and Mix is really good.

I also understand Mix took the fight on short notice. However, given the confidence and verbal statements he made throughout fight week, essentially “looking past” Mario Bautista as just a stepping stone, that justification becomes invalid. When a fighter signs the contract, they make a choice, and they must accept the consequences.

That being said, and to offer a different perspective, I`ll choose Julianna Peña, even if Mix is the obvious answer. Peña`s future, at least short-term, is uncertain after being dominated by Harrison. The trilogy fight with Nunes is gone, a rematch with Harrison is highly improbable, and due to the division`s lack of depth, Peña is now in a position where she`ll likely have to defend against rising contenders rather than challenging for the title herself.

On the positive side, Peña is a two-time UFC champion and, because of that, is destined for the UFC Hall of Fame. She holds one of the most memorable wins in UFC history, and despite her somewhat inconsistent overall record, no one can diminish those achievements.

Meshew: It was almost Merab Dvalishvili, as during his walkout, he narrowly avoided being crushed when a section of the stands collapsed right beside him. Fortunately, he was unharmed, but I was momentarily stunned by how potentially disastrous that could have been. Instead (and since we can`t all pick Patchy), I`ll go with Tom Aspinall, who must have felt disappointed leaving Saturday.

For nearly two years, Aspinall has been teased with a potential fight against Jon Jones, which still hasn`t materialized. On Saturday, even Dana White reluctantly acknowledged that Jones might be considering retirement. If Dana is admitting that, it strongly suggests the fight is off the table.

Adding to Aspinall`s disappointment, rumors circulated last week about Francis Ngannou possibly returning to the UFC. Even if Aspinall missed out on Jones, that could have been a massive fight for him. However, White completely dismissed that possibility. So now, Tom Aspinall is likely left with Ciryl Gane, which, compared to Jones or Ngannou, feels like a significant letdown.

Martin: The answer is Mario Bautista, and any other opinion is simply wrong.

Few fighters have become as universally disliked for merely winning a fight as Bautista did after defeating Jose Aldo. Call it controversial, call it a lackluster performance, but Bautista won. Somehow, that made him overnight public enemy No. 1.

Fast forward to UFC 316, and all attention was on Patchy Mix`s highly anticipated UFC debut. He was already being discussed as a potential title challenger to Dvalishvili because they were friends and trained together frequently. Unlike Aljamain Sterling, Mix seemed willing to set friendship aside for a chance at the UFC championship. That narrative changed completely after Bautista dominated him for 15 straight minutes.

Aside from a couple of strikes that landed, Bautista systematically picked Mix apart, bloodying him and delivering a harsh welcome to the former Bellator champion`s new promotion. Bautista looked fantastic, and you can remain upset about the Aldo fight, but credit him for an outstanding performance on Saturday.

Lee: Waldo Cortes-Acosta, step forward, because you are realistically just one good win away from challenging for the UFC heavyweight title.

The Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall situation will resolve itself by the end of this year, one way or another, and eventually, the division will need new title contenders. Cortes-Acosta currently holds the longest active win streak in the heavyweight division (read that again… it`s true!) and will likely face a top 10 opponent next. If “Salsa Boy” can dance his way to a victory over someone like Sergei Pavlovich or Ciryl Gane, you can be certain he`ll be fighting for a belt!

Consider this a warning.

Heck: I`m choosing Kevin Holland, because he didn`t just steal the show, he stole the entire day.

It began with a remarkably vague tweet that caused a massive reaction within the MMA social media community, which often overreacts.

Whether it was Holland or someone managing his account, it was brilliant. Nearly 2 million impressions generated by five words that meant absolutely nothing. Many interpreted it to mean his fight with Vicente Luque was off, making Holland the main topic of discussion for hours leading up to the event.

Then the fight started, and Holland proceeded to put a beating on Luque before submitting him in the second round, followed by a perfect callout of Colby Covington.

Holland has quietly built one of the most successful careers in prize-fighting today. He fights frequently, has saved numerous UFC cards, and has earned a significant amount of money doing so. While many fighters aspire to massive stardom and world titles for the glory, Holland simply aims to earn substantial income as often as possible, and he`s incredibly entertaining. His “Trailblazer” nickname is perfect because he`s certainly pioneering a different path, one many other fighters could benefit from following.

Meshew: All this talk about Merab being the GOAT or Kayla potentially becoming the GOAT by beating Amanda, and nobody is mentioning the most significant development from Saturday: a true GOAT emerged, Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro!

A multiple-time BJJ world champion and a pioneer of early 2000s MMA, Shaolin now referees MMA bouts. On Saturday, he did something rarely seen – he deducted a point from Julianna Peña! Even competent MMA referees are hesitant to deduct points unless a fighter is fouling excessively and repeatedly (which is a flawed approach), but not Shaolin. Peña landed two illegal upkicks on Harrison, and Ribeiro immediately stepped in and took the point. It was excellent officiating. These are championship-level fighters; they know what constitutes a foul and should avoid it, and Ribeiro performed his job flawlessly.

All hail Shaolin, the new GOAT referee. May his officiating career be long and impactful.