UFC Event 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira - Expert Choices, Forecasts, and Top Wagers
UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira Breakdown
Step into the Octagon for UFC 317, happening this weekend in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. This electrifying event features 24 top-notch fighters, and only four of them will be competing in the welterweight (170 pounds) division and above.
Kickoff begins at 3 p.m. PT with the early prelims, followed by preliminary action at 5 p.m. PT, and the PPV portion starts at 7 p.m. PT. This year, favorites are winning 65.4% of matches, but underdogs made quite a statement with six victories last week.
Let's help you score some wins!
Ilia Topuria -430 vs. Charles Oliveira +350
Lightweight (155 pounds) Championship
Charles Oliveira needs no introduction – he's a former lightweight champion, a savvy mixed martial artist, and holds a 4th-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a black belt in Muay Thai. He's determined to recapture the title that slips through his fingers.
Oliveira's body has adapted to the lightweight division, allowing him to tip the scale at 175 pounds on fight day. He's a long, large fighter, experienced against the division's elite, and he's incredibly dangerous on his feet or the mat. His grappling is powerful, but it's pressuring against the cage, grappling, and wrestling that Oliveira excels in, leaving opponents defenseless.
Former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria is an exceptional mixed martial artist. He's aggressive, has top-tier boxing, and his grappling is world-class due to his Georgian black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His move up to the lightweight division speaks volumes about the respect he's earned in his UFC tenure.
Oliveira will be the physically bigger athlete in the cage, with a three-inch height advantage and a five-inch reach advantage in arms. Yet, these benefits in striking bouts only go so far. Oliveira will need to take this fight to the ground to compete in his forte.
Topuria will relentlessly march forward, intending to pulverize Oliveira's body. His striking is elite, and his wrestling is exceptional thanks to his childhood in Russian Georgia. Topuria is focused on claiming the title and then setting his sights on Dagestani former lightweight titlist Islam Makhachev.
Oliveira's victories include beating Arman Tsarukyan (a similar opponent to Topuria in terms of wrestling) in a split decision. Oliveira is a legitimate lightweight, but Topuria is a diversely skilled talent who brings extraordinary abilities and momentum into this fight.
Total Rounds: 1.5 Rounds Over -135
I predict Topuria overwhelms Oliveira quickly, making the total in this bout an appealing wager.
Alexandre Pantoja -270 vs. Kai Kara-France +230
Flyweight (125 pounds) Championship
Kai Kara-France enters this fight with confidence following his domination of Steve Erceg in his last fight. He's aware of the importance of this UFC 317 opportunity for his title aspirations. A former bantamweight, Kara-France now shines at the flyweight division's pinnacle. He's a powerful striker, nimble, and decorated with a blue belt in BJJ.
Kara-France is 4-2 in his last six UFC fights and has faced the top ten of the division. Although the flyweight division isn't as stacked as other divisions, Kara-France understands that this may be his final opportunity to compete for the title.
Kara-France aims to keep this fight standing, where he's at his best. His City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman is one of the best head coaches in MMA, preparing Kara-France for this golden opportunity to lay claim to a title.
Defending champion Alexandre Pantoja is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who fought tirelessly to capture the flyweight title. In his last seven fights, he has dominated the division's best. Training at Florida's ATT, a renowned MMA gym, refines Pantoja's already elite fighting skills daily.
Pantoja's dominance in the division proves the high-intensity competition he faces every day at ATT. A black belt in BJJ, Pantoja excels in grappling and striking, and he's a master of evasion and defensive skills.
Total Rounds: 3.5 Rounds Over -130
Despite Kara-France's momentum, Pantoja will emerge victorious due to his specialized skill set, mental resilience, and title-defending experience.
Renato Moicano -130 vs. Beneil Dariush +110
Lightweight (155 pounds)
Renato Moicano is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist with black belts in both BJJ and Muay Thai, bringing excitement and bloodshed to each fight. He's charismatic, aggressive, and holds an electrifying fighting style.
Beneil Dariush, 36, enters this bout following two losses – one to champion Islam Makhachev and the second to Charles Oliveira. Before these back-to-back defeats, Dariush had rattled off eight consecutive UFC wins against renowned, ranked, and skilled adversaries.
Like Moicano, Dariush is a black belt in both BJJ and Muay Thai, with power in his hands and incredible danger on the mat.
Both fighters have similar weaponry, IQ, and abilities, making this fight a fierce contest between grizzled veterans with the potential for bigger fights on the line for the winner.
UFC 317 Best Bet: Beneil Dariush +110
Beneil Dariush's experience and high-level skills will allow him to surprise Moicano and come away with a victory in this closely matched bout.
In the lightweight division of UFC 317, expect Charles Oliveira to put up a strong fight against Ilia Topuria, given Oliveira's experience, impressive skills, and 4th-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However, Topuria's aggressive style, elite striking, and world-class grappling earned from his Georgian black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu could lead to a quick overwhelm, making the total rounds under an appealing wager.
In the flyweight division championship, Alexandre Pantoja, a black belt in BJJ and an elite fighter refined daily at Florida's ATT, is expected to emerge victorious against Kai Kara-France despite Kara-France's momentum and coach Eugene Bareman's preparations. In a closely matched lightweight bout, Beneil Dariush, despite two recent losses to top contenders, is predicted to surprise Renato Moicano and secure a win due to his experience and skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai.
