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Ilia Topuria of Spain won a superb direct elimination victory of the first round against Charles Oliveira to win the UFC 317 light weight title, Alexandre Pantoja obtaining a third round submission victory against Kai Kara-France to keep the fly weight title in the co-maine event.
Topuria used a clear right hand to set up a devastating left hook which dropped Oliveira to end the combat 2:27 of the opening round, making its prediction from a KO in the first round while sending the 19800 crowd to a frenzy.
“I think this evening was his big night,” said UFC president Dana White. “We have a star on our hands.”
The Paddy Paddy Pimbett Léger was in the audience and was summoned in the ring, where a heated exchange led to Topuria to push the eighth competitor and to trigger a rivalry years ago.
“Let’s border ourselves! If you’re ready, I’m here,” said Topuria to Pimbett before entering the ring.
The former featherweight champion Topuria announced in February that he was going to go to the 155 pound division to fight for the belt released by the passage of former Islam champion Makhachev to the Welters weight division.
Standing between him and the title was the former 35 -year -old Brazilian champion, Oliveira, who briefly brought his vast experience before being defeated.
After a dominant race at a featherweight which saw him go to 16-0 as a professional, Topuria, who was born in Germany from Georgian parents, looked small in the cage compared to Oliveira, but he defended against the grappling of the Brazilian before presenting his striking power.
Oliveira, who was stripped of the light belt in May 2022, when he missed the weight for a defense against Justin Gaethje, looked good during a brief exchange on the carpet, but Topuria disengaged to bring back the fight to the feet, and shortly after the evening of Oliveira.
The 28 -year -old was amazed oliveira with a right hook and followed him with a left of crisis which sent Oliveira crashing on the carpet, his eyes victims while his back struck the canvas while Topuria filled his prediction before the fight of a victory with direct elimination.
“I have already said it – I represent the new generation of the mixture of martial arts, this is the next level of the game. This is the next thing, and that’s what I represent,” said Topuria in a post -combat interview. “I did exactly what we had planned, a lot of strokes, the right hand, the left hook and the boom – its lights were turned off.”
In the co-principal event, the Pantoja of Brazil dominated New Zelender Kara-France before taking the back and locking himself in a naked starter on the back 1:55 in the third round,
