UFC 316 was a big event for both the men’s and women’s bantamweight divisions. Kayla Harrison became the new champion by defeating Julianna Peña, and Merab Dvalishvili defended his title in his rematch with Sean O’Malley. While both champions were busy celebrating their wins, a heartfelt moment between them ended up stealing the show.
Kayla Harrison’s Emotional Reply to Merab Dvalishvili’s Post
UFC 316 delivered unforgettable moments for both champions. Harrison was able to submit Peña with a kimura and give an unforgettable performance in front of President Donald Trump. On the other hand, Dvalishvili was also able to submit and finish a fight and reply to his critics who believe he can win in decisions only.
After their big wins, “The Machine” approached Harrison and suggested that they should recreate some of their throwback pictures.
Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison recreated their 2016 pic… 9 years apart. 🔥@ufc #UFC316 pic.twitter.com/IMCESv7u4F
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 5, 2025
Later, he posted them on Instagram, which really touched the MMA community. He shared four photos – a 2016 photo of a younger Harrison and himself standing side by side, and its 2025 recreation. Another one was a before-and-after of Harrison holding Dvalishvili in a chokehold.
Davlishvili captioned the post, “9 Years ago in 2016 with @kaylaharrisonofficial, now look at us! Congratulations once again Kayla!”
View this post on Instagram
Harrison replied to Dvalishvili’s post with a sweet six-word message- “Champs in life. You’re the best @merab.dvalishvili.” It perfectly showed their longtime friendship and the respect they share.
The post grabbed a lot of attention in the MMA world, and many fans and fighters jumped in to show love. Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz commented, “Big hearts-Big champs.”
Former MMA fighter Azamat “Ozzy” Dugulubgov commented, “Amazing!! Congrats my friend! It was a joy to watch you execute the fight game perfectly.”
Former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Sarra commented with claps and a crown emoji.
UFC commentator Jon Anik commented, “In awe. Total legends.”
Another fan applauded their hard work and commented, “Nothing is impossible.”
Another user commented, “2 best bantam weight champion.”
This was not the only wholesome moment between the champions. Just after their fights, Dvalishvili and Harrison met backstage. “The Machine” was visibly happy to see Harrison. He walked to her and said, “Congratulations, champ. Let me lift your hand.”
The Georgian lifted the American fighter’s hand and screamed, “We are the champs.” He also proceeded to hail her victory with his Georgian phrase. Both the fighters then took pictures with their respective belts.
CHAMP TALK 🏆🏆 #UFC316 pic.twitter.com/SGVRjLtdbB
— UFC (@ufc) June 8, 2025
Harrison and Dvalishvili have known each other for at least nine years, as shown in their 2016 photo. They have often talked about shared training sessions, and their before-and-after images are just proof of how far they have come.