UFC 317: International Fight Week Kicks Off with Lightweight and Flyweight Gold on the Line!

International Fight Week 2025 is officially underway in Las Vegas, and it's kicking off with a bang at UFC 317! This stacked card features a pair of electrifying title matchups in the lightweight and flyweight divisions, promising an unforgettable night of elite MMA action.

Topuria Targets Lightweight Gold Against Oliveira in Epic Headliner

In the evening's highly anticipated main event, the undefeated phenom Ilia Topuria, fresh off his reign as featherweight king, steps up to challenge former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title. This fight screams violence! Topuria aims to prove his dominance translates seamlessly to a second division, while Brazil's "Do Bronx" is determined to prove he still has another championship run in him after his incredible resurgence and title reign in 2021.

According to our Lead MMA Analyst, the thought of Topuria becoming a permanent fixture among the 155-pound elite is almost too good to be true. He’s starting with one of the division's most consistent bringers of chaos. As our Combat Sports Expert noted, Oliveira's willingness to get hit, coupled with his world-class jiu-jitsu, often allows him to play possum. However, as we've seen, when Topuria lands, opponents rarely recover. The added danger of his power at lightweight, demonstrated when he "folded Jai Herbert like Sunday clothing" in his previous 155-pound outing, is a truly frightening prospect.

It might seem surprising to see the 35-year-old Oliveira as such a significant underdog, given his undeniable versatility. He boasts a "Swiss Army knife-like" striking offense and that ever-present, dangerous submission game. Oliveira even showcased his improved wrestling acumen in his recent victory over Michael Chandler. While Topuria is supremely well-rounded, our specialists believe his speed and power will ultimately be too much for Oliveira in another brilliant performance. As Topuria himself has indicated, he is expected to live up to his nickname, "El Matador," and secure the win. Oliveira's best hope lies in landing early or snatching a wild submission amidst a scramble.

Our Pick: Ilia Topuria

Pantoja Hunts Fourth Title Defense Against Dangerous Kara-France

Speaking of dominant champions, flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja is on the hunt for his fourth consecutive title defense when he faces off against New Zealand's knockout artist, Kai Kara-France. Directly before this, the flyweight division will see a potential next title contender emerge as Brandon Royval meets Joshua Van in what promises to be a barnburner.

BNLive's MMA Insider believes Pantoja has reached a level of excellence where he's almost underrated, despite his fights consistently being must-see events. Facing Kara-France, Pantoja will contend with significant striking firepower, particularly "KKF's" smooth and impactful boxing. However, our experts stress that Pantoja's own striking acumen is often overlooked. The champion's true X-factor, though, lies in his superior grappling and top control. "The Cannibal" is arguably the best scrambler in MMA, and once he gets hold of an opponent, it's inevitable he'll have his way, threatening at every turn. Outside of a lucky punch, Kara-France's chances in this co-main event are slim.

Our Pick: Alexandre Pantoja

Flyweight Firefight: Royval vs. Van Set to Steal the Show

After another last-minute withdrawal from Manel Kape, UFC 317 gains one of its most compelling matchups with the short-notice addition of Joshua Van against former title challenger Brandon Royval. This bout has all the makings of a "Fight of the Night" contender.

Our analysts are highly impressed with Van, who has quickly proven he has the capability to be a future champion. The 23-year-old enters this potential title eliminator on a four-fight win streak, fresh off a dominant performance at UFC 316 earlier this month. Talk about wasting no time!

On the other side, the perennial top flyweight Royval hasn't fought since his thrilling split decision win over Tatsuro Taira in October. "Raw Dog" is known for never being in a bad fight. In this matchup, he plays the veteran role, boasting far superior experience and a higher level of competition. Our combat sports expert believes this fight embodies "too much, too soon" for the young Van, who must overcome the division's No. 1-ranked contender. While Van's striking is progressing at a rapid pace, Royval is a true "gamer," ready to take the fight anywhere. Expect three rounds of chaos, with Royval comfortably taking over and overwhelming the active youngster.

Our Pick: Brandon Royval

Dariush vs. Moicano: A Rematch That Promises Action

We're getting a highly anticipated repeat performance with Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano, a fight originally slated for UFC 311. After a last-minute shuffle saw Moicano step in against then-champion Islam Makhachev, this exciting lightweight clash is finally happening.

Our Lead MMA Analyst notes that Dariush has had an additional five months to recover since his last appearance in December 2022. While layoffs can be a concern, given the damage he sustained in his previous two bouts, this break might have been exactly what he needed for a prime rebound opportunity. As for the fight itself, our specialists see Dariush as doing "everything better" than Moicano. His primary concern has been durability, but Moicano isn't a power finisher with strikes. This fight could mirror Dariush's control-heavy win over Mateusz Gamrot, full of fun scrambles but ultimately dominated by Dariush.

Our Pick: Beneil Dariush

Bantamweight Prospect War: Talbott vs. Lima

Bantamweight prospect wars are simply the best! Payton Talbott faces a tough test in his rebound attempt after his first career loss to Raoni Barcelos in January. He'll be up against Felipe Lima, who has been perfect since his debut loss and looks to keep his momentum rolling.

BetNow.eu's MMA Insider points out that Talbott's grappling was somewhat exposed against Barcelos, a weakness Lima is poised to exploit. Lima has demonstrated impressive striking exchanges and finishes, but also the ability to submit opponents. While Talbott is dangerous on the feet, he'll need to channel his aggression into defensive grappling. Lima's well-rounded game, intelligence, and slightly greater experience position him to take the spotlight here.

Our Pick: Felipe Lima

UFC 317: International Fight Week Kicks Off with Lightweight and Flyweight Gold on the Line!

International Fight Week 2025 is officially underway in Las Vegas, and it's kicking off with a bang at UFC 317! This stacked card features a pair of electrifying title matchups in the lightweight and flyweight divisions, promising an unforgettable night of elite MMA action.

Topuria Targets Lightweight Gold Against Oliveira in Epic Headliner

In the evening's highly anticipated main event, the undefeated phenom Ilia Topuria, fresh off his reign as featherweight king, steps up to challenge former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant 155-pound title. This fight screams violence! Topuria aims to prove his dominance translates seamlessly to a second division, while Brazil's "Do Bronx" is determined to prove he still has another championship run in him after his incredible resurgence and title reign in 2021.

According to our Lead MMA Analyst, the thought of Topuria becoming a permanent fixture among the 155-pound elite is almost too good to be true. He’s starting with one of the division's most consistent bringers of chaos. As our Combat Sports Expert noted, Oliveira's willingness to get hit, coupled with his world-class jiu-jitsu, often allows him to play possum. However, as we've seen, when Topuria lands, opponents rarely recover. The added danger of his power at lightweight, demonstrated when he "folded Jai Herbert like Sunday clothing" in his previous 155-pound outing, is a truly frightening prospect.

It might seem surprising to see the 35-year-old Oliveira as such a significant underdog, given his undeniable versatility. He boasts a "Swiss Army knife-like" striking offense and that ever-present, dangerous submission game. Oliveira even showcased his improved wrestling acumen in his recent victory over Michael Chandler. While Topuria is supremely well-rounded, our Specialists believe his speed and power will ultimately be too much for Oliveira in another brilliant performance. As Topuria himself has indicated, he is expected to live up to his nickname, "El Matador," and secure the win. Oliveira's best hope lies in landing early or snatching a wild submission amidst a scramble.

Our Pick: Ilia Topuria

Pantoja Hunts Fourth Title Defense Against Dangerous Kara-France

Speaking of dominant champions, flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja is on the hunt for his fourth consecutive title defense when he faces off against New Zealand's knockout artist, Kai Kara-France. Directly before this, the flyweight division will see a potential next title contender emerge as Brandon Royval meets Joshua Van in what promises to be a barnburner.

BetNow.eu's MMA Insider believes Pantoja has reached a level of excellence where he's almost underrated, despite his fights consistently being must-see events. Facing Kara-France, Pantoja will contend with significant striking firepower, particularly "KKF's" smooth and impactful boxing. However, our experts stress that Pantoja's own striking acumen is often overlooked. The champion's true X-factor, though, lies in his superior grappling and top control. "The Cannibal" is arguably the best scrambler in MMA, and once he gets hold of an opponent, it's inevitable he'll have his way, threatening at every turn. Outside of a lucky punch, Kara-France's chances in this co-main event are slim.

Our Pick: Alexandre Pantoja

Flyweight Firefight: Royval vs. Van Set to Steal the Show

After another last-minute withdrawal from Manel Kape, UFC 317 gains one of its most compelling matchups with the short-notice addition of Joshua Van against former title challenger Brandon Royval. This bout has all the makings of a "Fight of the Night" contender.

Our analysts are highly impressed with Van, who has quickly proven he has the capability to be a future champion. The 23-year-old enters this potential title eliminator on a four-fight win streak, fresh off a dominant performance at UFC 316 earlier this month. Talk about wasting no time!

On the other side, the perennial top flyweight Royval hasn't fought since his thrilling split decision win over Tatsuro Taira in October. "Raw Dog" is known for never being in a bad fight. In this matchup, he plays the veteran role, boasting far superior experience and a higher level of competition. Our combat sports expert believes this fight embodies "too much, too soon" for the young Van, who must overcome the division's No. 1-ranked contender. While Van's striking is progressing at a rapid pace, Royval is a true "gamer," ready to take the fight anywhere. Expect three rounds of chaos, with Royval comfortably taking over and overwhelming the active youngster.

Our Pick: Brandon Royval

Dariush vs. Moicano: A Rematch That Promises Action

We're getting a highly anticipated repeat performance with Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano, a fight originally slated for UFC 311. After a last-minute shuffle saw Moicano step in against then-champion Islam Makhachev, this exciting lightweight clash is finally happening.

BetNow.eu's Lead MMA Analyst notes that Dariush has had an additional five months to recover since his last appearance in December 2023. While layoffs can be a concern, given the damage he sustained in his previous two bouts, this break might have been exactly what he needed for a prime rebound opportunity. As for the fight itself, our specialists see Dariush as doing "everything better" than Moicano. His primary concern has been durability, but Moicano isn't a power finisher with strikes. This fight could mirror Dariush's control-heavy win over Mateusz Gamrot, full of fun scrambles but ultimately dominated by Dariush.

Our Pick: Beneil Dariush

Bantamweight Prospect War: Talbott vs. Lima

Bantamweight prospect wars are simply the best! Payton Talbott faces a tough test in his rebound attempt after his first career loss to Raoni Barcelos in January. He'll be up against Felipe Lima, who has been perfect since his debut loss and looks to keep his momentum rolling.

BetNow.eu's MMA Insider points out that Talbott's grappling was somewhat exposed against Barcelos, a weakness Lima is poised to exploit. Lima has demonstrated impressive striking exchanges and finishes, but also the ability to submit opponents. While Talbott is dangerous on the feet, he'll need to channel his aggression into defensive grappling. Lima's well-rounded game, intelligence, and slightly greater experience position him to take the spotlight here.

Our Pick: Felipe Lima

BetNow.eu Specialists' Consensus Picks for UFC 317 Main Card

Here's how our team of specialists are picking the main card bouts at UFC 317:

Specialist	Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira	Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France	Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano	Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van	Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
Dave	Topuria	Pantoja	Dariush	Van	Lima
Joe	Topuria	Pantoja	Dariush	Royval	Lima
Will	Topuria	Pantoja	Dariush	Van	Talbott
Marc	Topuria	Pantoja	Moicano	Van	Lima
Joey	Topuria	Pantoja	Dariush	Royval	Talbott
Rick	Topuria	Pantoja	Dariush	Royval	Lima
Jay	Oliveira	Pantoja	Moicano	Van	Talbott
Keiz	Topuria	Pantoja	Moicano	Van	Talbott

Preliminary Card Breakdown: Don't Miss the Early Action!

Even without the biggest names, UFC 317's prelims are packed with potential for violence, a welcome change after recent cards.

• Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez: Our Combat Sports Expert is intrigued by the odds here, given Araujo's impressive recent performance. Stylistically, they are very similar, making this a fascinating matchup.

  
  

• Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Terrance McKinney: This is your guaranteed "car crash of the night." Brace for impact!

  
  

• Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues: Hermansson is back after halting Joe Pyfer's rise, while Niko Price looks to prove he still has plenty left in the tank.

  
  

Quick Picks from BetNow.eu Specialists:

• Gregory Rodrigues def. Jack Hermansson

  
  

• Hyder Amil def. Jose Miguel Delgado

  
  

• Viviane Araujo def. Tracy Cortez

  
  

• Viacheslav Borshchev def. Terrance McKinney

  
  

• Jackson McVey def. Sedriques Dumas

  
  

• Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines

  
  

• Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price

  
  

UFC 317 kicks off International Fight Week 2025 with an exciting lineup from top to bottom. Don't miss a single moment of the action!

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