The vacant UFC lightweight championship is on the line in the main event of UFC 317 in Las Vegas, featuring a highly anticipated clash between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. This championship opportunity arose after the division`s former titleholder, Islam Makhachev, made a move up to the welterweight category.
The fight pits two prominent figures against each other: Ilia Topuria, who holds the No. 2 spot in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound rankings, and Charles Oliveira, ranked No. 17. Topuria enters the bout with a perfect professional record of 16-0 and is aiming to achieve the rare feat of becoming a two-division champion. This accomplishment would place him among an elite group of MMA legends, including Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Conor McGregor.
Known as “El Matador,” Topuria recently relinquished his featherweight title following back-to-back knockout victories over former champions Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Should he secure a finish against Oliveira in similar decisive fashion, it could strengthen his case for having one of the most impressive three-fight streaks in the history of mixed martial arts.
Across the octagon, Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1 NC) is also seeking to etch his name further into the history books. A victory at UFC 317 would make “do Bronx” the first fighter ever to capture the UFC`s 155-pound title on two separate occasions. Recognized as the most prolific finisher in UFC history, Oliveira initially won and defended the lightweight belt in 2021. However, he lost the title ahead of his UFC 274 bout against Justin Gaethje due to missing weight, despite subsequently defeating Gaethje. He later failed to reclaim the vacant championship when he was stopped by Islam Makhachev at UFC 280. Now, Oliveira steps back into the title picture for another chance to prove his status and remind everyone that, as he puts it, “the champion has a name.”
