Ilia Topuria breaks stunning fight announcement against ‘mystery opponent’ at UFC 317

Away from Islam Makhachev fight, Ilia Topuria grabs attention with UFC 317 PPV news bombshell ahead of International Fight Week.

Ilia Topuria breaks stunning fight announcement against ‘mystery opponent’ at UFC 317

Ilia Topuria confirms he will fight at UFC 317 on June 28th at International Fight Week (Source: X)

The UFC’s International Fight Week needs Ilia Topuria more than ever after major fights couldn’t reach an agreement. The event in Las Vegas is less than two months away, and still doesn’t have a main event or co-main event booking. With time running out, only a name like Topuria can save the event. The underperformance of the UFC in 2024 can only be saved with an action-packed UFC 317 in June.

Ilia Topuria vacated the stakes to his 145-pound strap, which now has a new home. While Islam Makhachev himself had no PPV title booking, ‘La Leyenda’ had previously stated he’d sit in for a title fight news. The running consensus was that he might face Charles Oliveira, who has had a 155-pound top contender promise. While there’s no confirmed name for the timeframe, the fighter has made new claims for UFC 317.

I have my preparations ahead of me. I hope to make you all happy again on June 28th…

Ilia Topuria said (🎥 : @Chisanga_Malata/ via @telemadrid on X)

There is no current headliner for the IFW festivities week with the UFC X/Hall of Fame ceremony. The ongoing Jon Jones – Tom Aspinall PPV unification saga is in an all-time dread. Team Dricus Du Plessis has promised big news, but not within the June timeframe. Now, the ever-confident Topuria, dressed in his usual casual eggshell white, doused a good promise for the event.

The news and resolve from the Spanish-Georgian superstar, coming against a locker room backdrop, is something the combat clique has seen before. Topuria drove up the bargain and manifested a Max Holloway fight; even flaunted already having a September date for UFC Spain. PFL Paris visitor and MMA’s Bad Guy Chael Sonnen even lauded him for ‘making it happen.’ Now, question arises: how true are the claims this time, and what drove it?

UFC Exec meets the team of Ilia Topuria’s rival in Dubai for PPV title fight assortment

The rumor mill has 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev drawing it out for the UFC 315 PPV, May 10 main event, Bell Centre in Montreal. Moderate underdog and crisp striker Jack Della Maddalena faces welterweight champ Belal Muhammad for the title. With his friend “Bully Belal” winning and going up north, Makhachev can finally realize his dream of a second hardware at 170 pounds.

Team Islam Makhachev grazing towards new fight booking, possibly for UFC 317
Team Islam Makhachev grazing towards new fight booking, possibly for UFC 317 (Source: X)

The dominant Dagestani is done fighting whoever the matchmakers place in front, all the way to a historic number of title defenses. Now, Islam Makhachev is strictly avoiding former/current roster featherweights in active competition (aka Ilia Topuria). Peers and analysts have even been sympathetic on this issue. While fight news has stalled on this front, last month, both he and Topuria surprised fans by entering fight camp.

The biggest fact now propelling this forward isn’t just sharp-looking Ilia Topuria dropping bombshells. UFC CBO Hunter Campbell recently met coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, manager Rizvan Magomedov, and Zubaira Tukhugov. The UFC exec, donning a New Era MLB New York Yankees 9FORTY cap, looked like he had settled in for long. The image has gone quite viral, with fans considering he was in Dubai for fight negotiations.

That would mean fight rumors (possibly UFC 317) and pre-fight camp news might be true after all. The lightweight champ has boxed himself in, not wanting an enemy and a friend. Yet these two remain the biggest names for International Fight Week. Could there possibly be another solution? The fan clique would like to know as much.

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