One of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters as the emergence of Las Vegas-Alia Topuria, one of the world’s biggest platforms took him to the biggest platform of his career as he takes former champions and Future Hall of Fame Charles Olivera for a vacant light title on Saturday night in UFC 317.
The UFC has become a super bowled weekend of Bout Headlines International Fight Week, after making a further debut from UFC 148 in 2012. Anderson Silva, John Jones and Connor McGregor are among the stars who have participated in the week’s Marki Battle.
In the case of McGragger, his showmanship for a second round of TKO of Chad Mendes in UFC 189 in 2015 marked one of one of the moments defined in his rise in the mainstream superstarom.
It is no secret that the undefined Topapuria, which ranks third on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list, looks for an equal defined moment on Saturday. Former Fatherweight Champions are adamant on the fact that they believe that there is a stagnation within the first two or three minutes of the fight.
Toppuria will return to Lightweight Division on Saturday after vacating the featherweight belt in April to search for a two-division champion on Saturday. And Best believes that Topapuria knows what kind of statement will be given to Legend like Olivera in the first round.
“(This will say) I am the best fighter in the world,” said Topuriya. “It’s not about that if I am going to win the belt, I am going to do it. I am going to knock him in the first round … If you beat legends after legend, you will eventually become a legend.”
Topapuria won the Fatherweight Belt out of the second round of former champion Alexander Volkanovski in UFC 298 in February 2024, which was successful in protecting his lone title against Max Holowways in UFC 308 in October. He has bounced among the weight sections throughout his career, who has fought professionally in Banomweight, Fatherweight and Lightweight.
An important reason for Toppuria’s request is that Saturday’s fight will end so soon that Olivera is respected for the fact that the Olivera attack will be on the attack as soon as the bell rang. Meanwhile, in Olivera’s eyes, he sees Topapuria to join the long list of opponents, who have made vacant promises to keep him down.
“In fact, everyone knows what is going to happen,” 35 -year -old Olivera said, who has not worn the title belt since 2022. “He is another boy who is going to turn in front of me. It’s something very big. About the heritage, about the dreams, how much I am alive for it and hungry. I am going to be a champion again.”
The co-main event includes champions Alexandre Pantoza, who are protecting their fourth flyweight title against Kai Kara-France in fourth place. Pantoza is currently ranked ninth in the pound-for-pound fighters rankings of UFC. Kara-France fought with Brandon Moreno for the interim flyweight championship in the first UFC 277, defeated by TKO at 4:344 in the third round.
Main Card:
Empty UFC Lightweight Championship-Illia Topapuria vs Charles Olivia
Alexandra Pantza vs Kai-France for UFC Flyweight Championship
-Bondon Royal vs Joshua Van
-Bnell Daryus vs Rento Moicono
-Petan Talbot vs Felip Lima
-Cepart, Field Level Media
