Team Charles Oliveira Ready with ‘Pen’ in Hand, as UFC 315 Sets up Ilia Topuria Lightweight Superfight

Subsequent to UFC 315 PPV, Charles Oliveira's coach tipped in Dana White, for an Ilia Topuria PPV lightweight title bout.

Team Charles Oliveira Ready with ‘Pen’ in Hand, as UFC 315 Sets up Ilia Topuria Lightweight Superfight

With the champ eyeing welterweight, Charles Oliveira wants Ilia Topuria next after UFC 315 (Source: X)

Jack Della Maddalena logged an undeniable title victory over Belal Muhammad at the UFC 315 PPV headliner in an all-time striking masterclass. UFC 155-pound champ Islam Makhachev has decided to challenge JDM for the double champ status. Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira is now the option for Ilia Topuria as things stand.

Charles Oliveira has had the 155-pound top contender promise for a while now. Hence, he was an interested party looking into the UFC 315 PPV main event, as Makhachev had his eyes here. Waiting for a Makhachev-shaped rematch, he and Ilia Topuria also tangled with each other. Topuria re-enters the lightweight scene and has aimed for a prize matchup. It is one that Oliveira’s coach and manager, Diego Lima, said they were ready for.

What a night ladies and gentlemen !!! Dana White, Sean Shelby, Hunter, we are ready with the pen in hand.

Diego Lima via IG (@diegolimacb)

During UFC 315 PPV post-fight fighter conferences, the topic of a Ilia Topuria vs. Makhachev super fight again came up. But CEO Dana White was a no-show, and with Makhachev occupied elsewhere, Charles Oliveira remains the best option for UFC 317’s International Fight Week main event.

It is expected that White would book Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria in some form of a 155-pound PPV scrapper; the Spaniard was even willing for a top-seed matchup against the Brazilian fighter. Senior VP of International Operations David Shaw didn’t shed much light on it, in Montreal.

Topuria himself dropped a big tease for the IFW festivities week with the UFC X/Hall of Fame ceremony, dropping in hot on 26 June in Las Vegas. As such, the main event will likely have a title on the line, be it vacant or interim. Oliveira himself later shared the post as well, to douse he is ready for this link-up to happen. Despite the telltale signs, the one big deterrent is Topuria himself.

Matches to make after UFC 315: Ilia Topuria bigger draw than current 170-Pound champ?

No shade to Jack Della Maddalena; the Aussie workhorse proved he can hang with wrestling-heavy talents like Muhammad and BJJ phenom Gilbert Burns. A PPV title fight against a name like Islam Makhachev, who himself has done so much, is one big hell of a matchup.

Ilia Topuria one of the biggest draws right now
Ilia Topuria one of the biggest draws right now (Source: X)

But a majority of the combat clique considers Ilia Topuria better for it. Islam Makhachev, the promotion’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, is an all-around array of skills. He is a sambo master, who can outwrestle and outbox anyone.

Furthermore, he can chain off singles to apply dangerous pace and trips like none other, and tout heavy hands. Topuria, the consensus best boxer right now, douses much of the same. His coaches also touts that his grappling is yet unheralded and much like his striking.

There’s also the fact that Makhachev found trouble against former #1 P4P Alexander Volkanovski. Meanwhile, UFC 298 PPV title challenger Topuria knocked out his winds out in two rounds. Ever since, a Topuria vs. Makhachev matchup has been the go-to skills test. ‘El Matador’ also rallied on for a unique title campaign in 2024, making him a bigger draw.

The Dagestani has said that he won’t relinquish his 155-pound hardware, no matter the UFC 315 results. As such, there are other names in the fold as well. Paddy Pimblett, who had already cracked the top 15 in the athletes’ listings, is that much nearer to becoming a contender.

Team Makhachev themselves have also aroused some interest around Justin Gaethje. Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan (#1 in 155-pound athletes’ listings) also await the top order. With him seeping interest in the 170-pound order, welterweight names have also been fetching for a Makhachev matchup. However, Topuria just makes a better case, overall.

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