Ilia Topuria demolished former champion Charles Oliveira with a devastating first-round knockout to claim the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
Topuria, the undefeated Spanish fighter of Georgian descent (17-0), wasted no time in his lightweight division debut, finishing the experienced Brazilian with a powerful combination at T-Mobile Arena on June 29.
"This is just the beginning of my journey in this division," Topuria might say after such a dominant performance. "I knew I had the power to finish him early."
The fight ended dramatically when Topuria landed a sharp right hand to Oliveira's head, followed by a left that sent the former champion crashing to the canvas in a heavy knockout. The referee immediately jumped in to stop the contest as Topuria rushed in for follow-up strikes.
Interestingly, this victory marks Topuria's conquest of a second weight class without suffering a single defeat. He previously held the championship in the featherweight division, which he voluntarily vacated to move up and challenge for the lightweight crown.
Oliveira (35-11), one of the most accomplished submission specialists in UFC history, never got a chance to implement his grappling game as Topuria's striking proved too powerful and precise.
With this impressive victory, Topuria has established himself as a two-division force. Can anyone in the lightweight division match his power and precision? The new champion certainly looks unstoppable right now.
