Charles Oliveira didn’t get the ending he trained for. The former lightweight champion stepped into UFC 317 looking to reclaim the vacant title, but Ilia Topuria had other plans. In just under three minutes, Topuria shut the lights out with a devastating right hook-left hand combination that left Oliveira unconscious before he hit the canvas.
“It wasn’t how we wanted it but I’m fine,” Oliveira shared on Instagram after the fight. “I just want to thank everyone for the affection and the wonderful energy. God bless you all.”
Oliveira came out aggressive. He tested Topuria early and managed to drag the fight to the mat, hunting for a submission. But the window closed fast. Topuria slipped out, scrambled back to his feet, and started reading Oliveira’s rhythm. From there, it was only a matter of time.
Topuria’s jab kept finding a home, and once he locked in on Oliveira’s timing and range, he uncorked the fight-ending sequence. A violent right hook twisted Oliveira’s head around, and before he could even drop, a sharp left hand clipped him again. In an Instagram post, Oliveira accepted his defeat with grace.
“It was the first time Charles Oliveira had been finished by knockout in nearly eight years, the last coming against Paul Felder back in 2017. This one hit different. It was sudden, savage, and left the crowd stunned.”
Despite the setback, Oliveira remains one of the most dangerous fighters in the lightweight division. His resume speaks for itself, and his fanbase stands behind him stronger than ever. At 35, with 47 pro fights under his belt, he still has more to give once he’s healed up and ready for the next step.
Topuria, on the other hand, continues his meteoric rise. After stopping Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title and knocking out Max Holloway in his first defense, he’s now added Charles Oliveira to his highlight reel and captured the UFC lightweight strap in the process.
The title slipped through Oliveira’s fingers at UFC 317, but his name still belongs among the elite. When he returns, the next chapter in the Charles Oliveira story will be one to watch.
