Las Vegas – The emergence of Ilia Topuria as one of the best book fighters for book in the world has propelled him to the biggest stage of his career when he faces the former champion and future temple of renown Charles Oliveira for the vacant light weight title on Saturday evening at the UFC 317.
The fighting of titles of the International Combat Week, which has become the equivalent of the UFC Super Bowl weekend since its beginnings before the UFC 148 in 2012. Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Conor McGregor are among the stars that have participated in the brand’s combat of the week over the years.
In the case of McGregor, its staging leading to a TKO of the second round of Chad Mendes at the UFC 189 in 2015 marked one of the decisive moments of its ascent towards the Superstardomège.
It is not a secret for anyone that the undefeated topuria, which ranks third on the list of books for books of the UFC, is looking for a decisive moment on Saturday. The former featherweight champion was categorical that he thought that a stop arriving in the first two or three minutes of the fight.
Saturday will mark the return of Topuria to the light weight division after canceling the featherweight belt in April in search of a champion with two divisions. And better believe that Topuria knows what type of declaration eliminating a legend like Oliveira in the first round would make.
“(It looks like) I am the best fighter in the world,” said Topuria. “It’s not if I’m going to win the belt; I’m going to do it. I’m going to knock it out in the first round … If you beat the legend after the legend, you will finally become a legend.”
Topuria won the featherweight belt in February 2024 with a KO in the second round of former champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 before successfully defending the title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October. He rebounded between the weight categories throughout his career, having fought professionally at Bantamweight, Featherweight and Lightweight.
An important reason for the insistence of Topuria that the fight on Saturday ends so early is his respect for the fact that Oliveira is on the attack as soon as the bell rings. In Oliveira’s eyes, during this time, he sees Topuria join the long list of opponents who made empty promises to lower it.
“In reality, everyone knows what will happen,” said Oliveira, 35, who has not wore the title belt since 2022. “It is another guy who speaks that will bend in front of me. It is something enormous. About heritage, about dreams, how alive and hungry. This is what I am.
The Co-Princhipal event presents the champion Alexandre Pantoja, who makes his fourth defense of the fly weight title against Kai Kara-France, fourth. Pantoja is currently tied to the ninth in the classification of the Pound for Pounds hunters of the UFC. Kara-France previously fought Brandon Moreno for the UFC 277 Moles Interim Championship, losing by TKO at 4:34 in the third round.
Main card:
-Ilia Topuria against Charles Oliveria for the UFC Lightweight Vacant Championship
-Alexandre Pantoja against Kai Kara-France for the UFC fly weight championship
– Brandon Royval against Joshua Van
– Beneil Dariush against Renato Moicano
–pay Talbott against Felipe Lima
– Will Despart, level media in the field