The UFC returns to Las Vegas for International Fight Week 2025 with a huge lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira as the main event for UFC 317.
After Islam Makhachev vacated the 155-pound title in his quest to move up to welterweight and become a two-weight champion, featherweight champion Topuria is doing the same and will take on former champion Oliveira in a sensational clash of styles. The stacked fight card will also see the flyweight championship on the line in the co-main event when Alexandre Pantoja defends his belt against Kai Kara-France.
We'll take a look at the main event and break down each fighter to provide you with our best free UFC betting picks, and try to earn you some extra cash while you take in the action in the cage.
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UFC 317 information
- Saturday, June 28th 2025
- T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Undisputed Lightweight Championship (155 pounds)
- 5 x 5 minute rounds
- Main card starts at 22:00 ET
Ilia Topuria v Charles Oliveira
Topuria comes into this fight with supreme confidence having been undefeated throughout his career, with a 16-0 professional record including eight submission wins and six knockouts.
Known as 'El Matador', Topuria defeated Youssef Zalal via unanimous decision in his UFC debut, before claiming a stunning knockout win over Damon Jackson in his next bout.
That was followed up with a brilliant knockout win over jiu-jitsu specialist Ryan Hall, before a brief move up to lightweight saw him weather a storm against Jai Herbert to claim another stunning knockout win. That led to a ranked featherweight bout with Bryce Mitchell where he picked him apart with boxing before earning a submission win in the second round.
He followed that outing with another dominant showing against powerhouse Josh Emmett, which convinced the world he is ready for a title opportunity, which he took with both hands.
He faced off with long-time champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 and stunned the world when he knocked him out cold in the second round to claim the title, before becoming the first man ever to knock out Max Holloway in his first defense last time out - which saw him earn this shot at the vacant lightweight title.
Standing across the octagon from him will be former lightweight champion and one of the most exciting fighters in UFC history in Charles Oliveira. The Brazilian comes into this fight with a professional record 35-10 (1 no contest) with 21 wins by submission and ten knockouts.
'Do Bronx' put together an eight-fight win streak over the likes of Jim Miller, Nick Lentz, Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson to earn his first lightweight title fight, where he claimed the belt with a sensational second-round knockout win over Michael Chandler.
He then defended the title twice against legendary duo Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, and he claimed victories over both with sensational submission wins despite being an underdog. That set up a fight against Islam Makhachev, where he was submitted in the second-round.
He responded to that loss with a first-round knockout win over top contender Beneil Dariush in his next bout, before dropping a controversial decision to Arman Tsarukyan. His last fight was a five-round rematch against Chandler, where he dominated in the grappling and on the feet to cruise to a unanimous decision victory and claim another shot at the belt.
2 title fights. 1 massive night.
— UFC (@ufc) June 23, 2025
Champions will be tested 👀#UFC317 fight week begins TOMORROW! pic.twitter.com/KwvYxhXz9c
Route to Victory
This is a rare occasion in MMA where both fighters will have a genuine argument that they have the advantage wherever the fight goes, and we won't know the truth until fight night.
On the feet, Topuria is the more powerful striker and more technical boxer, but there are some question marks over his natural size disadvantage in the lightweight division after he was pictured alongside Raul Rosas Jr, looking noticeably small. On the other hand, Oliveira also has crisp striking and utilizes the clinch well, with knees and teep kicks a big part of his offense.
On the ground, Oliveira would be expected to have the advantage, considering he has the most submission finishes in UFC history, but Topuria has shown himself to be no slouch on the ground, and has publicly said that he feels he can submit Do Bronx.
The best route to victory for either fighter is to be the one moving forward and applying pressure, taking the centre of the octagon. Oliveira should look to use his size to take Topuria into deeper waters and wear him out, while Topuria will prefer a more technical fight rather than a war to show off his skills.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
UFC Picks: Oliveira to make a statement
In a fight that is quite clearly a 50/50 bout, the odds don't reflect that and the value on Oliveira to win is just too good to ignore.
Having watched both of their careers from infancy to being at the peak of their powers, nobody would be surprised if Do Bronx found a way to sink in a choke on Topuria, or even landed a big shot to knock him out.
It also can't be ignored that in Topuria's only previous fight in the lightweight division in the UFC he almost got KO'd by Jai Herbert before completing a comeback win with a vicious KO of his own. Oliveira is more than capable of doing the same, but he won't let the Spaniard off the hook.
Whether he wins or not isn't a sure thing, but the value on Oliveira in such a close fight means he's our best bet for the night.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
