The vacant title will be up for grabs during International Fight Week as rising lightweight contender Ilia Topuria takes on the division’s veteran lion, Charles Oliveira, at UFC 317. In preparation for the showdown, Topuria is sharpening his ground game and confidently declaring he’ll finish Oliveira.
Spanish sensation Ilia Topuria vacated his featherweight title to pursue a second belt in the lightweight division. On the other side, former lightweight champion Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira is on a mission to reclaim the gold. Their upcoming clash promises fireworks, pitting knockout artist Topuria against submission specialist Oliveira.
As fight night approaches, Topuria has been sharpening his ground game and recently dropped new training footage. He even turned to fans with a bold question: “What do you prefer, submitting him or knocking him out?”
Previously, the Spanish fighter posed the same question to Islam Makhachev, expressing his intention to submit him with his favorite choke. Now, with International Fight Week less than a month away, fans are eagerly waiting to see how things unfold when Topuria steps into the Octagon against Oliveira.
Chael Sonnen Clears Up ‘Coward’ Comment About Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria
Islam Makhachev is usually low-key on social media, but things heated up when Chael Sonnen was misquoted as calling him a “coward” for avoiding a fight with Ilia Topuria. The rising star Topuria has been making waves in the lightweight division, and Sonnen suggested Makhachev was dodging the matchup. In response, Makhachev pushed back hard, accusing Sonnen of chasing hype and dismissing him as an average athlete. Sonnen later set the record straight in an interview with Mike Bohn, saying,
“I never called him a coward — but if he thinks I did, I must fight back. Not to mention, he’s coming into my world. I got misquoted by a pretty big site called MMA Uncensored. Islam thought I called him a coward, and he responded to the report that I called him a coward, which I never did.”
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Sonnen also warned that stepping into his world can get messy, using the saying about not fighting a pig because both get dirty, and the pig enjoys it. Despite the friction, the two have since spoken and cleared the air.
Also Read: Sean O’Malley Breaks Down UFC Title Clashes: Backs Ilia Topuria Over Charles Oliveira & Confident In Islam Makhachev At 170Lbs
