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UFC 316 Recap: Rankings Shake Up After Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2

Merab Dvalishvili left no doubt in the UFC 316 main event, dominating Sean O'Malley with relentless pressure and a late finish. While both men remain locked in their respective pound-for-pound and bantamweight positions (with Dvalishvili at #6 P4P and champion, O'Malley still #2 contender), this performance may have widened the perceived gap between them.

The most substantial shift came in the women's bantamweight division. Kayla Harrison is now the new champion after submitting Julianna Pena, jumping three spots in the rankings. The dominant performance validated UFC’s promotional push and set up a high-profile fight with Amanda Nunes, already verbally agreed upon. Pena, Raquel Pennington, and Norma Dumont all drop a spot accordingly.

Kevin Holland re-entered the welterweight rankings at #11 after a slick submission win over Vicente Luque. His Ali-inspired footwork and finish reasserted his relevance in a deep division, pushing five fighters—including Geoff Neal and Gilbert Burns—down a spot each.

In the lightweight division, Conor McGregor returns to the top 15 at #12. The former double champ didn’t fight at UFC 316, but his comeback booking and market value pushed him past Mauricio Ruffy and others who lacked recent impactful wins.

The heavyweight rankings also saw some activity. Waldo Cortes-Acosta edged past Serghei Spivac in a close fight and moves up three spots to #8, his highest ranking yet. His volume-heavy style may not please everyone, but the results are stacking up.

Among rising stars, Joshua Van continued his ascent with a dominant win and finish over Bruno Silva. He jumps two spots to #8 in the flyweight division, establishing himself as a real contender after yet another statement performance.

Lastly, Joe Pyfer enters the middleweight rankings at #14 after beating Kelvin Gastelum. The performance was a mixed bag—explosive early, but listless late—which may explain his low initial entry despite a big-name win.

UFC 316 didn’t just deliver exciting fights—it reshaped multiple divisions and clarified title pictures heading into a pivotal summer stretch for the UFC.

Explore the Full Rankings

While these were the most notable changes from UFC 316, the event contributed to adjustments across many divisions. For a detailed look at all updates, visit:
Fight Minds UFC Rankings

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