UFC 317’s main event, Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira, is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here, we discussed Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira skill comparison on heading the vacant lightweight title fight.
Both fighters Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira bring high-level skill sets to the table resulting in an exciting matchup for MMA fans around the world. Oliveira with a pro-MMA record of 35-10, is a submission specialist with a dangerous striking game, while Topuria pro-MMA record 16-0, is an undefeated fighter with a strong wrestling foundation and crazy knockout power.
Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira skill comparisons
Striking:
This is where things get interesting. Ilia Topuria’s boxing is sharp, fast, and powerful. He closes the distance quickly, throws clean and long combinations, and has devastating one-punch knockout power—as shown in the Josh Emmett or Bryce Mitchell fights. He’s also very efficient with his movement, rarely wasting energy.
Charles Oliveira’s striking has improved a lot in recent years. His kicking game is very strong; he throws dangerous knees, front kicks, and elbows from odd angles. While he’s capable of hurting anyone on their feet—as shown in the Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler fights. He’s also known for getting dropped early in fights—though he often recovers.
Edge : Ilia Topuria
Grappling & Submissions:
Charles Oliveira is known for his exciting submission game, and this is where Oliveira shines. With a record-setting 20+ UFC submission wins, he’s the most dangerous submission artist in the history of the UFC promotion. He can submit you off his back, in scrambles, or from dominant positions. His BJJ is elite. His notable submission wins are against- Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Nik Lentz, and Clay Guida.
Ilia Topuria is no slouch on the ground either. Topuria won 8 fights in his pro-MMA career via submission, which shows his ability in the ground game. He’s a black belt in BJJ, has excellent top control, and has used his grappling effectively throughout his career. However, he hasn’t faced someone like Oliveira on the mat yet—especially not in the lightweight division.
Edge : Charles Oliveira
Experience and Fight IQ:
When it comes to octagon and fight experience, there’s no question that Charles Oliveira gets the advantage. With over 40 professional MMA fights and also as the former UFC lightweight champion, he’s seen and done it all in the octagon. Oliveira’s ability to adapt mid-fight and recover from adversity is unmatched, which is seen in his fight against Dustin and Justin.
Ilia Topuria, on the other hand, is still going forward to build his legacy. Despite his relatively short UFC tenure, his fight IQ is already impressive. He’s methodical, avoids unnecessary risks, and reads his opponents well.
Edge: Charles Oliveira
Mental Strength & Resilience:
Ilia Topuria carries himself with supreme confidence-calm, composed, and focused. But he’s never truly been tested in a firefight or dragged into deep waters. His previous opponents in UFC fights were majorly based on striking. And He never faced the great BJJ artist like Oliveira.
Oliveira, on the other hand, has faced the likes of Poirier, Gaethje, Chandler, and Ferguson. He’s been dropped, hurt, and still found ways to win. His mental toughness and resilience under pressure are proven.
Edge: Charles Oliveira
Durability & Cardio:
Topuria has shown solid cardio, especially in his five-round domination of Emmett. He uses his precision striking, timing, and accurate boxing combo and never wastes energy in a fight. We haven’t seen him pushed to the limit in a war at 155 lbs yet. But in featherweight fights, he shows his ability to manage the cardio. Topuria’s shot-taking ability is never tested properly.
Oliveira has a decent gas tank but can slow down in wild brawls, as seen in his previous fights. Still, he has proven he can recover from damage and survive deep into fights. His ability to rally from adversity is one of his strongest traits.
Edge: Both fighters are equal.
As see above comparison, Ilia Topuria vs Charles Olivera fight has the great matchup and both fighter has equal chance to win the fight and secure the lightweight title.
What are Topuria’s key strengths in striking?
Ilia Topuria’s striking is a mix of timing, precision, power, and aggression. Below are his key strengths in Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira lightweight title fight:
- Technical Boxing: His sharp boxing, crisp combinations and ability to counter effectively make him dangerous in striking exchanges and brawls.
- Knockout Power: As seen in his previous fights against Max Holloway and Alex Volkanovski, Topuria has devastating one-punch knockout power.
- Pressure & Pusing opponents: He constantly moves forward, cutting off the cage, forcing and pushing opponents into uncomfortable positions.
- Strike Defense: Topuria avoids unnecessary damage while setting up his attacks, with 64% striking defense and keeping his hands up.
How do their grappling techniques differ?
In the Ilia Topuria vs Charles Olivera fight, there is one major factor: their grappling exchanges and this factor makes the fight very exciting.
Charles Oliveira is known for his great BJJ, and he is one of the most dangerous submission artists in UFC history. Charles has an excellent guard game, and good transitions and the ability to attack from any position make him a constant threat to any opponent. He loves to get the chokes on his opponent while he is on his back.
While Topuria loves to ground and pound instead of submission on the ground. He uses his wrestling to dictate where the fight takes place, often smothering opponents and trying to take the advanced positions and avoid unnecessary damage.
This clash of styles makes the Ilia Topuria vs Charles Olivera fight even more exciting in UFC 317.
What factors might influence the outcome of the Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira fight?
A few key factors could determine the outcome of Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira at UFC 317:
Weight Division Change: Ilia Topuria is moving up from featherweight to lightweight, and Oliveira has already warned him about the size and power of lightweight fighters.
Durability: Topuria has shown his great defense and his counterstriking, while Oliveira has been knocked down multiple times in past fights against Dustin and Justine. If Oliveira gets caught early by Topuria, then it could be trouble for him.
Striking vs. Grappling: Topuria’s knockout power, technical boxing, and combinations of multiple punches could be dangerous against Oliveira’s aggressive style. However, Oliveira’s submission game is a threat to Topuria.
Physical Attributes: Charles Oliveira has a height and reach advantage, which could help him control distance in the fight and land a significant kick to Topuria.
What is next in the lightweight division after Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira’s fight?
After the conclusion of the Who Will Ilia Topuria Face Next – Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira, now buzz around the what is next in lightweight division after this fight.
The next title contender in the lightweight division after Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira’s fight in UFC 317 will depend on the UFC 318 main event fight Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier 3. Maybe whoever wins this fight in UFC 318 will chance to get the title shot next.
The lightweight division is always stacked in UFC history and in the title contenders list also added Arman Tsarukyan, Paddy Pimblett and maybe Justin Gaethje in line for the next lightweight title shot.