Here’s all the key info ahead of UFC 317 as Ilia Topuria takes on Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight title.
Former champion Islam Makhachev vacated the belt when he moved up to welterweight to fight for the 170lbs title.
This leaves Topuria and Oliveira battling it out for the lightweight belt at UFC 317.
As a result of his move up a division, Makhachev will not finish his rivalry with Topuria.
The latter had himself vacated the flyweight belt to move up to lightweight.
Topuria, known as ‘El Matador’, will instead fight former UFC lightweight champion Oliveira.
Oliveira won the belt in 2021 after stopping Michael Chandler at UFC 262.
He then defended the title against Dustin Poirier, eventually dropping the belt to Makhachev at UFC 280.
Also on the card for UFC’s international Fight Weekend is Alexandre Pantoja Vs Kai Kara-France for the flyweight title.
This weekend’s action comes after the news that UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has officially retired, handing the title to interim champion Tom Aspinall.
The move was not unexpected, with Jon Jones saying he is ‘done’ in a video that surfaced last month.
🚨 TOM ASPINALL IS THE OFFICIAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP@DanaWhite has announced that Jon Jones has RETIRED, thus elevating @AspinallMMA to become the heavyweight champ 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oJ8a9nl8KT
— UFC (@ufc) June 21, 2025
UFC 317 Dates, Times And How To Watch
UFC 317 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, on Saturday 28 June.
The preliminary card is expected to start from around 11:00pm BST.
The main card will follow at about 3:00am UK time, with the main event beginning at 5:00am.
UK-based fans can watch the prelims via UFC Fight Pass, while the main card will be shown live on TNT Sports.
UFC 317 Fight Card
Main Card
- Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira – (UFC lightweight title)
- Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France – (UFC flyweight title)
- Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
- Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
- Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Preliminary Card
- Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues
- Hyder Amil vs. Jose Miguel Delgado
- Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez
- Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
- Sedriques Dumas vs. Jackson McVey
- Jhonata Diniz vs. Alvin Hines
- Niko Price vs. Jacobe Smith
🇪🇸 Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira 🇧🇷
Who will be our NEW lightweight champ?! #UFC317 pic.twitter.com/0qgLgnjX2f
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 23, 2025
UFC 317 Quotes
Ahead of the headline clash between Topuria and Oliveira, El Matador was brimming with confidence.
Topuria told the UFC 317 Countdown preview: “Charles is not going to have any advantage.
“I’m a very complete fighter. I can go everywhere, and you’re not going to feel comfortable in any place.
“I’m going to be dominating all the time. I don’t play anyone’s game, I make them play my game. That’s why I’m undefeated and he’s not.
“He has 10 losses, I have zero. I respect him, but I’m going to try to take his head off, and you all know that I’m going to do it.”
