- UFC Ilia Topuria: "2026, Santiago Bernabeu, it's going to happen, it's inevitable"
- UFC Ilia Topuria knocks out Charles Oliveira in two minutes and becomes a legend
No sooner said than done. Ilia Topuria promised that he would knock out Charles Oliveira in the first round, and so he did. With an accurate and unappealable combination of punches, he finished off the Brazilian and won his second world championship belt, the lightweight one, which he adds to the one he already had in the featherweight. Still in the octagon, he was clear:"I had said it. I represent the new generation. This is the next level in the game".
Topuria had no doubt when analyzing the fight: "I did exactly what I had planned". He explained the sequence of blows he had followed, just as it had happened, after seeing it on the big screen. He then said goodbye by asking to be allowed to go and celebrate that he is the first double world champion to reach this milestone while remaining undefeated in his professional career
A new enemy
The most talked about moment, however, came when he was asked about his upcoming fights: "I don't know, we have a few losers here, a blonde guy I don't like, another one who has a bad back when he has to fight. Whoever they put me with, let's fight." The "blonde" he was talking about was none other than Paddy Pimblett, with whom he has a turbulent relationship. "Listen to me, I don't think he'll take it, but if you think he's ready, call me. Bring him to me," continued the Spanish-Georgian fighter defiantly.
Pimblett then entered the octagon and went straight to Topuria, whom he told that he had never been knocked out and that he was not going to be able to do it. After a cross-examination, threats and obscenities, Ilia ended up pushing the Briton with his chest. Topuria was then separated from Pimblett and finished his speech in front of the microphone.
The fight between Topuria and Oliveira was the culmination of the UFC 317 Main Card, which featured four other bouts. Payton Talbott defeated Felipe Lima at bantamweight by unanimous decision; Beneil Dariush defeated Renato Moicano at lightweight; and Joshua Van defeated Brandon Royval at flyweight. In the flyweight title fight, Alexandre Pantoja ended challenger Kai Kara-France by submission in the third round