At UFC 317 in Las Vegas on Saturday night, Ilia Topuria fulfilled his promise by defeating Charles Oliveira in just 2 minutes and 27 seconds of the opening round, capturing the vacant UFC lightweight title. The victory established Topuria as the UFC lightweight champion and marked a significant milestone in his career.
Topuria’s win not only earned him the championship but also made him the first undefeated fighter to hold UFC titles in two weight classes and the 10th fighter overall to achieve this feat. At 28 years old, competing under both Georgian and Spanish flags, Topuria is now ranked third on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list.
Post-Victory: Anticipation Builds for Topuria’s First Title Defense
The event concluded with a highly charged face-off between Topuria, now with a flawless 17-0 record, and English star Paddy Pimblett, signaling that Pimblett is likely to be Topuria’s first challenger for the lightweight championship. Oliveira, a former UFC legend aged 35, was a substantial underdog and now holds a record of 35 wins, 11 losses, and no draws.
Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja Dominates Kai-Kara France
In the co-main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja retained his belt with a powerful rear-naked choke submission over challenger Kai-Kara France at 1:55 of the third round. This victory marked Pantoja’s fourth consecutive title defense and set new UFC lightweight records with his 14th win and eighth finish overall in the division, surpassing Demetrious Johnson’s achievements.
Thrilling Stand-up Battle Between Joshua Van and Brandon Royval
Ranked 12th in the lightweight division, Joshua Van faced top contender Brandon Royval in a captivating stand-up fight that delivered intense action throughout three rounds. Van, a Houston native of Burmese descent, secured a unanimous decision win with scores of 29-28 on all judges’ cards. Notably, neither fighter attempted a takedown during the bout. Van managed to knock Royval down in the final seconds, generating the night’s loudest crowd response.
The fight featured Van landing 209 out of 311 total strikes and 306 significant strikes, while Royval threw 468 strikes with 216 landing effectively. This bout, designated by UFC President Dana White as a flyweight title eliminator, positions Van for a future championship match, and he immediately faced Pantoja after the fight, hinting at their upcoming title clash.
Notable Performances Highlight Main Card
Payton Talbott kicked off the main card by defeating favored Felipe Lima through unanimous decision. Talbott demonstrated significant improvement in takedown defense and wrestling since his loss to Raoni Barcelos earlier this year, successfully stopping 12 out of 15 takedown attempts and using effective ground striking to maintain control.
Following this, Beneil Dariush bounced back from an early knockdown to dominate Renato Moicano over the final two rounds, winning by unanimous decision. Dariush completed all five takedown attempts and outstruck Moicano in both total and significant strikes, marking his first victory since defeating Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 in October 2022.
Implications and Future Prospects in UFC Lightweight Division
Ilia Topuria’s swift and decisive victory over a highly experienced champion like Charles Oliveira further shakes up the lightweight division and sets a new standard for dominance among UFC fighters. As Topuria prepares for his first title defense against Paddy Pimblett, the lightweight class is poised for intense competition and a fresh rivalry. This moment could solidify Topuria’s status as one of the UFC’s rising stars, while the division’s established champions continue to face challenging contenders aiming for the top spot.