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Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira Set To Headline UFC 317

James Herrick / UFC / May 13, 2025

UFC 317 Charles Oliveira Ilia Topuria — The UFC lightweight division will undergo a shake up at UFC 318. Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira are set to fight for the vacant title. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Image)

Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira Set To Headline UFC 317

UFC CEO Dana White announced the future of the lightweight division on Instagram Live. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is moving up to welterweight and vacating the title. Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will fight for the vacant title on UFC 317.

UFC 317 will take place on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will serve as the UFC’s annual International Fight Week event.

The lightweight division has been in flux since Topuria vacated the UFC featherweight championship to chase a lightweight title opportunity. Initially, he was working to get a fight against Makhachev. At the same time, Makhachev decided to make an identical career decision. That left Topuria fighting for the vacant belt and allowed Oliveira to secure a title opportunity he was unlikely to get otherwise.

Topuria’s featherweight run was immaculate. The 28-year-old knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the title and defended it with another knockout win against Max Holloway. Additionally, he finished with a perfect 7-0 UFC featherweight record that includes five finish wins. A move up to lightweight is much more intriguing than attempting to continue defending the featherweight title.

Oliveira, the former lightweight champion, is awarded a title fight with a 2-1 run since losing the belt. The loss in that run was a close split decision against Arman Tsarukyan. Fortunately for Oliveira, the UFC opted against a Tsarukyan title fight after he missed weight for UFC 311.

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UFC 317 will feature a flyweight title fight in the co-main event slot. The UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will fight Kai-Kara France. The matchup is one of the few fresh matchups that can provide Pantoja is a serious challenge. It also helps stack International Fight Week is another sensational fight.

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