Fight Coverage
History Of Title Fights In Newark
A Look Back At All Seven UFC Championship Bouts To Take Place In Newark, New Jersey Ahead Of Saturday’s Two Title Fights At UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2
Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, has hosted seven UFC title fights across six events dating back to UFC 111 in 2010.
It’ll host two more this Saturday at UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2, where both the men’s and women’s bantamweight titles will be up for grabs. In the main event, UFC superstar Sean O’Malley will look to reclaim his throne against the man who took the title away from him, Merab Dvalishvili.
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The co-main event sees Julianna Peña defend her title for the first time in her second reign at the top against one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes of all time, Kayla Harrison.
Of the seven previous title fights in Newark, only one time has the title changed hands. Here’s a quick history of UFC title fights Prudential Center:
Georges St-Pierre vs Dan Hardy
UFC 111 – March 27, 2010
The first title fight in Newark was the most lopsided of them all. At UFC 111, UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre defended his welterweight title against Dan Hardy, who became the first British fighter to compete for a UFC championship.
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While the fight went the full 25 minutes, St-Pierre dominated every second. He went a perfect 11-for-11 on takedowns and racked up more than 20 minutes of control time. He also landed 87 percent of his strikes, connecting on 174 total.
Jon Jones vs Shogun
UFC 128 – March 19, 2011
UFC 128 stands out not just because it was the only time a title changed hands in Newark, but because it marked the beginning of Jon Jones’ reign over the light heavyweight division. Rashad Evans was originally scheduled to face Shogun, but a knee injury six weeks out opened the door for Jones to step in.
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Everyone knew Jones was talented, but few expected him to dismantle Shogun the way he did. He started the fight with a flying knee, then took Shogun down and unleashed his signature ground-and-pound. Shogun survived the first two rounds, which played out nearly the same, but in the third, Jones turned up the pressure. He forced Shogun to crumble against the cage, becoming the youngest champion in UFC history at just 23 years old.
Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen
UFC 159 – April 27, 2013
After serving as opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter Season 17, Jon Jones defended his light heavyweight title against Chael Sonnen, who had recently challenged for the middleweight belt the year before.
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Sonnen’s time on the show and his build-up to the fight were, in typical fashion, wildly entertaining. But it only seemed to motivate Jones more as the fight didn’t make it out of the first round. Within just 10 seconds, Jones had Sonnen on his back, and although Sonnen briefly got back to his feet, Jones quickly returned him to the canvas and was relentless with his ground attack, finishing the fight with less than 30 seconds to go in the round.
José Aldo vs Ricardo Lamas / Renan Barão vs Urijah Faber 2
UFC 169 – February 1, 2014
UFC 169 was the only event in Newark prior to UFC 316 this Saturday that featured two title fights in one night. In the co-main event, UFC Hall of Famer José Aldo defended his featherweight belt against Ricardo Lamas. It was a very competitive fight, but Aldo ultimately did enough to win four of the five rounds and retain his title.
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The main event saw a rematch between bantamweight champion Renan Barão and Urijah Faber. In their first meeting at UFC 149, Barão won a five-round unanimous decision. The second fight was far more decisive. Midway through the opening round, Barão landed a debilitating leg kick, then followed it up with a fast right hand to drop Faber to the mat. Faber got back to his feet, but Barão shortly landed another right hand to knock Faber down a second time. A few ground strikes later, Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight. The win extended Barão’s unbeaten streak to 32.
Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo
UFC 288 – May 6, 2023
It took nine years for the UFC to return to Newark with a title fight, but the wait paid off. Fans witnessed the most competitive fight on this list between the most decorated bantamweight champion in UFC history, Aljamain Sterling, and former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.
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After 25 minutes, two of the three judges scored the bout three rounds to two for Sterling. The win marked his third consecutive title defense, the most in bantamweight history, and his ninth straight victory.
Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier
UFC 302 – June 1, 2024
The most recent title fight in Newark featured the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, defending his belt against fan favorite Dustin Poirier. For Poirier, this felt like his last shot at undisputed gold.
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Early on, it looked like the fight might not make it out of the first round. Makhachev took Poirier down and secured his back with about three minutes still on the clock. But Poirier defended well and survived. The middle rounds were more competitive, but in the fifth, Makhachev finally broke through. He secured a takedown and locked in a D'Arce choke to submit Poirier and retain his title.
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O'Malley 2 took place live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on June 7, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!