Spain’s Ilia Topuria made UFC history at UFC 317 by knocking out Brazilian veteran Charles Oliveira in the very first round, claiming the vacant UFC lightweight title in spectacular fashion. The stunning victory at T-Mobile Arena has instantly catapulted Topuria into MMA superstardom.
Topuria, 28, moved up from featherweight after Islam Makhachev vacated the lightweight belt, and made good on his promise of a first-round finish. Despite Oliveira’s experience and grappling edge, Topuria survived early exchanges before landing a brutal right-left combo that dropped the former champion cold.
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With this win, Topuria extends his undefeated record to 17-0 and becomes the first Spaniard to ever win a UFC title. Born in Germany to Georgian parents and representing Spain, Topuria declared himself the face of MMA’s new generation, saying, “This is the next level of the game.”
Charles Oliveira, who previously held the lightweight title before being stripped in 2022, was returning to reclaim his crown but fell short. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja successfully defended his flyweight title by submitting New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France in the third round.
