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Brett Okamoto
UFC 317 was an occasion filled with fighters making huge statements. Nonetheless, most of these proclamations got here through their actions contained in the Octagon on Saturday evening.
Maybe the largest assertion of the evening was in the primary occasion, when former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria continued his run of bulldozing by way of among the sport’s most notable fighters by disposing of former light-weight champion Charles Oliveira through first-round knockout to assert the light-weight belt. Earlier than this win, Topuria picked up knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.
Earlier within the evening, the lads’s flyweight division took middle stage as Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van earned spectacular wins over Kai Kara-France and Brandon Royval, respectively. Will their wins arrange the subsequent title struggle within the 125-pound division?
Following one of the thrilling UFC pay-per-view occasions of the yr, how ought to the longer term matchmaking play out? This is what ought to be subsequent for the highest fighters from UFC 317.
Ilia Topuria, light-weight
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Topuria eyes ‘big struggle’ vs. Pimblett following Oliveira conflict
Ilia Topuria reveals his future struggle plans if he beats Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC light-weight title.
Who ought to be subsequent: Winner of Paddy Pimblett vs. Justin Gaethje
The plain reply is Pimblett, besides that final week, Topuria informed me he thought Pimblett ought to get yet one more win earlier than preventing for a title. He stated it was solely “honest” to make Pimblett, ESPN’s No. 5-ranked lightweight, struggle as soon as extra. It was a real assertion when he stated it, and it is nonetheless true now.
Gaethje says the UFC owes him a title struggle, and in a means, he is proper. It goes again to him placing a light-weight title shot on the road to do the corporate a favor and struggle Holloway at UFC 300. The straightforward reality, although, is he will not get a struggle towards Topuria with out taking yet one more. He is ranked increased than Pimblett, however Pimblett has all of the fan momentum. I consider the UFC ought to “make it proper” with Gaethje by reserving the Pimblett struggle, if he desires it. If he does not need it, transfer forward with Topuria versus Pimblett. But when Gaethje is keen to just accept it and inform himself, “OK, I deserve a title shot, however typically you do not at all times get what you deserve on this sport and I do not wish to retire,” then this struggle is sensible.
Wild card: Dustin Poirier
The wild card of all wild playing cards. I doubt it’s going to occur, but when Poirier had been to knock out Holloway subsequent month in what is supposed to be his retirement struggle in New Orleans, who’s to say Topuria does not ask for Poirier? Poirier is the sort of legend who does not come alongside daily, and Topuria would possibly wish to add that to his résumé. Even when all of that had been to occur, Poirier would possibly retire anyway.
Charles Oliveira, light-weight
Who ought to be subsequent: Max Holloway
That is a type of matchups that has at all times been there — an apparent choice if and when Holloway moved as much as 155 kilos. Whether or not he wins or loses at UFC 318 subsequent month, followers and pundits will possible begin speaking about Holloway versus Oliveira. So long as Topuria is the light-weight champion, Holloway and Oliveira — each of whom Topuria has knocked out — are just about on the skin of the title image, however the matchup can be a banger. Holloway and Oliveira fought as soon as at featherweight again in 2015, and the struggle was lower extraordinarily brief when Oliveira suffered a freak neck damage.
Wild card: Retirement
Regardless of closing in on practically 50 skilled fights, Oliveira does not appear wherever near retirement. He is at all times maintained a wholesome motivation for the sport. And though he is seemingly been round perpetually, he is solely 35 years previous. That stated, as a result of he is been on the prime of the game for thus lengthy, there aren’t many fights left that make a lot sense. He is a type of beloved figures you do not wish to see struggle simply to struggle. The UFC can nonetheless discover fights for Oliveira and can — I really do not anticipate him to retire after this loss — but it surely’s value throwing this selection in as a wild card as a result of Oliveira has nothing left to show.
Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van, males’s flyweights
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Alexandre Pantoja dominates with floor recreation 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.
What ought to be subsequent: Pantoja vs. Van for the flyweight championship
Van has actually come out of nowhere. However that is the struggle to make. Brandon Moreno has executed greater than Van in his profession, after all, and he is regarded good since taking a short hiatus from the game in 2024, however MMA likes to go together with the recent hand, and Van is on fireplace proper now.
Kudos to the UFC for recognizing this and performing shortly on it. Pantoja desires to signify the division in essentially the most entertaining means doable, and Van is all leisure proper now. Is he prepared for Pantoja? The cheap reply is more than likely no. All of it has occurred so quick for the 23-year-old, and Pantoja is legitimately an all-time nice. No disrespect to any matchup that got here earlier than it, however that is essentially the most intriguing males’s flyweight title struggle in latest reminiscence.
Kai Kara-France, males’s flyweight
Who ought to be subsequent: Manel Kape
It’s kind of of a heartbreaker for Kara-France. All losses are — particularly title fights — however Kara-France was so emotionally and mentally invested on this title alternative, and Pantoja didn’t enable him to get going. This loss will sting, however if you wish to give Kara-France a matchup that can immediately flip the fireplace again on, it is Kape.
These two have been eyeing each other from a distance for years. There have been completely different notes to the rivalry, but it surely boils all the way down to a easy private dislike for each other. They had been alleged to struggle in 2023 in Australia, however Kara-France suffered a concussion and was pressured to bow out. That is the obvious struggle to guide in the whole flyweight division proper now.
Wild card: Kai Asakura
Asakura is scheduled to face Tim Elliott at UFC 319 in August. If Asakura wins, he’ll be ranked inside the highest 10, and this matchup will begin to soar off the web page. There are similarities between these two — particularly, their excessive knockout potential. Whether or not this matchup finally ends up being subsequent or occurs down the street, you possibly can wager we’ll ultimately see Kara-France vs. Asakura in a UFC Battle Evening predominant occasion or on a pay-per-view predominant card.
Payton Talbott, males’s bantamweight
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Payton Talbott finishes opponent in lightning-quick 19 seconds
Payton Talbott improves his undefeated report to 9-0 with a fast end over Yanis Ghemmouri.
Who ought to be subsequent: Adrian Yanez
This struggle confirmed how fickle MMA might be. Talbott was being touted as the subsequent huge factor at bantamweight, however due to one poor efficiency towards veteran Raoni Barcelos in his final bout Talbott got here into this one with little hype. Felipe Lima was a big betting favourite, and a story had began to type that Talbott could not wrestle. It was an enormous bounce-back win that places Talbott proper again to the place he was earlier than the Barcelos loss. I are inclined to wish to give him the matchup he desires, which is Yanez, whom he talked about in his postfight interview. Yanez as soon as had loads of hype however has struggled with some inconsistent performances. Talbott’s swag is again, and one would suppose Yanez can be excited to face a budding prospect who has been calling him out.
Wild card: Aleksandre Topuria
The UFC ought to need eyes on Talbott. Lima was an enormous take a look at six months after a struggle by which Talbott’s grappling wasn’t in control. He earned the promotion’s consideration to the purpose that it ought to be reinvested in his progress. Aleksandre, older brother of Ilia, can be an effective way to draw consideration to each bantamweights.