Two world title belts are headlining an impressive card of MMA action at UFC 316. In the main event, champion Merab Dvalishvili is a solid -280 favorite to retain his UFC bantamweight title in a rematch with challenger Sean O’Malley.
Two-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena will also be seeking to defend her title in the co-main event. However, the veteran fighter is a significant +460 underdog against challenger Kayla Harrison.
Let’s look at the latest betting lines for these bouts. Remember, odds are always subject to change.
| UFC 316 Odds | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley | Dvalishvili | -280 | -285 | -300 |
| Julianna Pena vs Kayla Harrison | Harrison | -675 | -600 | -600 |
In this article, SBS will be going over each fighter, offering a predicted winner in both matchups, and also providing some additional notes and information regarding UFC 316 picks and UFC betting.
Fighter Spotlight: Merab Dvalishvili
The second Georgian fighter to wear a UFC world title belt, Dvalishvili (19-4) originally captured the title via a unanimous decision victory over O’Malley at UFC 306. He’s since successfully defended the title at UFC 311 with another unanimous decision, this one over Umar Nurmagomedov.
Those successes are part of a 12-fight win streak for Dvalishvili. His list of wins reads like a who’s-who of the bantamweight division. Dvalishvili’s fight card includes victories over Jose Aldo, Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan. Eleven of those triumphs have come in this weight class. That’s a UFC record win streak for bantamweight fighters.
Fighter Spotlight: Sean O’Malley
There’s no questioning O’Malley’s quality as an exciting fighter. His bouts tend to be action packed. He’s won fight of the night three times. O’Malley (18-2-1) holds UFC bantamweight marks for the most significant strikes landed in a single bout (230) and for the highest significant strike differential in UFC Bantamweight division history (3.31).
At the same time, he hasn’t been in the octagon since his loss to Dvalishvili in September of last year. Will rust be an issue?
Prediction: Taking Dvalishvili to win this bout by unanimous decision seems like the safest lock to bet on the UFC 316 card. Not only was that his method of victory in his previous win over O’Malley, it’s been his traditional mode of triumph. He’s won in that manner 10 times. That’s a UFC bantamweight record.
On top of making at outright bet on Dvalishvili to win the fight, you might also want to go for a play on a UFC 316 special at BetUS on whether Round 5 of the fight will start. A yes wager on that prop is offering a betting line of -240.
Fighter Spotlight: Julianna Pena
Ranked No. 3 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings, Pena (12-5) is a two-time women’s bantamweight champ. She submitted champion Amanda Nunes to win the title, only to lose the belt in a rematch.
Pena reclaimed the title with a victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC at UFC 307 last fall. But Pena is just a middling 4-3 through her past seven bouts.
Fighter Spotlight: Kayla Harrison
A two-time Olympic judo champion, Harrison (18-1) has been an absolute dynamo since switching to MMA. The American fighter was 16-1 working under the PFL jurisidiction.
Harrison is 2-0 since signing with UFC. That includes a submission win over former world champion Holly Holm. She’s the No. 2-ranked fighter in the women’s bantamweight division.
Prediction: Harrison’s using the sensational grappling skills that come from her judo expertise to simply overwhelm opponents. She’ll take Pena to the canvas and then ground and pound her way to a vctory.
Pena’s defensive ability will probably prevent a submission win for Harrison. Look for her to finish this fight via knockout.
Once you have settled on the wagers you will be making with each of your UFC 316 bets, you’ll want to be sure to have a look at the massive amounts of data available to you only at SBS. For more insightful analysis into all of the bouts on the card covered here, be certain to have a look at the UFC betting sites guide. These guides are providing the latest assessments for all of the betting lines the oddsmakers are setting on the sport. This information will aid you in assembling some solid UFC 316 picks.
Along those lines, if you’re seeking out the top UFC 316 bets, be sure to go ahead and take a look at the best bonus betting sites breakdown, which compiles and distributes quality information, including a complete analysis of the various bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those who are busy and frequently on the go during the day, the best betting apps rundown is a must-read page to guarantee assurances that you get all of your UFC 316 bets down in time.
About the Author
Theo is our NFL guy. He is the go-to man for all things football and has proven himself to be one of the most expansive writers here, with a broad knowledge of North American sports. He's a veteran journalist based in Ontario, and has covered the gambling and sports betting industry since 2016. He has written more than two dozen books and covered the NFL since the early 1990s.
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