Ilia Topuria Faces Charles Oliveira for UFC Lightweight Title at UFC 317 in Las Vegas

The UFC Lightweight title fight at UFC 317 features Ilia Topuria against Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt. Topuria, who recently vacated the featherweight title after a dominant 2024 campaign including knockouts of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, is seen as a rising star and potential new face of the UFC. Paddy Pimblett, who holds a seven-fight UFC winning streak, believes he is next in line for a title shot if Topuria wins and has warned the current #1 contender Arman Tsarukyan to "sit and wait" since Tsarukyan has not fought recently due to suspension. Former featherweight champion Topuria has acknowledged Pimblett is "one fight away" from a title shot and is open to facing him after UFC 317. Both Topuria and Pimblett have a history of tension, and the matchup could materialize now that Topuria has moved up to lightweight. The decision for Topuria to change divisions was influenced by the physical toll of making the featherweight limit, and his move adds intrigue to the lightweight division's title picture.