Ilia Topuria has reached the pinnacle of the mixed martial arts world, and it appears he will remain there for a while after a dominant performance.
In the main event of UFC 317 held in Las Vegas on Saturday, Topuria delivered a spectacular knockout punch to defeat Charles Oliveira, securing the vacant lightweight title. Leading up to the fight, Topuria had confidently predicted a knockout victory, a promise he delivered on emphatically.
This win marks Topuria`s third consecutive knockout triumph over elite opponents, following impressive finishes against Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. This remarkable sequence arguably constitutes one of the greatest three-fight runs in MMA history. Known as “El Matador,” he now holds a perfect 9-0 record within the UFC and remains undefeated throughout his 17-fight professional career.
Having previously vacated the UFC featherweight title to pursue the 155-pound championship, Topuria now joins an exclusive list of multi-division UFC champions. This esteemed group includes legends such as Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, Amanda Nunes, Randy Couture, and Conor McGregor.
Following his victory, a debate has sparked among fellow fighters regarding Topuria`s growing prominence, with some suggesting his status now rivals or even surpasses that of Conor McGregor, viewing him as potentially the new face of the UFC.
