The UFC returns to Las Vegas for International Fight Week with UFC 317, taking place on Saturday, June 28 at the T-Mobile Arena. Widely regarded as one of the year’s premier events, the UFC 317 fight card is stacked from top to bottom, headlined by two championship bouts and loaded with a lineup filled with elite prospects and seasoned veterans.

Main Event (Lightweight Title Bout): Ilia Topuria (FW No. 3) vs Charles Oliveira (No. 2)

The UFC lightweight title is currently vacant after former champion Islam Makhachev vacated it last month to move up to welterweight in pursuit of two-division gold. Now, two elite fighters are set to battle for the title he left behind.

Former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (16-0) has also made a major move—vacating his featherweight title to move up to the 155-pound division. Topuria remains undefeated and had a historic 2024, capturing the featherweight title with a second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski and defending it with a third-round knockout of Max Holloway. With back-to-back knockout wins over two of the greatest featherweights of all time, Topuria now aims to become just the tenth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes. His lightweight debut will be for the championship.

Standing across from him will be Charles Oliveira (35-10), one of the most exciting champions in UFC history. After losing the lightweight title to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280 in 2022, Oliveira is determined to make history by becoming the first fighter to reclaim the UFC lightweight title in two separate reigns. Though he suffered a narrow decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300, Oliveira bounced back with a dominant decision win over Michael Chandler at UFC 309—his 24th career victory in the Octagon, tying Donald Cerrone and Andrei Arlovski for the second-most wins in UFC history.

If Oliveira approaches this fight the way he has in recent bouts, he could be in serious trouble. Engaging in close-range striking would play directly into Ilia Topuria’s strengths. The former featherweight champion is an aggressive, dynamic fighter with elite boxing, powerful striking, and excellent footwork. To find success, Oliveira must use his length, maintain distance, and prevent Topuria from closing the distance. However, Oliveira has not consistently shown the discipline or willingness to fight that type of tactical fight.

While Oliveira is a true lightweight with a height and reach advantage, Topuria enters this bout as a uniquely skilled and dangerous opponent. Riding a wave of momentum, the undefeated Topuria brings an aggressive style and a well-rounded arsenal that makes him a serious threat. His blend of striking precision, finishing ability, and overall versatility could prove to be the difference in what promises to be a compelling matchup.

Now, with the lightweight title on the line, Oliveira and Topuria both look to cement their legacies in what promises to be a high-stakes matchup.

Co-Main Event (Flyweight Title Bout): Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs Kai Kara-France (No. 4)

Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) will put his UFC flyweight title on the line in the co-main event of UFC 317 when he faces fourth ranked contender Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC).

This will be the second meeting between the two, coming nine years after their first fight—an exhibition bout on Season 24 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2016. In that quarterfinal matchup, Pantoja secured a unanimous decision victory. Now, nearly a decade later, they run it back with championship gold on the line.

Pantoja enters the fight in the best form of his career, riding a seven-fight win streak dating back to 2021. The Brazilian champion has taken out nearly every top contender at 125 pounds and hasn’t lost since July 2020. After winning the title in a razor-close split decision win over Brandon Moreno, Pantoja has successfully defended the belt three times, most recently submitting Japanese standout Kai Asakura at UFC 310 last December.

For Kara-France, this is his second shot at UFC gold. He previously challenged Brandon Moreno for the interim flyweight title at UFC 277, falling short in a TKO loss. Kara-France made his way back into title contention with a stunning first-round TKO of Steve Erceg at UFC 305.

This fight shapes up as a striker-versus-grappler matchup. Pantoja’s elite ground game and relentless pressure will be against Kara-France’s knockout power and precision striking. The outcome will depend on who can control the tempo and impose their style.

UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira Fight Card

• Main Event (Lightweight Title Bout): Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira
• Co-Main Event (Flyweight Title Bout): Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France
• Beneil Dariush vs Renato Moicano
• Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van
• Payton Talbott vs Felipe Lima
• Jack Hermansson vs Gregory Rodrigues
• Hyder Amil vs Jose Delgado
• Viviane Araujo vs Tracy Cortez
• Terrance McKinney vs Viacheslav Borshchev
• Jhonata Diniz vs Alvin Hines
• Niko Price vs Jacobe Smith
• Christopher Ewert vs Jackson McVey