LAS VEGAS — Ilia Topuria’s emergence as one of many high pound-for-pound fighters on this planet has propelled him to the most important stage of his profession as he takes on former champion and future Corridor of Famer Charles Oliveira for the vacant light-weight title on Saturday evening at UFC 317.
The bout headlines Worldwide Struggle Week, which has turn into the UFC’s Tremendous Bowl weekend equal since debuting forward of UFC 148 in 2012. Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Conor McGregor are among the many stars who’ve taken half within the week’s marquee struggle through the years.
In McGregor’s case, his showmanship main as much as a second-round TKO of Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in 2015 marked one of many defining moments in his rise to mainstream superstardom.
It is no secret that the undefeated Topuria, who ranks third on UFC’s pound-for-pound checklist, seeks a equally defining second Saturday. The previous featherweight champion has been adamant that he believes a stoppage is coming throughout the first two or three minutes of the struggle.
Saturday will mark Topuria’s return to the light-weight division after he vacated the featherweight belt in April in pursuit of turning into a two-division champion. And greatest consider Topuria is aware of what sort of assertion knocking out a legend like Oliveira within the first spherical would make.
“(It might say) I am the perfect fighter on this planet,” Topuria mentioned. “It isn’t about if I’ll win the belt; I’ll do it. I’ll knock him out within the first spherical … If you happen to beat legend after legend, you may finally turn into a legend.”
Topuria received the featherweight belt in February 2024 with a second-round knockout of former champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 earlier than succeeding in his lone title protection towards Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October. He has bounced between weight courses all through his profession, having fought professionally at bantamweight, featherweight and light-weight.
A major cause for Topuria’s insistence that Saturday’s struggle will finish so early is his respect for the actual fact Oliveira can be on the assault as quickly because the bell rings. In Oliveira’s eyes, in the meantime, he sees Topuria becoming a member of the lengthy checklist of opponents who’ve made empty guarantees to place him down.
“In actuality, everybody is aware of what is going on to occur,” mentioned the 35-year-old Oliveira, who has not worn the title belt since 2022. “He is one other man speaking who’s going to fold in entrance of me. That is one thing large. About legacy, about desires, about how a lot I am alive and hungry for it. That is what I’m. I’ll be a champion once more.”
The co-main occasion options champion Alexandre Pantoja, who’s making his fourth flyweight title protection towards fourth-ranked Kai Kara-France. Pantoja is presently tied for ninth within the UFC’s pound-for-pound fighters rating. Kara-France beforehand fought Brandon Moreno for the interim flyweight championship at UFC 277, shedding by TKO at 4:34 within the third spherical.
Fundamental Card:
–Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveria for the vacant UFC light-weight championship
–Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France for the UFC flyweight championship
–Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
–Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
–Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
–Will Despart, Discipline Degree Media
