Ilia Topuria achieved his dream of changing into a two-division champion after scoring a brutal first-round knockout on Charles Oliveira to cap off the UFC 317 principal occasion.
It was one other stellar efficiency from Topuria after he unloaded a devastating proper hook that successfully put out Oliveira on the ft however the former featherweight king linked with a left behind it for good measure earlier than “do Bronx” hit the canvas. The struggle was stopped a cut up second later with the official finish time coming at 2:27 within the first spherical.
With the win, Topuria turns into the brand new UFC light-weight champion with a 3rd straight knockout over a future Corridor of Famer after ending Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in consecutive fights.
“I already stated it. I symbolize the brand new era of combined martial arts,” Topuria stated after his win. “That is the subsequent stage of the sport. That is what I symbolize. I did precisely what we had deliberate. Growth, his lights have been out.”
Topuria wasted no time then turning his consideration to the subsequent crop of potential contenders after instantly figuring out Paddy Pimblett and Arman Tsarukyan as challengers. Whereas Tsarukyan most likely deserves the chance greater than anyone else, Topuria’s private issues with Pimblett took heart stage on Saturday night time after he invited the Liverpool native into the cage with him.
“Now we have some f*cking p*ssies on this enviornment,” Topuria shouted. “There’s a blonde bitch. There’s a man that when [it comes time] to ship, his again hurts. Whoever is prepared for me, I’m right here.
“Pay attention, I don’t suppose [Paddy is] going to just accept it. But when he thinks that he’s prepared. Come on you blonde bitch. Deliver that bitch right here.”
A second later, Pimblett climbed over the guard rails and into the cage. He really gave Topuria credit score for a job nicely finished however then the trash discuss began.
“That was a heavy knockout,” Pimblett stated. “You’ll not knock me out. You realize you’ll be able to’t knock me out. You realize I don’t get knocked out. I end you little man.”
Topuria jawed proper again at him because the fighters acquired nose-to-nose with safety attempting to forestall the scenario from exploding.
“You’re getting knocked out,” Topuria stated simply earlier than shoving Pimblett.
Pimblett simply smiled and pointed again at Topuria because the fighters continued shouting at one another however they probably set the stage for one of many greatest matchups the UFC might probably promote proper now.
Previous to that altercation, Topuria first needed to win the title and that got here in devastating style together with his win over Oliveira.
There was no feeling out course of with Oliveira touchdown an enormous left hand and Topuria firing proper again at him because the bombs began dropping early. A conflict of heads opened a nasty lower over Oliveira’s eye as he tried to pull Topuria to the canvas.
Whereas Oliveira tried valiantly to seize onto any potential submission, Topuria simply stored slipping free till he returned to his ft and he invited his opponent to satisfy him there. Within the very subsequent alternate, Topuria unloaded the mix that put Oliveira down and out on the canvas in jaw-dropping style.
Afterwards, Oliveira finally acquired again to his ft the place he praised Topuria because the fighters embraced and shared a couple of phrases collectively.
Now the Topuria period begins at light-weight and he’s acquired a slew of challengers awaiting him however nothing most likely larger than settling the unhealthy blood with Pimblett within the close to future.
