Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira sent Ilia Topuria a stern warning ahead of UFC 317.
Just weeks before their scheduled bout at UFC 317, Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria are set to compete for the vacant UFC lightweight title. With current champion Islam Makhachev reportedly planning a move to welterweight (170 lbs), this fight presents Oliveira and Topuria with an opportunity to become the new champion and usher in a new phase for the lightweight division.
According to the report, Topuria transitioned permanently to lightweight after vacating the featherweight title, which was then won by Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314. His last fight was a knockout victory over BMF champion Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October.
Anticipation and tension between the two fighters had been building for months even before their vacant title fight at UFC 317 was officially announced.
Charles Oliveira Offers Bold Prediction for Topuria Clash at UFC 317
Known for his pre-fight verbal sparring, Topuria had previously accused Oliveira of avoiding a potential matchup for months before the UFC 317 main event was finalized. Oliveira countered this by downplaying the idea that a fight with Topuria was a `big fight,` as he was primarily seeking a rematch with Makhachev before the champion`s planned departure from the division.
Oliveira and Topuria are significant figures in the UFC, and their upcoming bout during International Fight Week is highly anticipated as one of the year`s major fights. With the fight only weeks away, Oliveira shared his expectation of a quick finish when he faces Topuria in the cage.
Speaking in a recent interview with Full Violence, Oliveira made a confident prediction regarding his upcoming confrontation with Topuria at UFC 317.
“It’s a great fight, he’s a great fighter. But I don’t need to prove anything to anyone about who I am,” Oliveira stated.
“This fight came as a huge opportunity. I will knock out this guy. That’s for real.”
Topuria holds an undefeated record through 16 professional fights and has never been knocked out. However, Oliveira`s recent dominant performances, including wins over Michael Chandler and Beneil Dariush, provide ample justification for his strong confidence in his ability to finish Topuria.
Ilia Topuria Reportedly Doesn`t Plan to Grant Islam Makhachev an Immediate Title Shot Post-UFC 317
Should Makhachev decide to return to the lightweight category, Topuria is reportedly not planning to offer him an immediate title opportunity upon his return. While Makhachev is anticipated to fight welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena later this year, he has mentioned the possibility of coming back to lightweight once a `new challenger` emerges.
However, if Oliveira wins at UFC 317, Makhachev might very well be the fighter he calls out in his post-fight interview, given that Oliveira previously lost to Makhachev for the then-vacant lightweight title at UFC 280.
The escalating rivalry between Topuria and Makhachev has become quite intense recently. Following Topuria`s accusation that Makhachev was a `coward` for vacating the lightweight championship, Makhachev issued a harsh reply, calling Topuria a `nobody` in a heated exchange.
Percy Harlow