UFC 317 established a brand new champion, new title contenders and supplied followers with fight-of-the-year-worthy motion Saturday.
In the primary occasion, former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria claimed a brand new throne, beating former light-weight titleholder Charles Oliveira by first-round knockout for the 155-pound belt. After the win, Topuria was face-to-face with potential subsequent challenger Paddy Pimblett.
And Alexandre Pantoja continued his dominant males’s flyweight title run with a submission win over Kai Kara-France within the co-main occasion. He was met by Joshua Van within the Octagon after the victory. Van had simply pulled off a powerful flyweight win within the bout earlier than, beating Brandon Royval in a combat of the 12 months front-runner, to ascertain himself as the highest contender at 125 kilos.
Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim supply their high takeaways from the most important fights at UFC 317.
Ilia Topuria is totally different
I needed to watch out about doubting Oliveira. We have seen it too many instances — Oliveira is the underdog however pulls off some magic in a light-weight title combat.
However the second I noticed Topuria come out of the tunnel on Saturday, I knew that was a person who wasn’t going to lose. I’ve had the privilege of watching one of the best fighters in UFC historical past up shut — and chatting with them afterward — and I do know what one of the best of one of the best seems to be and looks like. Topuria is totally different. He jogged my memory of Conor McGregor when he knocked out Dustin Poirier of their first combat on the MGM Grand Backyard in Las Vegas in 2014 with what felt like half of Eire within the stands. McGregor’s self perception — coupled with the work he was doing within the gymnasium — made him unbeatable that evening. Topuria was the identical at UFC 317.
The combat recreation is a world of hyperbole and superlatives, and generally it will possibly get carried away. However I can say with full confidence, what we’re witnessing with Topuria is particular. He did not simply knock out Oliveira on Saturday. He left Oliveira staring into house within the heart of the Octagon with a shot he mentioned he vividly pictured throwing beforehand. He hosted a celebration occasion for his victory in Las Vegas — on Friday … the day earlier than the combat. Even probably the most assured, cockiest fighters of all time do not dare issues like that. Topuria is probably the most fascinating factor occurring in MMA proper now. –Okamoto
Alexandre Pantoja will get a brand new challenger, fortunately
Pantoja has an extended method to go earlier than his flyweight legacy can stand as much as Demetrious Johnson, who set the UFC file with 11 consecutive title defenses. However Pantoja is second to none on the subject of present belt holders. His 4 title defenses are greater than another UFC champion.
Past that, Pantoja and his work-in-progress legacy obtained a present on Saturday evening, and it was not in his title combat towards Kai Kara-France. The champion had defeated Kara-France earlier than, and though that was 9 years in the past and it was solely an exhibition on “The Final Fighter,” the drama main as much as the rematch was minimal.
It was no shock that Pantoja dealt with enterprise. Inside 30 seconds of the combat beginning, he had again management on the canvas and was fishing for a submission. Kara-France survived the spherical and saved the combat standing in Spherical 2. However within the third spherical, Pantoja as soon as once more seized again management early, and this time he secured the end. Simple work.
Pantoja most benefited within the combat proper earlier than his, when Joshua Van beat Brandon Royval in one of the best combat of the evening and probably the 12 months. The UFC declared that the winner would get the subsequent shot on the flyweight champ, and Van successful allowed Pantoja to keep away from having to combat one other rematch. He is overwhelmed Royval twice already, and nobody needs to see that matchup once more.
However Van? The 23-year-old obtained an enormous pop from the group after his victory, and when he was introduced into the cage to face off with Pantoja. That is a combat with important enchantment, which is what the champion wants in a division he’s dominating, and a lot the higher if that challenger is an rising star. Each champ wants a rival who can push him and elevate his public profile, and Van seems to be like that man. –Wagenheim
The Joshua Van, Max Holloway comparability is apparent however good
All the pieces about Van says fan favourite. First is the exercise. When Holloway joined the UFC in 2012, he fought 4 instances in 11 months. Van is reduce from the identical material. Saturday was his fifth combat up to now 9 months. He carries himself in a similar way to Holloway. There is a calm confidence about him that is not loud or boisterous, simply harmful. He is very composed. The up-and-comer simply picked up his eighth UFC win and beat the highest flyweight contender on three weeks’ discover. Holloway had 11 wins by the point he turned 24.
There’s nonetheless quite a bit to type out, in fact, nevertheless it’s an excellent wager that Van will make loads of “BMF” worthy actions and combat each flyweight of his period over the subsequent decade. He will probably be in loads of robust fights, as he was on Saturday, and followers will love him for it. There will probably be loads of memorable moments, as he had with the late knockdown of Royval. He’ll vie for a UFC title, and whether or not he wins or not, he’ll depart his mark on the game. — Okamoto