Suga's Last Chance

images via espn.com & sportskeeda.com

On June 7, in Newark, New Jersey, the 135-pound weight class has a chance to shift on its axis, both for the men and the women. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the matchups.

In the co-main event, the two-time women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña looks to defend her title against the wrecking ball that is Kayla Harrison. Ever since Amanda Nunes vacated the title back in 2023, the women’s Bantamweight division has been a blunder of confusion and boredom. Following Nunes' retirement, the belt was won by Raquel Pennington, marking a new chapter for the division. After nearly two years on the sidelines and coming off a loss in her rematch versus Nunes, Peña was awarded the title shot and edged out a controversial victory.  Now, say what you want about the Venezuelan; she may not be the fastest, strongest, or most technical, but she brings something that no other woman brings to the division: promotion. Since Ronda Rousey’s retirement, the UFC has been desperately looking for an athlete to carry the promotion of women's MMA, and although Peña is nowhere near Rousey’s stardom, she does bring an edge on the mic that attracts audiences and builds stories. With that being said, her promotional skills won’t win her this fight, but what will ensure victory is Peña’s relentless will. Her signature attribute is the ability to march forward, with no regard for returning shots, absorbing one punch to land two. Following her fights, Peña is often left bloodied and battered with some sort of injury; nonetheless, what usually comes with that is victory. The key to success for Peña is to simply do what she always does: outwork her opponent, take them into the later rounds, and utilize her relentless pace. On the other side of the cage is the most imposing female fighter the UFC has ever seen. Kayla Harrison is an athlete with extremely high credentials, winning two gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in Judo. After conquering the Judo scene, Harrison decided to take up mixed martial arts. She debuted in the PFL, where she ragdolled every opponent she faced, and on the historic UFC 300, she made her debut for the company, and with that, made a statement. Harrison matched up with former champion Holly Holm, a fantastic striker and someone who many thought would pose problems for Harrison on the feet. However, with her unparalleled strength, she took Holm down and battered her for two rounds before securing the submission victory. After winning her next fight, Harrison demanded a title shot and was granted it immediately. Looking deeper into the fight, it seems that Harrison has several ways to succeed. She exceeds Peña in strength, grappling, and wrestling, and the path to victory is clear: overwhelm her opponent in the early rounds before dismantling her on the ground. The odds represent this, with Harrison being the massive favourite. However, you can never bet against experience, something Peña possesses more than anyone. With Amanda Nunes hinting at returning to the sport, the winner of this contest may be rewarded with a fight against the greatest female fighter of all time. Will Harrison continue her destruction through the division, or will Peña will herself to victory once more? We’ll find out Saturday night.

In the main event of the evening, Bantamweight champion Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili looks to further bolster his resume in a rematch against former champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley. We’ve seen this movie before, and for this rematch, there really isn’t much to be said. It’s a classic striker versus wrestler matchup, and in the last contest, the wrestler dominated. At Noche UFC in the Sphere, all the cards were stacked for O’Malley to continue his quest for superstardom, and he fell flat. The former champion was unable to use his foot movement and quick hands to find success, and he simply looked slow and flat-footed. Following the fight, O’Malley revealed nagging injuries heading into the contest, but regardless of external factors, he was dominated. In his title debut two years ago in Boston, Suga was able to stay off the fence against his wrestling-oriented opponent, moving laterally and avoiding takedown attempts, before using his elite counter-striking to find the knockout finish. In his last contest, O’Malley failed to utilize this skill, moving straight backwards, making it easy for Merab to find success with takedowns. With all that being said, O’Malley is arguably the best striker in the entire sport and is a constant threat to finish the fight from the first round to the fifth. The star has revealed various lifestyle changes made in order to mature as an athlete and as an individual, in hopes of reclaiming his lost title. In his own words, O’Malley looks to follow his destiny to be the greatest of all time, and a victory on Saturday night is his last chance. If he loses, he won’t get a crack at the title for at least two years, and with hints at moving up to the featherweight division, this is O’Malley’s last chance to fulfill his role as the UFC’s biggest star. On the other side of the cage is arguably the best Bantamweight of all time. Merab Dvalishvili’s resume is absolutely stacked, with wins over Marlon Moreas, Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, Sean O’Malley, and Umar Nurmagomedov. Merab’s biggest asset is his unstoppable pace. The Georgian undoubtedly possesses the best cardio in the UFC, and has yet to meet an opponent who matches his energy. Again, similar to the women’s champion, Merab is not the fastest, strongest, or most technical, but he drowns his opponents into submission, forcing them to wilt under the pressure and accept their losing fate. Merab is looking unstoppable, and we saw what he was able to do to O’Malley in their first fight. Merab was able to take down O’Malley at will, putting the pressure on for five rounds, backing Suga up to the fence, and forcing clinches into takedowns. So it’s obvious the path to success is exactly the same as their first fight. Merab will need to minimize the amount of time spent on his feet because if he decides to strike with O’Malley, the contest can end at any moment. 

As of today, the 135-pound division is at an odd time. With no clear contenders waiting in the wings, this fight is a chance for both athletes to cement themselves at the top of the weight class for an extended period of time. Will O’Malley succeed on his last chance, or will Dvalishvili cement himself as the Bantamweight GOAT? All questions will be answered in Newark, New Jersey, at UFC 316.