Undefeated Ilia Topuria Wins Second UFC Title with First-Round KO of Charles Oliveira

At UFC 317 in Las Vegas, Ilia Topuria made history by becoming the first undefeated two-division UFC champion after knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round to claim the vacant lightweight title. Topuria had moved up from featherweight, where he previously held the belt before vacating it to pursue the lightweight championship vacated by Islam Makhachev. The event also featured a notable flyweight bout where Joshua Van defeated Brandon Royval, earning a Fight of the Night bonus alongside Royval, while Topuria received a Performance of the Night bonus. Topuria’s knockout victory not only secured him the lightweight belt but also cost Canadian music star Drake a $200,000 bet, who had wagered on Oliveira to win. Topuria has now knocked out three champions or former champions consecutively, solidifying his rising dominance in UFC. Both Topuria and Oliveira were among the highest-paid fighters on the card, with reported purses in the millions for their bout.