When Ilia Topuria announced his move to the lightweight division, Khabib Nurmagomedov expressed confidence that he could beat Charles Oliveira. Now, after vacating his featherweight title, Topuria is focused on his upcoming title fight at UFC 317, boldly claiming he’ll come out on top. Meanwhile, UFC veteran Michael Bisping has thrown his support behind the Spanish fighter, backing him to defeat Oliveira.
Topuria’s move to the lightweight division came after a tough weight cut at featherweight became unsustainable. He and his team decided it was time to move up. Initially, Topuria called out Islam Makhachev for what he saw as the biggest fight of the year, but with Makhachev now targeting the welterweight division, that matchup is off the table for now.
With UFC 317 just weeks away, Topuria is aiming to capture the vacant lightweight title, and UFC veteran Michael Bisping is backing him. In a recent YouTube video, Bisping shared his thoughts, saying:
“I’m leaning towards Ilia Topuria. I think the power in his hands is significant, and he has the wrestling to probably be able to stop the takedowns. He looks big, he looks bulked up, he’s going to be able to hit harder.”
Bisping also pointed out that Topuria’s cardio will likely improve at lightweight, making him a more complete and dangerous athlete. He added that the upcoming title fight is shaping up to be a must-watch, with Topuria’s move up in weight adding even more intrigue to the showdown.
Ilia Topuria Asks Fans To Choose Between Submission Or Knockout Against Charles Oliveira
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With International Fight Week around the corner, Ilia Topuria is locked in ahead of his UFC 317 title clash against Charles Oliveira. The Spanish star, who vacated his featherweight belt to chase gold at lightweight, is fine-tuning his ground game and appears more confident than ever.
Recently, Topuria dropped new training footage and asked fans directly: “What do you prefer, submitting him or knocking him out?” This bold statement was aimed at his upcoming opponent, former champ Charles “Do Bronx” Olivera, known for his elite submission skills.
This isn’t the first time Topuria has posed such a challenge—he previously directed a similar question toward Islam Makhachev, claiming he’d tap him out with his signature choke. Now, as he prepares to face Oliveira in what promises to be a clash of styles, fans are eagerly waiting to see which finish Topuria will go for.
Also Read: Sean O’Malley Breaks Down UFC Title Clashes: Backs Ilia Topuria Over Charles Oliveira & Confident In Islam Makhachev At 170Lbs
