Ilia Topuria’s lightweight debut has finally been confirmed—but it won’t be against Islam Makhachev.
Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) vacated his UFC featherweight title earlier this year and announced his intention to move up to 155 pounds in pursuit of becoming a two-division world champion. Many fans assumed he would face current lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), but Dana White revealed during an Instagram Live video on Tuesday that the Dagestani star is planning to vacate his belt and move up to welterweight instead.
Topuria is now set to face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) in the main event of UFC 317, with the vacant lightweight title on the line. The event is scheduled for June 28 during International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
White also noted that a welterweight title bout between Makhachev and newly crowned champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is close to being finalized.
UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will look to make a fourth consecutive defense of his title in the co-main event as he takes on Kai Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC).
Pantoja is riding a seven-fight winning streak at 125 pounds and has picked up wins over Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg and Kai Asakura since winning the belt back in 2023 when he dethroned Brandon Moreno.
Fights confirmed For UFC 317 So Far
- Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria – for vacant lightweight title
- Champ Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France – for flyweight title
- Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
- Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
- Jhonata Diniz vs. Justin Tafa
- Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape
- Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues
- Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez
More to follow...
