The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is making final preparations to culminate its International Fight Week event, with UFC 317 set to unfold at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main attraction of the event will see Ilia Topuria challenge Charles Oliveira for the Lightweight title, previously held by Islam Makhachev. Complementing the primary card, Alexandre Pantoja, the existing Flyweight title holder, will take a stand against Kai Kara-France. These are turbulent times for UFC with a billion-dollar broadcasting agreement still up in the air, anticipated fights like Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall failing to materialize, and the diminished prominence of the promotion’s biggest star, Conor McGregor.
The current state of the UFC is further complicated by the ongoing actions of some active fighters which have left many perplexed. One such example is Ilia Topuria, who stunned many by vacating his Featherweight title after a sole successful defense against Max Holloway, with the aim to compete for a Lightweight title against Makhachev. Not long after Topuria’s surprising decision, Makhachev abdicated his 155-pound title to set his sights on a showdown with the reigning Welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena.
Makhachev’s choice to chase another title division can be somewhat justified, given his record of four continuous title defenses. Topuria’s decision, on the other hand, with just a single title defense, has left many puzzled. It would have made sense if it guaranteed him a fight against Makhachev, but such was not the case. As a consequence of these developments, Topuria finds himself competing for the vacant belt against Oliveira, an opponent of considerable strength, yet not equivalent to the pound-for-pound best.
Topuria, with his outstanding performance thus far, had the potential to outperform the records of Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. He preempted his possible supremacy, now facing the risk of defeat from “Do Bronx.” Charles Oliveira, meanwhile, rebounded from his split decision defeat to Arman Tsarukyan by securing a convincing win against Michael Chandler for the second time. He finds himself second-ranked in this highly competitive weight class.
However, this doesn’t dim Oliveira’s chances as he now has a golden shot at reclaiming his previous glory and interrupt Topuria’s pursuit of being a two-division champion. Added to that, there lies an opportunity for him to give Topuria his first professional loss in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) circuit. Expectedly, Oliveira, with his superb ground skills, will be plotting to take the fight to the ground, but penetrating Topuria’s robust striking defense would constitute half the battle.
Another intriguing story emerges from UFC’s Contender Series where newcomer Jacobe Smith made a successful debut by knocking out Preston Parsons in the first round, thereby reinforcing his perfect 10-0 record. The decision to match Smith, a rising star, against Niko Price, who seems to be descending, is baffling to many. For Smith, this match can result in diluting his promising UFC start, regardless of the outcome. If he wins, he further deteriorates the standing of a falling fighter, while a loss would end his pristine record against an opponent past his prime.
Significant changes punctuate this event such as the rescheduling of the Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov fight to the following month for reasons yet undisclosed. In another actuality stranger than fiction scenario, Sedriques Dumas had to back out of his fight against Jackson McVey due to legal obstacles preventing the removal of his ankle monitor. His substitute, Christopher Ewert, also missed his shot as his failure to make weight on time resulted in both the fight getting called off and his contract with UFC terminated.
Elsewhere, Manel Kape’s scheduled bout with Brandon Royval was disrupted by a leg injury, providing an opportunity for Joshua Van, fresh from a knockout victory over Bruno Silva, to step in. Despite suffering a setback, Royval managed to clutch onto his No. 1 spot in the rankings. Therefore, a victory for the tenth-ranked Van would be a significant boost to his career trajectory.
The UFC 317 stage will also host a sure-fire Heavyweight onslaught as Alvin Hines, undefeated in seven bouts, squares off against Jhonata Diniz. Hines has demonstrated his versatility with three knockouts, three submissions, and a unanimous decision victory. Towering fighters like him are not often seen displaying such agility both on the ground and on their feet. Meanwhile, Diniz is hoping to get back on track following his first ever loss, a TKO via doctor’s stoppage against Marcin Tybura.
The UFC 317 card also includes an interesting Middleweight matchup, with Jack Hermansson set to clash with Gregory Rodrigues. Hermansson rides the momentum off a critical victory over Joe Pyfer, albeit more than a year ago. ‘Joker’ has been oscillating between wins and losses over the past six years, a pattern that won’t see him break into the Top 15 unless disrupted. Rodrigues, on the other hand, is seeking to bounce back from a TKO loss to Jared Cannonier, which broke his three-fight winning streak.
On the Lightweight front, Terrance McKinney will contest against Viacheslav Borshchev. After defeating Damir Hadzovic by a knockout in the opening round, McKinney looks forward to maintaining his momentum. Borshchev, meanwhile, is at a crossroads. After earning a 1-2 record inside the Octagon and coming off a loss to Tom Nolan, another defeat might potentially signal an end to his UFC journey.
The UFC scene is dynamic, with predictable routines often disrupted by surprising turns of events. The fight card for UFC 317 is no exception. However, regardless of the unforeseen circumstances, large-scale deals pending, or movements of fighters across weight classes, the UFC continues to march forward, providing high-level competition and exciting showdowns within the Mixed Martial Arts community.
While the unfolding drama may seem chaotic, it is these unexpected twists and turns that keep UFC fans on the edge of their seats. Each event adds a new chapter to the narrative, and UFC 317 promises to be another thrilling addition. The diverse fight card presents opportunities for lesser-known fighters to make their mark and for the established ones to solidify their legacies or make incredible comebacks.