Latest news with #lightweighttitle
Forbes
3 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC 317: Arman Tsarukyan To Serve As Main Event Backup
If Ilia Topuria or Charles Oliveira cannot make it to the Octagon on June 28 for their lightweight title fight in the main event of UFC 317, Arman Tsarukyan will be on hand to serve as the backup. Tsarukyan, who is the No. 1 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings, announced his backup role, earlier this week on social media (via MMA Fighting). The UFC had booked Tsarukyan opposite then-UFC champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 311. However, while cutting weight for the January 18, 2025, fight card, Tsarukyan suffered a back injury. He was forced from the card on weigh-in day and was replaced by Renato Moicano, who Makhachev submitted in the late stages of the first round. Tsarukyan's injury did not sit well with the UFC brass. Following the event, UFC CEO Dana White declared that Tsarukyan would have to wait for a title shot. 'He's going back to the drawing board,' White said at the UFC 311 post-fight press conference. 'I don't want anybody to fight hurt, ever. We've been in these positions before. We're down there with the doctor, with Heather from (the UFC Performance Institute). You can ask any fighter – she's the best in the world. You miss opportunities sometimes, and he did. We'll see how this plays out for him next year.' 'He's not getting the title shot, that means he's going to have to fight his way back to the title,' White added. Tsarukyan, who is on a four-fight winning streak, has not fought since UFC 311, so it seems as if White and the UFC may be softening their stance on the fighter and perhaps giving him a test run to see if he can make it to the scale for UFC 317. Tsarukyan's most recent outing was a April 2024 split-decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. Ilia Topuria (16-0) is a former Cage Warriors champion. He joined the UFC in 2020 with a 9-0 record. It did not take him long to make a name for himself. He was ranked No. 14 in the featherweight division after three UFC bouts at 145 pounds and one contest in the 155-pound division. Three of those scraps ended with Topuria winning via knockout. In his first fight as a ranked featherweight, Topuria dispatched Bryce Mitchell via submission in the second round, earned his first 'Performance of the Night' bonus and moved to No. 9 in the rankings. A matchup with No. 5 ranked Josh Emmett followed the Mitchell win. Topuria picked up a decision in a 'Fight of the Night' scrap. Topuria's next fight, saw him face Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Topuria entered that bout as the No. 3 ranked featherweight. He left as the champion after knocking out Volkanovski in the second stanza. In his first defense of the UFC featherweight crown, Topuria made history, becoming the first fighter to finish former 145-pound champion Max Holloway via strikes, knocking out the ex-champion in the third round of their UFC 308 meeting in October 2024. When Topuria decided to move to lightweight and give up his featherweight title, he vowed to sit until he got a 155-pound title shot. That fight takes place at UFC 317. Topuria has a 16-0 record with eight of those wins coming under the UFC banner. Charles Oliveira (35-10-0-1) has been fighting with the UFC since 2010. He won the vacant lightweight title with his win over Chandler and defended the title once, beating Dustin Poirier. He was booked to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense, but Oliveira missed weight for that fight, which he won by submission, losing the title on the scale. Oliveira had a chance to regain the belt in October 2022, but Islam Makhachev submitted him and claimed the vacant belt. Since that loss, Oliveira is 1-1, beating Beneil Dariush by TKO in June 2023 and losing to Arman Tsarukyan via split decision in April of this year. Oliveira is coming off a November 2024 decision win over Michael Chandler. Oliveira is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings. We will have more on the UFC 317 fight card as fight night approaches.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Arman Tsarukyan reveals himself as Topuria vs Oliveira back-up fighter at UFC 317
Arman Tsarukyan has said he will serve as the back-up fighter for the main event of UFC 317, which pits Ilia Topuria against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title. In that bout on 28 June, Topuria will try to become a two-weight champion after vacating the featherweight belt in February, while Oliveira aims to become a two-time lightweight king. The unbeaten Topuria gave up the 145lb belt after just one defence, having knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the strap in February 2024 before scoring the same result against Max Holloway in October. With those two wins, against all-time featherweight greats, Topuria had fans believing that a lengthy title reign would ensue. But the Spanish-Georgian has explained the 'suffering' of cutting weight to 145lb, leading to his move up to 155lb. A super-fight with Islam Makhachev was on the cards, but the dominant champion emulated Topuria by vacating his title to seek welterweight gold. As such, Topuria will face Oliveira, who dominated Michael Chandler in November to bounce back from a narrow points loss to Tsarukyan and earn a title shot. Tsarukyan beat the Brazilian at UFC 300 last April, setting up a shot at Makhachev this January. However, Tsarukyan suffered a back injury, leading him to withdraw on one day's notice, with Makhachev going on to submit Renato Moicano in round one. With that, Tsarukyan lost the chance to avenge his 2019 decision loss to Makhachev. While Tsarukyan's rematch with Makhachev might have eluded him forever, the Armenian-Russian still has a chance to become lightweight champion. That depends on whether Topuria, 28, or Oliveira, 35, sustains an injury or tough weight cut in Las Vegas, although Tsarukyan, 28, may feel that weighing in as the back-up fighter could earn him a shot at the winner, if Topuria vs Oliveira goes ahead. Tsarukyan confirmed his role on Instagram, replying to a user who asked him: 'Next who @arm_011?' The fighter wrote: 'I'm the backup for UFC 317.'
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
UFC 317: Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira start time, fight card and how to watch
Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira will clash in one of the biggest MMA fights of the year this month, as they vie for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 317. When Topuria vacated the featherweight belt in February, he immediately set his sights on the lightweight strap, which was soon relinquished by pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev – who is similarly eyeing a title shot at a higher weight. While Makhachev vs Topuria would have been one of the most fascinating fights in the sport, Topuria vs Oliveira is a strong consolation. The Spanish-Georgian is unbeaten, while Brazil's Oliveira is a former 155lb champion and holds the records for the most finishes and submissions in UFC history. Furthermore, Topuria enters Las Vegas on the back of two straight knockouts of featherweight greats – Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway – while Oliveira dominated Michael Chandler to earn this shot at a second run with the lightweight belt. And in the co-main event of UFC 317, imperious flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja looks to extend his reign as he faces a dangerous striker in Kai Kara-France, whom he outpointed in an Ultimate Fighter bout in 2016. Here's all you need to know. When is UFC 317? UFC 317 will take place on Saturday 28 June at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The early prelims are scheduled to begin at 11pm BST (3pm PT / 5pm CT / 6pm ET), with the regular prelims following at 1am BST on Sunday (5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET on Saturday). The main card is then due at 3am BST on Sunday (7pm PT / 9pm CT / 10pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster's app and website also streaming the fights. Discovery+ will also air the action in the UK. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the event live, as will the UFC's Fight Pass. Odds Topuria – 1/4; Oliveira – 3/1 Pantoja – 2/5; Kara-France – 2/1 Via Betway. . The Independent vets betting sites for usability, security and responsible gambling tools. You can claim free bets here to use across a range of sports. Please read the terms. Fight card (subject to change; 'C' denotes champion) Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira (vacant lightweight title) Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs Kai Kara-France (flyweight title) Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van (flyweight) Beneil Dariush vs Renato Moicano (lightweight) Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov (middleweight) Jack Hermansson vs Gregory Rodrigues (middleweight)
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Ilia Topuria splits from coaches in shock move ahead of UFC 317 title fight
In a surprising move, Ilia Topuria has reportedly split from his longtime coaches ahead of his lightweight title fight at UFC 317. On 28 June, Topuria will fight Charles Oliveira for the vacant belt, after Islam Makhachev relinquished the gold to pursue the welterweight title. Similarly, Topuria vacated the featherweight strap in February to chase lightweight gold. And the Spanish-Georgian, despite preparing for one of the biggest bouts of his career, has decided to split from fraternal coaches Jorge and Augustin Climent as he starts camp. That is per Spanish publication Marca, as well as MMA Fighting. Per these reports, Topuria and his brother Aleksandre – a UFC bantamweight – are parting ways with the Climent brothers on good terms. The move is apparently the result of the distance between the coaches' gym in Alicante and Topuria's residence in Madrid. Before his title defence against Max Holloway in October, the Climent brothers would travel back and forth between their gym and Madrid, with Topuria remaining in the Spanish capital. Topuria went on to knock out Holloway in round three, building on a second-round KO of Alexander Volkanovski last February, with which 'El Matador' won the 145lb title. Now, the 28-year-old is moving up to 155lb, where he stopped Jai Herbert in 2022 – but only after suffering a knockdown. In Oliveira, Topuria will take on a former lightweight champion. The Brazilian, 35, held the gold from May 2021 until May 2022, stopping Michael Chandler to win the vacant belt before submitting Dustin Poirier to retain it, and ultimately losing the title on the scales. A day before his planned title defence against Justin Gaethje, Oliveira narrowly missed weight, and so he was stripped of the belt and unable to regain it the next night. In any case, he submitted Gaethje to set up a vacant-title fight with Makhachev, who submitted 'Do Bronx' and held the gold until this month. Makhachev achieved a record four successful lightweight title defences along the way, and he now eyes 170lb glory. That means a much-desired bout between the Russian and Topuria has passed fans by – for now, at least.
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Ilia Topuria moving up for title shot vs. Charles Oliveira at UFC 317
May 20 - Vying to become the 10th UFC fighter to win titles in two divisions, undefeated former featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria will face former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in UFC 317's main event June 28 in Las Vegas. Topuria (16-0), ranked as the men's No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, has wins over Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski and Bryce Mitchell on his resume and aims to add another against Oliveira (35-10, one no-contest), who looks to become UFC's first two-time lightweight champ. In another title bout, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will defend his crown against No. 4 contender Kai Kara-France in a matchup of former "The Ultimate Fighter" season 24 castmates. Pantoja (29-5), the No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter who excels at submissions, seeks his fourth consecutive title defense. Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC), meanwhile, eyes his first UFC title following a knockout of Steve Erceg last year. Among the other bouts on the card will be a matchup of No. 9 lightweight contender Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) clashing with No. 10 Renato Moicano (20-6-1), No. 1 flyweight contender Brandon Royval (17-7) tangling with No. 6 Manel Kape (21-7) and No. 12 middleweight contender Paulo Costa (14-4) battling No. 14 Roman Kopylov (14-3). In a middleweight matchup, Jack Hermansson (24-8) is set to go toe-to-toe with Gregory Rodrigues (16-6), while heavyweights Jhonata Diniz (9-1) and Justin Tafa (7-5, 1 NC) will also take to the ring. On the women's side, Viviane Araujo (13-6), the No. 8 flyweight contender, will face No. 10 Tracy Cortez (11-2). --Field Level Media
