Reigning bantamweight champ Merab
Dvalishvili was one of four “Performance of the Night” winners
at UFC
316.
“The Machine” secured his first UFC finish since 2021, as he
submitted Sean O’Malley in the third round of their rematch in
Saturday’s headliner at the Prudential Center in Newark, New
Jersey. As a result of his efforts, Dvalishvili pocketed an
additional $50,000 while extending his winning streak to 13.
Meanwhile, newly-crowned 135-pound queen Kayla
Harrison also earned $50,000 for a submission in a title bout.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist gradually overwhelmed Julianna
Pena with her grappling en route to a kimura at the 4:55 mark
of Round 2 in the UFC 316 co-main event.
Earlier on the main card, Kevin
Holland secured a $50,000 bonus for vanquishing Vicente
Luque in a welterweight affair. The finishing sequence began
when Holland caught a kick and shoved his opponent to the canvas.
From there, “Trailblazer” locked in a brabo choke, eliciting a tap
63 seconds into the second stanza.
Finally, Joo Sang
Yoo garnered the evening’s final $50,000 award for a
star-making performance against Jeka
Saragih. It didn’t take long for the South Korean to land the
decisive blow, as he rendered his opponent unconscious with a
perfectly-timed left hook just 28 seconds into the opening period.