Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Mike Bohn

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison title fight booked for UFC 316 in New Jersey

Kayla Harrison’s long-awaited chance to fight for UFC gold is now set.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will challenge Julianna Pena (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) for the women’s bantamweight championship at UFC 316 on June 7 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

UFC CEO Dana White announced the news Tuesday on Instagram Live as part of a series of UFC 316 matchups.

Peña, 35, captured the 135-pound title for the second time this past October with a controversial split decision victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. She urged Amanda Nunes to come out of retirement for a trilogy bout but will not get her wish.

Instead, Harrison, 34, will get her first crack at a belt inside the octagon. After coming over from PFL in early 2024, Harrison has opened her UFC career with a submission of Holly Holm and a decision win over Ketlen Vieira.

The latest lineup for UFC 316 now includes:

  • Champ Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley – for bantamweight title
  • Champ Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison – for women’s bantamweight title
  • Mario Bautista vs. Marlon Vera
  • Shamil Gaziev vs. Serghei Spivac
  • Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van
  • Azamat Murzakanov vs. Johnny Walker

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.