Kike Hernandez correctly predicted that Ilia Topuria would defeat Charles Oliveira at the UFC 317 pay-per-view event on Saturday night. Topuria boldly claimed he would either knock out or submit Oliveira in the first round, a statement many considered promotional hype but ultimately proved accurate.

In an impressive display, Topuria knocked Oliveira unconscious with a swift two-punch combination, leading referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight after Topuria landed two hammer fists to the grounded Oliveira.

Following the victory, Hernandez shared UFC’s Instagram post highlighting Topuria’s triumph, adding a red rose emoji, a symbol often linked to the new undisputed lightweight champion. He had also used the same emoji the day before, hinting at his fight pick.

Hernandez further spotlighted Bleacher Report’s Instagram post showcasing Topuria’s recent knockout wins over notable fighters Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira. Notably, Topuria accurately predicted the knockouts against Volkanovski at UFC 298 and Holloway at UFC 308.

Additionally, Hernandez reposted Topuria’s Instagram video capturing the knockout sequence from the UFC 317 main event, which was followed by a display of respect between Topuria and Alexandre Pantoja backstage. Pantoja had secured a submission victory over challenger Kai-Kara France earlier that night in the co-main event.

Future Fight Prospects for Ilia Topuria and Delays in Preferred Matchups

Many fans, including Kike Hernandez, anticipated a potential matchup between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev at UFC 317. However, the outcome of UFC 315 altered these plans. Jack Della Maddalena claimed the welterweight title by defeating Belal Muhammad, which affected Makhachev’s title status and future fight trajectory.

Prior to UFC 315, UFC CEO Dana White had indicated that Maddalena’s victory would set up a fight against then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. After Maddalena’s win, Makhachev vacated the lightweight title and moved up a weight class, delaying a possible showdown with Topuria.

Had Muhammad won, Makhachev likely would have remained at lightweight to face Topuria at UFC 317. Following UFC 315, Hernandez posted an Instagram story that appeared to lament the absence of his favored Topuria-Makhachev fight. Despite this, both fighters have expressed interest in meeting once they hold titles in different divisions.

For now, Topuria’s immediate focus is on his upcoming fight against Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett. The two have already faced off in the octagon, setting up a highly anticipated matchup. Should this fight proceed as expected, the potential clash between Topuria and Makhachev might not happen until late next year.

Kike Hernandez’s Connection to MMA and Baseball Rivalries

Kike Hernandez’s enthusiasm for Topuria’s fights stems partly from his personal passion for sports, particularly baseball. While he supports the Dodgers, Pimblett hails from Liverpool and is a fan of the San Diego Padres — a direct rival of the Dodgers in the MLB’s NL West division.

Recent tensions between the Dodgers and Padres culminated in a benches-clearing brawl, which led to suspensions for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, bench coach Mike Shildt, and pitcher Robert Suarez. This intensity in both MMA and baseball adds another layer of interest to Hernandez’s support for Topuria as he prepares to face Pimblett.