Ilia Topuria might soon wear gold again after vacating his UFC featherweight championship in February to transition permanently to lightweight. His first contest in this division will be for the vacant title against Charles Oliveira, as announced by UFC president Dana White on Tuesday.
The anticipated fight between Topuria and Oliveira will headline UFC 317 on June 28 in Las Vegas as part of the 2025 UFC International Fight Week. The implications are significant, with Islam Makhachev, the current champion at 155 pounds, moving up to welterweight after Jack Della Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad for the title at UFC 315. Makhachev and Della Maddalena have already agreed to a bout, with the details of the location and date forthcoming.
Topuria (16-0) was poised for a remarkable reign in the featherweight division before he vacated the championship belt. He secured victories over notable fighters such as Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. His decision to leave featherweight due to tough weight cuts surprised many in the MMA sphere. Until now, he fought once at lightweight, overcoming an early challenge against Jai Herbert to achieve a knockout victory.
TWO title fights headline IFW 👊 @TopuriaIlia vs @CharlesDoBronxs World Lightweight Title🏆 @PantojaMMA vs @KaiKaraFrance World Flyweight Title 🏆 #UFC317 | Tickets on sale Friday pic.twitter.com/j3B20BOdGR — UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2025
Charles Oliveira, aka “Do Bronx” (35-10, 1 NC), previously won the UFC lightweight title by defeating Michael Chandler in 2021. He successfully defended his title against talented opponents like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje before losing it to Makhachev. Known for his dynamic fighting style, Oliveira holds several iconic UFC records, including most finishes, submissions, and post-fight bonuses.
