The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) delivered an electrifying night on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, as UFC 317 capped off the promotion's annual International Fight Week with a stacked card featuring two title fights and several high-stakes matchups. The event headlined by Ilia Topuria versus Charles Oliveira for the vacant Lightweight title and co-headlined by Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defending his belt against Kai Kara-France, showcased the evolving landscape of UFC’s divisions and the emergence of new stars.
Ilia Topuria, the undefeated Georgian dynamo, made history by capturing the vacant UFC Lightweight championship with a stunning first-round knockout of former champion Charles Oliveira. Topuria, who vacated his Featherweight title after a dominant reign—including knockout victories over legends Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway—proved his striking prowess and power translate seamlessly to the 155-pound division. The 28-year-old finished Oliveira at 2:27 of the opening round with a precise punch to the head, cementing his status as a two-division UFC champion and extending his perfect professional record to 17-0.
Topuria’s rise has been meteoric. After joining UFC in 2020 with a 9-0 record, he quickly made waves with his knockout skills and tactical acumen. His move to lightweight was bold, especially since Islam Makhachev vacated the belt to chase a welterweight title, leaving the 155-pound strap up for grabs. Topuria’s decision to vacate the featherweight crown after just one successful defense puzzled some, but his performance at UFC 317 silenced doubters. According to combat sports analyst Michael Mormile, “Topuria possesses excellent timing and phenomenal power, two crucial components for success in combat sports.” The knockout victory showcased exactly why many consider him one of the UFC’s most confident and dangerous fighters.
Charles Oliveira, the Brazilian veteran with the UFC record for most finishes and submissions, entered the fight ranked No. 2 in the lightweight division. Despite his experience and submission wizardry, Oliveira struggled to impose his game plan against Topuria’s precise striking and power. Oliveira’s recent form had been mixed; he bounced back from a split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan by defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 309, but the challenge of facing an undefeated rising star proved formidable. The fight’s outcome marked Oliveira’s first professional loss by knockout, a sobering moment for the seasoned fighter.
In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja continued to solidify his dominance as UFC Flyweight champion with a methodical and commanding submission victory over Kai Kara-France. Pantoja secured a rear naked choke at 1:55 of the third round, marking his fourth successful title defense and extending his winning streak to eight fights. The 35-year-old Brazilian has long been regarded as one of the most underappreciated champions in UFC, with notable wins over top contenders including Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval.
Kai Kara-France, ranked No. 4 in the division, earned his title shot after a knockout win over Steve Erceg, snapping a two-fight skid. However, Pantoja’s relentless pressure, grappling control, and situational awareness proved too much. CBS Sports analyst Brent Brookhouse noted, “Pantoja is so good at positional control and passing to advantageous positions on the ground that Kara-France would need to keep nearly the entire fight on the feet to avoid the area that Pantoja dominates.” The fight underscored Pantoja’s evolution as a champion, blending relentless grappling with an iron chin and improving striking defense.
The night also featured an intense flyweight clash between Brandon Royval and rising prospect Joshua Van. Van, stepping in on short notice to replace the injured Manel Kape, showcased his speed, patience, and counter-striking to earn a unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) over the experienced Royval. At just 23 years old, Van’s rapid ascent through the ranks has been impressive, especially following a knockout win at UFC 316 earlier in June. The victory positions Van as a legitimate contender for Pantoja’s flyweight title, setting up a tantalizing potential matchup. Royval, a seasoned vet with notable wins over Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira, fought valiantly but was ultimately outmatched by Van’s tactical approach.
In a pivotal lightweight bout, Beneil Dariush snapped a two-fight losing streak by outpointing Renato Moicano via unanimous decision (29-28 across all judges). Dariush, 36, needed the win to remain relevant in the stacked lightweight division after back-to-back stoppage losses, including a knockout by Arman Tsarukyan in December 2023. Moicano, also 36, appeared to have reached a plateau in his career, having lost decisively to Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 and now falling short against Dariush. The fight was a measured battle of patience and skill, with Dariush’s grappling and composure proving decisive.
Payton Talbott, a promising bantamweight prospect, showcased marked improvement in his fight against Felipe Lima, securing a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3). Talbott’s enhanced takedown defense and ground game were evident, frustrating Lima’s grappling strategy. Lima, who was undefeated in 14 consecutive fights prior to this bout, struggled to adapt, and Talbott’s confidence grew as the fight progressed. At just 24, Talbott’s upward trajectory in the bantamweight division is notable, especially after a previous loss to Raoni Barcelos earlier in the year.
The preliminary card delivered its own share of drama and excitement. Gregory Rodrigues rebounded from a February TKO loss to Jared Cannonier by knocking out Jack Hermansson at 4:21 of the first round with a powerful punch. Hermansson, known for his grappling, paid the price for engaging in a striking battle. Jose Miguel Delgado made a statement in featherweight action, knocking out the previously undefeated Hyder Amil with a knee to the head just 26 seconds into the first round. Delgado improved to 10-1 overall and 2-0 in UFC, marking himself as a rising talent to watch.
Lightweight Terrance McKinney continued his streak of first-round finishes by submitting Viacheslav Borshchev with a guillotine choke at 55 seconds of the opening round. McKinney, known for his fast starts and relentless pace, now boasts a two-fight winning streak and has never gone the distance in his professional career, only entering the third round once. Jacobe Smith, entering UFC 317 as the biggest betting favorite in UFC history at -2500, maintained his undefeated record by submitting Niko Price via rear-naked choke in the second round. Smith’s aggressive wrestling and ground-and-pound style overwhelmed Price, marking a significant moment early in Smith’s UFC career.
In heavyweight action, Jhonata Diniz outpointed Alvin Hines, who took the fight on short notice. Diniz’s precise counters and composed approach left Hines bloodied and unable to mount significant offense. Despite the loss, Hines showed toughness and resilience, qualities that bode well for his future in the division.
UFC 317 also featured several fight cancellations and card changes. Paulo Costa’s bout against Roman Kopylov was postponed to UFC 318, while Sedriques Dumas was removed from his scheduled fight against Jackson McVey due to legal issues, and his replacement Christopher Ewert was cut after missing weight by 10 pounds. Manel Kape’s leg fracture led to Joshua Van stepping in against Brandon Royval, adding an unexpected twist to the flyweight division.
The night’s performances earned special recognition, with Performance of the Night bonuses awarded to Ilia Topuria for his knockout and Gregory Rodrigues for his first-round knockout. The Fight of the Night honors went to the exhilarating bout between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van, highlighting the competitive spirit and high-level skill on display throughout UFC 317.
As UFC 317 concludes, the lightweight and flyweight divisions are buzzing with new storylines. Ilia Topuria’s rise as a two-division champion signals a potential generational talent on the cusp of greatness, while Alexandre Pantoja’s continued reign cements his status as a dominant flyweight force. Rising contenders like Joshua Van and Payton Talbott have made their mark, promising thrilling matchups ahead. Meanwhile, veterans like Beneil Dariush remain hungry to climb back into title contention.
UFC 317 was a night of high drama, skill, and shifting dynamics, setting the stage for an exciting summer and beyond in the world of mixed martial arts.
