There’s a new look to the UFC 316 main card after ex-Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix signed to the promotion and immediately accepted a short notice fight on the June 7 pay-per-view.
The updated five-fight main card was revealed on Saturday night after Marlon “Chito” Vera fell off the card due to an injury suffered in training.
That’s where Mix now slots in with a fight booked against Mario Bautista as the bantamweights join a stacked card headed to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
The fight not only serves as Mix’s octagon debut but the final Bellator 135-pound champion has an opportunity to prove he belongs among the best of the best while taking a top-15 opponent in his debut.
Of course, the main event for UFC 316 remains the same with bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his belt in a rematch against Sean O’Malley. Dvalishvili dethroned O’Malley when they met this past September but now they’ll run it back again when they meet on June 7.
The co-main event pits reigning women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Pena against two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison. Since signing with the UFC, Harrison has gone 2-0 including a win over former champion Holly Holm and she’ll attempt to add some more gold to her resume when she faces Pena at UFC 316.
The rest of the main card includes Kelvin Gastelum taking on Joe Pyfer at middleweight and Vicente Luque facing Kevin Holland in the welterweight opener on June 7.
The full bout order outside of the main card is still to be determined.
UFC 316 Main Card (10 p.m. start time on ESPN+ pay-per-view)
MAIN EVENT: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley
CO-MAIN EVENT: Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer
Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix
Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland.
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