Category World News

In what is arguably the biggest UFC bout of 2025, ex-featherweight champ Ilia Topuria and former-lightweight champ Charles Oliveira of Brazil clash for the vacant 155-pound (70-kilogramme) title at UFC 317.

Topuria, who is unbeaten, vacated his featherweight title earlier this year to move up to lightweight class with the original intension of fighting fellow superstar Islam Makhachev, ranked by ESPN as the best pound-for-pound UFC fighter in the world; Topuria is ranked number two.

Instead, the Georgian-Spaniard will now face another formidable opponent in the form of Oliveira, who holds multiple UFC records for most submission wins at 16, most finishes at 20 and most bonuses at 20.

Here is all to know ahead of the Topuria-Oliveira bout:

When and where is UFC 317?

• UFC 317 is scheduled to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.
• The venue has a seating capacity of 20,000 for UFC events.
• The main card is scheduled to begin at 02:00 GMT on Sunday (7pm PT / 9pm CT / 10pm ET on Saturday, 4am CEST on Sunday).
• The ring walk for Topuria-Oliveira will occur at about 04:00 GMT (9pm PT / 11pm CT /12am ET on Saturday, 6am CEST on Sunday), and the headline fight will start shortly thereafter.

Why isn’t Topuria fighting Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title?

Makhachev vs Topuria would undoubtedly have been one of the greatest draws in UFC history – and it might still happen in the future.

Makhachev, who sports a stupendous 27-1 UFC record and is a four-time lightweight champion, announced in May that he would vacate his title and move up a weight class to the welterweight division to face newly-crowned title holder, Jack Della Maddalena. The date for that fight has yet to be announced.

Topuria, who relinquished his 145-pound (66kg) featherweight title earlier this year and had publicly expressed his desire to fight Makhachev at the heavier lightweight classification, initially voiced his displeasure at the champion vacating his title belt on May 13, accusing the Russian of running away from the challenge.

However, in a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani podcast, Topuria said he understood the reasons behind Makhachev’s decision.

“I don’t think he [Makhachev] is ducking me, to be honest,” Topuria said. “I would be lying to you if I told you that he’s ducking me. I think he’s tired of the weight cut [at lightweight division]. He wants a new challenge. He moved to the welterweight division. He feels and he thinks that he has a chance to become a double champion. I think that this is all he’s trying to do.”

How can Topuria win?

Topuria’s overall technical fighting talent and boxing capabilities are legendary, so Oliveira will need to be wary of trading blows with the powerful 28-year-old in the Octagon.

In 2024, Topuria sensationally knocked out two former all-time great UFC champions – Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway – to establish his dominance in a stacked featherweight division.

“Skill for skill, he might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world … all of his opponents have stood toe-to-toe, and all have fallen,” said MMA commentator Alan Jouban on ESPN.

“He [Topuria] will finish upstairs, and he’s got power that puts you to sleep,” added Jouban.

6 days 🌹 pic.twitter.com/g877zuSzMX

How can Oliveira win?

If Oliveira can win back the vacant lightweight belt on Saturday, he’ll deny Topuria joining a short list of legendary two-division champions.

Oliveira is one of the greatest lightweights of all-time and Topuria – a supremely-confident competitor – cannot make the mistake of underestimating the Sao Paulo native’s contrasting skillset.

The 35-year-old’s path to victory lies in his sublime ability to grapple with opponents. Oliveira’s ground game is impressive, and his 16 wins by submission – in a variety of ways – make him both a tricky and dangerous opponent for Topuria.

“I think, for Charles [Oliveira], he’s got to be in all the way or all the way out and try to force some grappling … he needs to get on top, he needs to make him [Topuria] wrestle. We haven’t seen [Topuria] have to do that much in the UFC yet,” said Paul Felder, former MMA fighter and current UFC commentator at ESPN.

Oliveira also has advantages in height (1.78m vs 1.7m) and reach (1.88m vs 1.75m), although el Matador, famously known for his strength in the featherweight division, will likely have a power advantage against the Brazilian, despite moving up a weight class.

Topuria Stats:

Topuria has a perfect 16-0 UFC record.

His last fight was at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 26, where he made good on his bold promise to become the first man to knock out Holloway.

“To beat a legend like Max Holloway, I don’t know what to say,” Topuria said at the time. “He’s been a great example for the generation. … I hope I’m gonna be a small example he has been for me for the new generation.”

• Age: 28
• Height: 5′ 7″ (1.7m)
• Reach: 69 inches (1.75m)
• Total fights: 16
• Record: 16-0-0

Oliveria Stats:

Oliveira has a professional record of 35 wins and 10 losses, with one no-contest decision.

He endured a slow start to his career, winning only two of his first seven fights while fluctuating between different weight classes.

From 2018 to 2021, ‘Do Bronx’ reeled off a superlative 11-fight win streak that culminated in him being crowned the UFC lightweight champion after defeating Michael Chandler in the title bout.

He lost the lightweight title to Makhachev on October 22, 2022, when the Russian pulled off a sensational head-and-arm choke submission in the second round at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi.

• Age: 35
• Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78m)
• Reach: 74 inches (1.88m)
• Total fights: 46
• Record: 35-10-0 (1 NC)

What have Topuria, Oliveira said about the fight?

Topuria: “You can never count him out because he’s a dangerous guy,” Topuria said of Oliveira. “He has the most finishes in the UFC’s history. But I have faced those kind of situations many, many times, with [Alexander] Volkanovski, with Max Holloway”, he said.

“The skill development I’m bringing to this sport, they’ve never felt it, they never saw it. So this is what’s going to happen with Charles. He thinks that he has some opportunities, but the reality is that he [does] not. The only thing he has to do is show up, and I’ll do the rest.”

“I’m going to finish him in the first round”, Topuria added.

Oliveira: “In reality, I’m not very focused on what [Topuria] has been doing, but [rather] on what we can get and take,” he said.

“We are more than prepared for this fight. [Topuria] is a tough opponent, but I know the firepower I have in my hands.

“I’ll go all in, I have a promise to be fulfilled, and I’m going to get this belt.”

Who is fighting in the co-main event?

A second UFC title is at stake in the co-main event when Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja takes on Kai Kara-France for the flyweight championship.

Pantoja, the reigning flyweight champion, is defending his title against the dynamic striking New Zealander nine years after the pair first clashed in an Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions bout.

Pantoja won the first fight back in 2016 but its fair to say both competitors have progressed substantially since then.

Main fight card

• Lightweight (title) – Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira
• Flyweight (title) – Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France
• Lightweight – Beneil Dariush vs Renato Moicano
• Flyweight – Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van
• Middleweight – Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov

How to watch

UFC Fight Pass is a global service, available in most countries outside of Brazil. The app is available on web, smartphones, tablets and Smart TVs. You can also find it on the Apple Store and Google Play.

In the US, UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira will be broadcast live on ESPN PPV, with streaming available via the ESPN+ app.

In India, Sony LIV will broadcast UFC 317.

In the UK, TNT Sports and Discovery+ will livestream the event.

US President Donald Trump has tried to reassure NATO allies over the US committment to the alliance, after previously suggesting that the military alliance’s collective defence principle was open to interpretation.

The US president arrived in The Hague on Wednesday to meet with the 31 other NATO leaders at a summit focused on plans to boost defence spending to shore up Trump’s committment to the alliance.

Asked by reporters about his committment to NATO’s Article 5, which holds that an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all, Trump said: “We’re with them all the way.”

Sitting alongside NATO chief Mark Rutte before the summit, Trump said the expected agreement for allies to increase defence spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) would be a “great victory for everybody”.

The comments came after Trump stoked doubts over his commitment to the alliance when asked whether Washington would abide by NATO’s mutual defence guarantees.

“Depends on your definition,” Trump told reporters on his way to The Hague. “There’s numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends.”

NATO Secretary-General Rutte had earlier stressed that Washington was “totally committed to the alliance”.

“There is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article 5,” he said, referring to the cornerstone collective defence principle enshrined in NATO’s founding treaty, which holds that an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all.

“And yes, there is also an expectation, which will be fulfilled today, that the Canadians and the Europeans will speed up their spending, making sure that we are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and others,” he said.

He expected the summit to be “transformational” for the alliance, he added.

Washington’s ‘problem with Spain’

Trump has repeatedly complained that Washington carries too much of the military burden, and questioned whether the alliance should defend members who failed to meet its defence spending targets.

His administration has demanded that NATO allies agree to increase their defence spending to 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP), up from the current target of 2 percent.

Nine NATO members currently spend less than the existing 2 percent target on defence, according to NATO estimates.

In response to the US demands to boost defence spending , some NATO countries like Germany and the United Kingdom have already announced major new investments in their militaries, acknowledging the need to respond to the threat posed by Russia, in particular.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that Germany would increase spending to become “Europe’s strongest conventional army”, while the UK, which has already said it will meet the new spending targets, has announced the purchase of a fleet of fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear missiles.

But other countries signalled their resistance to the proposed targets, which are to be met by a 2035 deadline. Spain, NATO’s lowest defence spender last year, according to NATO estimates, has said it will not be able to meet the target by 2035, calling the figure “unreasonable”.

Belgium has also indicated that it will not make the 5 percent target, while Slovakia said it reserves the right to determine its own defence expenditure, The Associated Press news agency reported.

On Tuesday, Trump singled out Spain’s stance, saying: “There’s a problem with Spain. Spain is not agreeing, which is very unfair to the rest of them, frankly.”

‘A more balanced NATO’

Other NATO leaders, however, expressed their full support for the alliance and the increased defence spending targets on Wednesday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said “Article 5 is clear … and means collective defence and there is no discussion about this article,” as he arrived at a meeting.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters that the boost to military spending was important and necessary.

“The disarmament was allowed to go on for too long,” she said.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whose country borders Russia, told reporters that he believed the alliance was evolving.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the rival countries had reached a ceasefire after 12 days of fierce airstrikes between Iran and Israel.

The US struck three important Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, prompting the ceasefire. Tehran launched a missile attack on Qatar’s largest Middle Eastern military base, Al Udeid, in retaliation, but there were no reported injuries.

Trump kept active on social media, particularly on Truth Social, which he owns, as Iran and Israel exchanged missiles.

Trump has written 12 posts that detail the Iran-Israel conflict, which he refers to as a “12-day war.”

Jun 13, 2025, 5: 04 PM

I gave Iran a 60-day ultimatum to “make a deal” two months ago. They ought to have done it. Day 61 is today. They couldn’t get there because I told them what to do. They may have a second chance in the future!

Jun 15, 2025, 10: 02 AM

Tonight’s attack on Iran was not the U.S.’s. The full force and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will descend on us at levels never before seen if we are attacked by Iran in any way, shape or form. However, it’s simple to put an end to this bloody conflict before Iran and Israel can agree to a deal! !

Jun 17, 2025, 4: 00 AM

Iran ought to have accepted my recommendation to do so. What a shame and a waste of life. Simply put, Iran is unable to have nuclear weapons. I repeated myself throughout! Tehran should be evacuated right away by everyone!

Jun 17, 2025, 10: 45 AM

I left the G7 summit in Canada to work on a “cease fire” between Israel and Iran, according to a French press release that was mistaken for President Emmanuel Macron. False ! He has no idea why I’m currently traveling to Washington, but it certainly doesn’t have to do with a ceasefire. much larger than that. Whether he intentionally goes against the law or not. Stay Tuned!

Jun 17, 2025, 9: 25 PM

The skies over Iran are now in our hands entirely and in full control. There is plenty of good defensive equipment in Iran, but it is inferior to American-made, conceived, and manufactured “stuff” no one can compare to.

Jun 17, 2025, 9: 49 PM

The so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding out exactly where we are. He’s a simple target, but he’s safe there: We won’t kill him! for the time being, at least not yet. However, we oppose firing missiles at American soldiers or civilians. Our patience is waning. I appreciate you paying attention to this issue!

Jun 22, 2025, 5: 20 AM

Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan are the three nuclear sites in Iran that we have successfully attacked. The Iranian airspace currently houses all aircraft. On the main website, Fordow, a full payload of BOMBS was dropped. All aircraft are returning home safely. Our greatest American warriors are in our hearts. There isn’t another force in the world capable of this. THE TIME FOR PEACE IS NOW! I appreciate you paying attention to this issue.

Jun 22, 2025, 8: 05 AM

A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT WILL BE MET WITH FORCE TO QUESTION ANY RETURN BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU SO MUCH! PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD J. TRUMP

Jun 23, 2025, 2: 15 AM

Iran’s nuclear sites are alleged to be “monumental” because of the damage they cause. Both the hits and the accuracy. Our military demonstrated outstanding skill. I appreciate it!

Jun 23, 2025, 2: 25 AM

Why wouldn’t there be a Regime change if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN? MIGA!! !

Jun 24, 2025, 1: 22 AM

We expected a very weak response from Iran, which we have successfully countered. We have officially obliterated their nuclear facilities. 13 of the 14 missiles were knocked down, and one was “set free” because it was heading in a safe direction. No Americans were hurt, and hardly any harm was caused, is a good thing. Most importantly, they have completely eliminated their “system,” and it should be a Hopefully, there won’t be any more HATE. Iran has provided us with timely notice, which prevented any injuries and lost lives. I’m likely to support Iran’s efforts to achieve Peace and Harmony in the Area, and I’m sure that Israel will do the same. I appreciate you paying attention to this issue!

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DONALD J. TRUMP

Jun 24, 2025, 3: 32 AM

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE! Israel and Iran have fully agreed that a complete and total CEASEFIRE will occur (in approximately 6 hours after Israel and Iran have finished their final missions that are still in progress)! The War will be deemed to have ended after 12 hours. The World will salute an Official End to the 12 Day War upon the 24th Hour, while Iran will officially start the CEASEFIRE, and Israel will officially begin the CEASEFIRE at the 12th Hour. The other side will remain MERCYFUL and RESPECTFUL throughout each CEASEFIRE. I want to congratulate both countries, Israel and Iran, on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end what should be known as “THE 12 DAY WAR,” on the assumption that everything will go as planned. The Middle East could have been completely destroyed in this War, but it didn’t and never will! God blesses the world, God blesses Iran, God blesses the Middle East, God blesses America, and God bless Israel!