-
Andreas Hale
On paper, this yr’s battle card for Worldwide Battle Week did not seem to reside as much as the expectations followers have set. Admittedly, Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira for a vacant title did not bounce off the web page in comparison with earlier IFW occasion headliners. Nevertheless, with lowered expectations, UFC 317 not solely cleared the bar, it solidified itself as one of the best battle card of 2025 so far.
No matter you needed out of a battle card, you bought: dramatic finishes, dominant performances, horrifying knockouts, thrilling slugfests and the crowning of a brand new star as Topuria grew to become a two-division champion with a brutal knockout of a fan-favorite and future Corridor of Famer.
Simply how good was UFC 317 after the principle occasion? Fairly rattling good.
After every pay-per-view, we assess the standard of every matchup and the battle card itself based mostly on talent displayed, competitiveness and what’s at stake. Listed below are the battle grades for all 11 UFC 317 bouts.
Males’s flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Consequence: Van defeats Royval by unanimous choice
Grade: A+
This was a licensed banger that formally introduced the arrival of Van as a title contender. A battle contested solely on the ft with no lulls within the motion is nearly as good because it will get. Van and Royval beat one another bloody and shattered the document for complete important strikes landed in a battle.
Simply when it appeared that Van was working away with the battle along with his precision punches, Royval saved urgent ahead and linked with a collection of strikes in Spherical 2 that put followers on the sting of their seats. You can really feel the drama coming into the ultimate spherical with the battle hanging within the stability, and the flyweights got here to indicate out. Massive photographs had been thrown and linked, as neither fighter backed down. However Van would draw back after flattening Royval within the closing seconds. This was improbable. Keep in mind when there have been rumors of the UFC shutting down the flyweight division? Thank the MMA gods that did not occur. Exit of your technique to watch this frontrunner for battle of the yr.
Light-weight championship: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
0:51
Ilia Topuria celebrates KO end to win light-weight title
Ilia Topuria defeats Charles Oliveira by way of knockout within the first spherical to win the UFC light-weight title.
Consequence: Topuria defeats Oliveira by first-round KO
Grade: A
When a person has a celebration dinner the night time earlier than he wins a world title in a second weight class, it is sensible to take him severely.
Topuria referred to as his shot, stating he would end Oliveira within the first spherical, a feat that hasn’t been performed in opposition to the Brazilian since he was a featherweight a decade in the past. What did Topuria do? Not solely did he win the grappling exchanges, he knocked “Do Bronx” out chilly with a single punch. New weight class? No drawback for Topuria. The actual drawback is for the remainder of the UFC.
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues
0:55
Gregory Rodrigues KOs Jack Hermansson within the 1st spherical
Gregory Rodrigues knocks out Jack Hermansson with a robust left-handed punch late within the first spherical.
Consequence: Rodrigues defeats Hermansson by first-round KO
Grade: A
This was as horrifying a knockout as you’ll ever see. Rodrigues waited for his second and unleashed a left hook that turned Hermansson’s lights out earlier than he hit the mat. An equally violent hammerfist adopted that left Hermansson unconscious for a number of minutes. There was criticism despatched referee Herb Dean’s manner for being too late to cease “Robocop” from touchdown the extra blow, however it all occurred so quick that Dean doubtless by no means would have damaged up the battle in time. It was scary to look at, however it’s nonetheless a wonderful end.
Featherweight: Hyder Amil vs. Jose Miguel Delgado
0:52
Jose Delgado lands vicious knee en path to KO win
Jose Delgado lands an enormous knee to Hyder Amil and finishes him off with a knockout win simply 26 seconds into their battle.
Consequence: Delgado defeats Amil by first-round TKO
Grade: A
How do you rip away someone’s undefeated document and make a reputation for your self? Ask Delgado, who drilled Amil with a good looking knee up the center to safe the knockout in simply 26 seconds. Depraved work.
Light-weight: Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
1:14
Terrance McKinney wins by way of submission in simply 55 seconds
Terrance McKinney takes Viacheslav Borshchev down and forces him to submit simply 55 seconds into the primary spherical.
Consequence: McKinney defeats Borshchev by first-round submission
Grade: A
McKinney continued his streak of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fights, as he burned by way of Borshchev in simply 55 seconds. The quick transition from double leg takedown to anaconda choke to mounted guillotine was mindblowing. Of McKinney’s 24 skilled MMA fights,17 wins have come within the first spherical.
Males’s flyweight championship: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France
0:57
Alexandre Pantoja dominates with floor sport to beat Kai Kara-France
Alexandre Pantoja dominates to beat Kai Kara-France by submission within the third spherical to retain his UFC flyweight title.
Consequence: Pantoja defeats Kara-France by third-round submission
Grade: B
This was sheer dominance by Pantoja, who continues to construct his case for MMA’s biggest flyweight. Kara-France couldn’t discover a gap to land along with his energy as a result of the champion neutralized his most essential asset. It was merely a sport of cat and mouse, as Pantoja ultimately labored his technique to a rear-naked choke end.
Males’s bantamweight: Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
1:03
Payton Talbott finishes opponent in lightning-quick 19 seconds
Payton Talbott improves his undefeated document to 9-0 with a fast end over Yanis Ghemmouri.
Consequence: Talbott defeats Lima by unanimous choice
Grade: B-
In a vacuum, this battle was stable however not needed viewing. For Talbott, it demonstrated his enhancements in grappling since his final battle, a loss to Raoni Barcelos in January. Talbott remains to be rising as a fighter, however it was spectacular to see how he has advanced in just a few brief months. The battle was extra of a measuring stick than one thing it’s good to exit of your technique to watch.
Welterweight: Niko Price vs. Jacobe Smith
0:52
Jacobe Smith finishes Niko Worth within the 2nd spherical
Jacobe Smith locks in a rear-naked choke on Niko Worth and forces him to submit late within the second spherical.
Consequence: Smith defeats Worth by second-round submission
Grade: B-
Welcome to the UFC, Jacobe Smith. Worth had nothing for Smith, who plowed by way of him and managed the motion with a takedown within the first spherical. Conscious that Worth was weak, Smith took him down once more in Spherical 2 and completed the job with a rear-naked choke. Straightforward work and a brilliant future for Smith.
Light-weight: Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
Consequence: Dariush defeats Moicano by unanimous choice
Grade: C
If you happen to lookup the definition of “workmanlike,” an image of Beneil Dariush will doubtless greet you. This efficiency was as workmanlike because it will get for Dariush, who survived an early knockdown to grapple his technique to a unanimous choice. Nothing flashy right here. Dariush obtained it performed once more, however you doubtless will not be impressed by the battle itself.
Ladies’s flyweight: Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez
Consequence: Cortes defeats Araujo by unanimous choice
Grade: C
Cortez had arguably her most full efficiency within the Octagon. She did practically every thing proper, beginning with a grappling-heavy first spherical to forestall Araujo from opening up her offense within the second and third rounds. Cortez was dominant and punctuated the battle by bullying Araujo with floor and pound within the closing spherical. Nevertheless, the shortage of motion from Araujo within the second half of the battle did not make this a must-see battle. As an alternative, it could be remembered because the night time Cortez turned the nook and have become a real title contender.
Heavyweight: Jhonata Diniz vs. Alvin Hines
Consequence: Diniz defeats Hines by unanimous choice
Grade: C
This wasn’t your typical lumbering heavyweight affair during which two giants are utterly exhausted and bore followers to sleep. Diniz was sharp along with his hanging and saved a stable tempo, whereas Hines showcased distinctive resolve as he refused to cease coming ahead. It wasn’t essentially aggressive, as Diniz used Hines as a punching bag for many of the battle, however this was a stable heavyweight scrap.
UFC 317 battle card grade: A
With a battle of the yr frontrunner and a number of violent finishes, UFC 317 simply takes the spot of the yr’s finest battle card. There was drama (Van-Royval), scares (Rodrigues-Hermansson), jaw-dropping finishes (Topuria-Oliveira) and dominance (Pantoja-Kara-France). Most significantly, there was not an outright unhealthy battle at UFC 317. It has been a comparatively weak yr for PPV occasions, and a few scoffed on the capper to Worldwide Battle Week, however UFC 317 delivered as a can’t-miss present. Each battle fan ought to watch.