UFC317 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, was held during the UFC’s annual international fight week, which is highlighted by the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The event also marked a change in the landscape with Islam Makhachev vacating the lightweight title to move up and challenge for the welterweight title. And Illia Topuria vacating the featherweight title to challenge for the lightweight title.
There were eleven fights on the card, with six stoppages, including three knockouts and three submissions, with five fights going the distance.
TOP PERFORMER: ILIA TOPURIA
Moving up from featherweight to challenge for the lightweight title was already a challenge. But to do it against the former champion Oliveira, whose name is all over the UFC record books was an even bigger task.
However, Topuria was coming off explosive knockouts of Volkanovski and Holloway, two greats, and he had looked cool all build-up and confidently predicted a first-round knockout.
Oliveira made it hard in the early stages, grappling Topuria and taking the fight to the ground, but, he stayed composed, knowing he possesses that power and when he got the chance, he put Oliveira to sleep with a devastating left-right combo to claim the lightweight title.
TOP PERFORMER 2: JOSHUA VAN
It is crazy to know that this diminutive figure with sharp hands and concussive power has only been training MMA for five years, However, in a short space of time he has really impressed with seven wins from eight UFC fights in just two years.
Van just fought at UFC316, three weeks ago, but this was the acid test against former title challenger Brandon Royval. Although Van was the shorter fighter, and had to work to get inside, he took no back steps as both fighters went to war in a fight for the ages.
However, just when you thought Van’s inexperience would show, he stepped up, showing his heart and strength to outlast Royval, and even dropped him in the third to put the icing on the cake and earn himself and flyweight title fight.
TOP PERFORMER 3: ALEXANDRE PANTOJA
Since Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title just under two years ago, he has been going from strength to strength. But he was up against a determined challenger in Kai Kara-France who had beaten the last man to beat him in Askar Askarov.
Although Kara-France had lost two of his last three, the way he dispatched Erceg in his last fight via a first-round knockout, he was feeling quietly confident and you knew Pantoja had to be at his best to retain his title.
However, Pantoja looked better than ever. He dominated the fight on the feet and the ground from start to finish. Then early in the third the fight was over after he locked in a choke, forcing Kara-France to tap to claim an impressive victory and a fourth title defence.
Honourable Mentions
Gregory Rodrigues came into the fight off a brutal fourth-round KO loss to Jared Cannonier a few months back. His opponent, Jack Hermansson had won three of his last five but was the slight favourite. However, “Robocop” turned the tables with one devastating left uppercut in the first round, that put Hermansson to sleep for a brutal, highlight reel knockout victory.
