UFC 317 Preview: Topuria Chases Glory, Oliveira Seeks Redemption, and Pantoja Eyes Flyweight Legacy

By DK01

Ilia Topuria’s quest for two-division supremacy headlines a stacked UFC 317 card this on June 28th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The undefeated Spanish-Georgian phenom will challenge Charles Oliveira for the now-vacant Lightweight Championship, while reigning flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja looks to secure his fourth consecutive title defence in the co-main event against Kai Kara-France.

Topuria vs. Oliveira: A New Era at 155 Begins

With Islam Makhachev vacating the lightweight belt to pursue welterweight gold, the division is once again up for grabs — and Ilia Topuria (16-0) is wasting no time in chasing history.

“El Matador” has looked every bit the future face of the UFC since dismantling Alexander Volkanovski to capture the Featherweight Championship in February 2024. He then cemented his reign with a clinical defence against Max Holloway later that year, before officially announcing his move up to lightweight.

Despite his dominance at 145, this will not be Topuria’s first foray into the 155-pound division. In March 2022, he delivered a brutal second-round knockout of Jai Herbert — a performance that served as an early warning of his devastating power at a higher weight.

Now, with an unblemished record and surging confidence, Topuria steps into the biggest fight of his career against one of the division’s most revered names.

Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1 NC), the former lightweight champion, believes the belt never truly left him. “Do Bronx” was stripped of the title in May 2022 after missing weight ahead of his clash with Justin Gaethje, despite winning that bout via first-round submission. He has since remained adamant that he is the rightful champion.

“This fight came at a huge opportunity,” said Oliveira during media obligations this week. “I will knock out this guy. That’s for real.”

Now 35, the Brazilian enters off a unanimous decision win over Michael Chandler last November — a sharp reminder of his ability to endure and evolve in a chaotic division. With 21 finishes in the UFC (a promotional record), Oliveira remains one of the most dangerous and unpredictable fighters on the roster.

But against Topuria’s ferocity, precision, and upward momentum, the veteran will have to summon another career-defining performance if he’s to reclaim gold.

Pantoja vs. Kara-France: Flyweight Gold on the Line

In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) looks to continue a dominant flyweight run as he defends his title against New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC).

Pantoja has already turned back Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura in his title reign. His blend of suffocating grappling and dogged tenacity has made him a nightmare matchup at 125 pounds, and another successful defence would further solidify his status as one of the most consistent champions in UFC.

Kara-France, representing City Kickboxing, returns for his second crack at gold. His first attempt came in 2022, when he fell short via TKO against Brandon Moreno for the then-vacant title. But now, at 31 and with greater maturity and experience, the Kiwi believes he’s ready for the moment.

“I know what the pressure feels like,” he said this week. “I’m at a great place — physically, mentally — and ready to bring back another belt to [City Kickboxing].”

With both men entering in strong form and with contrasting styles, the flyweight division could be in for another instant classic.

UFC 317 – Main Card Lineup

Vacant Lightweight Championship: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
Flyweight Championship: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Kai Kara-France
Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima