In the main event of UFC 317, Ilia Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira, winning the vacant lightweight title and cementing his place in UFC history as a two-division champion.
Early in the fight, Oliveira looked to advance and test Topuria’s grappling while putting El Matador on his back foot. The former featherweight champ responded in a big way, gaining top position before then landing a crisp combination that put Do Bronx to sleep after the two returned to the feet.
In addition to joining an elite group of fighters to have earned the distinction of being a two-division champ, Topuria now becomes the first undefeated two-division champ in UFC history.
After putting together an incredible 2024 run that saw him knock out both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, Topuria’s run now continues at 155.
For Charles Oliveira, the bout marked his first KO/TKO loss since 2017, when he was finished by Paul Felder on the UFC 218 card.
At 35 years old, Oliveira will now face a long road back to title contention after two straight losses in championship bouts.
Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett Involved in Heated Post-Fight Staredown
After UFC CEO Dana White wrapped the lightweight belt around Ilia Topuria’s waist, the champ welcomed Paddy Pimblett to the Octagon. Given their longstanding beef, it didn’t take long for their staredown to turn physical.
Pimblett kicked off the verbal exchange, giving El Matador his props for a beautiful knockout before saying that Topuria would never knock him out. The newly minted lightweight champ then fired back with a series of explatives, predicting a submission win before shoving the streaking Scouser.
Although there’s plenty of bad blood between the two, the UFC brass gave no indication leading up to the fight that Pimblett, who is ranked No. 8 on UFC.com, is next in line for a crack at the title.
Ilia Topuria Speaks About Star Power Following Main Event Win
Ilia Topuria’s recent run as champion at 145 and 155 has earned him superstar status all around the globe.
Following his big win over Charles Oliveira, Topuria spoke to Joe Rogan for his post-fight Octagon interview. In it, El Matador spoke about being the face of the new generation of UFC stars.
“I already said it, I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts. This is the next level of the game, this is the next thing and this is what I represent.
“I did exactly what we had planned, a lot of jabs. Jab, jab, right hand, left hook, and boom, his lights were out.”
Considering he emerged from tonight’s bout unscathed, we could see Topuria back in action before the end of the year.
Additionally, with his win, the pressure is now on the UFC to host an event in Spain. Previously, there was optimism that the promotion could have Topuria defend the title at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, however, the UFC notably faces logistical challenges in hosting such an event.
Considering El Matador’s star power, however, a European stadium event may not be out of the realm of possibility.
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