Ilia Topuria Wins UFC Lightweight Title
Ilia Topuria captured the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 317 by knocking out Charles Oliveira. The victory marks a significant moment in the division, crowning a new champion. The event showcased the competitive depth within one of the UFC's most popular weight classes.
- This victory makes Ilia Topuria the 10th fighter in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes, having previously held the Featherweight championship. - Topuria maintains his undefeated professional record, which now stands at 17 wins with no losses. - The lightweight title was vacant because the previous champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, retired with an undefeated record and relinquished the belt. - Charles Oliveira is a former UFC lightweight champion himself, having won the vacant title in May 2021 before being stripped of it for missing weight in May 2022. - This fight marked a move up in weight for Topuria, who previously competed in the featherweight and bantamweight divisions. - Oliveira holds the UFC records for the most submission wins (17) and the most overall finishes in the promotion's history (21). - Before this championship bout, Topuria was ranked #2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings, just behind welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
