Ilia Topuria delivered a stunning statement at UFC 317, leaving Charles Oliveira unconscious with a thunderous right hand in the first round to capture the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship
With this emphatic victory, the undefeated Spaniard not only extended his perfect record to 17-0 but also etched his name in UFC history as just the 10th fighter to hold titles in two different weight classes.
The bout started with a brief grappling exchange, during which Topuria fended off a heel hook attempt from the Brazilian submission specialist. Moments later, he turned the tide with a clean, devastating right hand that knocked Oliveira out cold before he even hit the canvas.
Topuria's metoric rise
The 28-year-old Topuria had vacated his featherweight title earlier in the year, citing the toll of cutting to 145 pounds. Returning to action for the first time since his title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 309 last October, Topuria moved up in weight and faced the always-dangerous Charles Oliveira at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Topuria’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Prior to this fight, he had already notched eight straight wins in the UFC, including a knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight crown and a third-round finish of Max Holloway in his sole title defense.
Decline Of Charles Oliveira
For Oliveira, 35, it was a tough outing. The former lightweight champion has struggled with consistency in recent bouts, now 2-3 in his last five. His last peak came in May 2021 when he defeated Michael Chandler to claim the lightweight belt, but recent losses to Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan have shown signs of decline.
