UFC Announces Multiple Major Title Fights, Including Ilia Topuria LW Opponent

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James Brizuela is a contributing sports writer located in Los Angeles. His focus is on Comics, Comic Book Movies, Video Games, NFL, and MMA. He has in-depth knowledge of the NFL as a whole, having been a fan for over 30 years, and covering the sports over the last six years. He also knows the ins and outs of the comics world, becoming an editor while covering everything DC and beyond on Comic Book Resources, Giant Freakin Robot, and Inside the Magic. James joined Newsweek in March 2024, having previously written NFL content for Sports Illustrated. He is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside. You can get in touch with James by emailing, j.brizuela@newsweek.com. You can find him at X @james_brizuela. 


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The UFC has been taking its time in announcing the title fight for International Fight Week, but President Dana White decided that enough time was spent without fans knowing what would happen on the special day. Now, the organization has dropped massive title fights for multiple weight classes.

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Starting with UFC 317 and International Fight Week, former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will face off against former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the now-vacated lightweight title.

Alexandre Pantoja will also take on Kai Kara-France for the flyweight championship.

UFC star Ilia Topuria
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 29: UFC fighter Ilia Topuria during press conference after WOW 17 at Madrid Arena on March 29, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images

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It has also been reported that Paula Costa will face Roman Kopylove on the UFC 317 card as well.

This also leads to another massive announcement for the welterweight belt. Jack Della Maddalena.

According to MMA insider Mike Bohn, Maddalena will get his wish to face off against former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for his first title defense. The location and date will be announced.

The UFC was not done with big announcements, as the organization also dropped the bombshell that middleweight champion Dricuss Du Plessis will also get his chance to take the undefeated record away from rising star Khamzat Chimaev.

Du Plessis and Chimaev will headline the UFC 319 card that will take place in Chicago on Aug. 16.

The UFC had been taking its time to announce the headliner for International Fight Week, but decided to blow the minds of every MMA fan worldwide by announcing four title fights at once.

Each one of these fights has been pitched for months on end, and most have lined up with what everyone had been asking for. The only fight that is a shocker is Topuria taking on Oliveira, as it was believed he would face off against Makhachev.

Makhachev instead stated he wanted to face Della Maddalena, which has also been granted. The next few months are going to be quite exciting, and the world can see four belts change owners.

What's interesting is Makhachev just stated on X that he would not vacate his title to move up to welterweight. Though that was his wish, it would be believed that White and the UFC pitched him the idea of moving up to welterweight, only if he would vacate the belt.

Either way, these are all exciting matchups, and the UFC has outdone itself.

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About the writer

James Brizuela is a contributing sports writer located in Los Angeles. His focus is on Comics, Comic Book Movies, Video Games, NFL, and MMA. He has in-depth knowledge of the NFL as a whole, having been a fan for over 30 years, and covering the sports over the last six years. He also knows the ins and outs of the comics world, becoming an editor while covering everything DC and beyond on Comic Book Resources, Giant Freakin Robot, and Inside the Magic. James joined Newsweek in March 2024, having previously written NFL content for Sports Illustrated. He is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside. You can get in touch with James by emailing, j.brizuela@newsweek.com. You can find him at X @james_brizuela. 


Writers Page

James Brizuela is a contributing sports writer located in Los Angeles. His focus is on Comics, Comic Book Movies, Video ... Read more