The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is preparing for the much-anticipated finale of its annual International Fight Week at UFC 317, set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event on the ticket will showcase an intense match-up between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira as they vie for Islam Makhachev’s relinquished Lightweight belt. Adding intrigue to the night, Alexandre Pantoja, reigning Flyweight champion, will defend his crown from challenger Kai Kara-France during the co-headliner of the spectacle. Uncertainty hangs over the UFC at the moment; contractual agreements for a multi-billion dollar broadcasting deal remain unsettled, cherished matches such as Jon Jones versus Tom Aspinall are off the table, and Conor McGregor, once the promotional heart of UFC, has faded from the limelight.
The present active roster of UFC fighters presents a cornucopia of surprises. Several titleholders are taking unpredictable paths, leaving fans and experts puzzled. Among these, Topuria’s decision stands out – he relinquished his Featherweight belt after a single successful defense against Max Holloway, seeking a chance in the Lightweight division against the then-champion Makhachev. Soon after, Makhachev mirrored Topuria’s strategy by abandoning his Lightweight title to pursue a clash with the reigning Welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena.
A detailed look into their respective decisions reveals Makhachev may have had more justification for his actions because he dedicatedly defended his title four times before relinquishing. However, Topuria’s sudden move to forego the Featherweight belt after just one defense has raised eyebrows. If a match against Makhachev was confirmed, it might have justified his move, but no such assurance existed. Now, ‘El Matador’ finds himself battling for a vacant belt against Oliveira, an unexpected and formidable opponent.
Despite this, facing Oliveira doesn’t quite measure up to a duel with MMA’s finest. Furthermore, based on Topuria’s exceptional performance, he showed promise for setting new milestones and could have potentially eclipsed the records set by Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. But his impulsive decision has put his future on edge, especially if he falls in his battle with ‘Do Bronx.’
As for Oliveira, he returned impressively from his split-decision loss against Arman Tsarukyan. He secured a comfortable victory in his rematch with Michael Chandler. Now ranked second in the hotly contested division, Oliveira has a golden chance to reclaim the title and shatter Topuria’s dreams of becoming a double-division champion. Simultaneously, he can hand Topuria his first career defeat in professional MMA.
‘Do Bronx’ will likely aim for a ground battle where he’s recognized as a grandmaster. However, taking down Topuria, arguably UFC’s top pure striker, is a challenge in itself. Another exciting name making waves is Jacobe Smith. He made a notable entrance into the UFC via the Contender Series, and gained recognition from his first-round knockout victory over Preston Parsons early this year that preserved his undefeated (10-0) record.
UFC’s decision to pit newcomer Smith against Niko Price, a fighter in a downward spiral, left several fans scratching their heads. If Smith defeats Price, he merely contributes to an already struggling fighter’s demise. On the flip side, a loss to Price will sully his unblemished record against an athlete whose prime years seem behind him, thus prematurely stalling Smith’s momentum.
Paulo Costa was originally set to fight Roman Kopylov at the event; however, the match was delayed to the following month due to undisclosed reasons. Another peculiar incident saw Sedriques Dumas exit his bout with Jackson McVey due to ongoing legal issues that required him to wear an ankle monitor, which he was forbidden to remove for the fight. Then, an unexpected turn of events saw Dumas’ replacement, Christopher Ewert, fail to meet the weight requirement, coming in 10 pounds above the limit. As a result, the UFC cancelled the fight and released Ewert.
In another shift in lineup, Manel Kape was forced to withdraw from his fight with Brandon Royval after sustaining a leg injury. Joshua Van, fresh off a knockout victory over Bruno Silva earlier this month, is set to step in as Kape’s replacement. Given that Royval, currently on a two-fight win streak, is clinging onto the top of the ranking, a win for Van, who’s currently ranked 10th, could provide a significant boost to his career.
Alvin Hines, an undefeated heavyweight (7-0, 0-0 UFC), is preparing to step into the global spotlight in a highly anticipated showdown against Jhonata Diniz. Hines is a well-rounded colossus with three knockout, three submission, and one unanimous decision victories under his belt. His versatility lies in his ability to administer equal amounts of damage whether on his feet or on the ground, a rather unusual characteristic for fighters of his physical stature.
Additionally, Diniz is determined to shake off his first and only career loss, handed to him by Marcin Tybura via a technical knockout due to a doctor’s stoppage in the previous year. It’s expected to be a slugfest that sure to captivate audiences around the globe.
Jack Hermansson and Gregory Rodrigues are in line for an intriguing Middleweight bout. Hermansson, fresh off an impressive victory over Joe Pyfer more than a year ago, has alternated between victories and losses for the previous six years. His inconsistent performance pattern needs to change if he is to break into the top 15 again.
Contrary to Hermansson, Rodrigues is looking to rebound from a technical knockout defeat to Jared Cannonier, an abrupt end to his three-match winning streak.
Finally, in the Lightweight division, Terrance McKinney will compete against Viacheslav Borshchev. McKinney recently found his groove again with a first-round knockout victory over Damir Hadzovic earlier this year.
Borshchev on the other hand is in a critical situation. He is currently on a 1-2 run in the Octagon and with a previous loss to Tom Nolan, another defeat might signal the end of his UFC journey.
Thus, as the UFC gears up for its dynamic finale, from surprising shifts and unexpected decisions, the potential outcomes remain largely unforeseeable, ensuring an evening of breathtaking moments for fans worldwide.
The post UFC 317 Ready for Take-off: Topuria Versus Oliveira for Void Lightweight Crown appeared first on Real News Now.
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