Ilia Topuria will face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 317, as Islam Makhachev pursues the welterweight championship against Jack Della Maddalena.
Ilia Topuria’s journey to lightweight fame? It skips Islam Makhachev.
When Topuria vacated his featherweight belt in February, a clash with Makhachev seemed inevitable. The two top pound-for-pound fighters squaring off for the 155-pound title was on everyone’s mind. But then, a twist!
Belal Muhammad lost the welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. This opened a new door for Makhachev. Suddenly, he had a shot at becoming a two-division champ.
Dana White, the UFC CEO, made it official. Makhachev will face Della Maddalena for the welterweight crown. Date and location? Still a mystery. Meanwhile, Topuria is set to headline UFC 317 against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title on June 28.
Fans are buzzing. Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena and Topuria vs. Oliveira are thrilling matchups. Yet, some wonder—did we miss out on a Topuria vs. Makhachev showdown?
Curious about the UFC 317 main event reactions? Dive in below!
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What a rollercoaster of matchups, right?