Ilia Topuria Makes Bold Prediction for UFC 317 Title Fight Against Charles Oliveira

Ilia Topuria is displaying lots of confidence, as always, going into his title fight against Charles Oliveira.

Topuria (16-0) headlines UFC 317 opposite Oliveira (35-10) for the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title on June 28 in Las Vegas. “El Matador” has always exuded supreme confidence and never failed to back it up with action. Topuria’s energy is no different ahead of UFC 317, and it remains to be seen if he can deliver on his words.

Topuria guarantees a first-round finish over “Do Bronxs,” either by knockout or submission. The Georgian-Spaniard believes he won’t need time to find his range against Oliveira as the former champ also likes to fight in the center of the Octagon.

“I can knock him out, I can submit him,” Topuria said at an open workout in Las Vegas captured by The Mac Life and shared via Championship Rounds on X. “The one thing I know for sure is that I’m going to knock him out in the first round or submit him in the first round. Because he walks forward. I’m not going to need to close the distance with him. Since the first moment we’re going to find each other in the center of the Octagon. So yeah, it’s going to be a first-round finish.”

Topuria won the featherweight title by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and defended it against Max Holloway by handing “Blessed” his first knockout loss before moving up. The undefeated 28-year-old has finished 14 of his 16 career wins, 9 of them in the first round. Meanwhile, Oliveira is 2-2 in his last four, alternating losses against Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan with wins over Beneil Dariush and Michael Chandler.

Ilia Topuria GUARANTEES he will finish Charles Oliveira in the first round 👀👀

“He walks forward. I’m not gonna need to close the distance with him…

It’s gonna be a first round finish.”

🎥 @TheMacLife #UFC317pic.twitter.com/878xK9qWga

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 20, 2025