Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Analysis: Ilia Topuria a natural fit as International Fight Week headliner

Related Topics: Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira

Steve Marcus

UFC lightweight fighters Ilia Topuria, left, and Charles Oliveira face off during a news conference for UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena Thursday, June 26, 2025. UFC president Dana White is at center. The fighters are scheduled to compete for a vacant lightweight title during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

The boos were so loud during the open-to-the-public UFC 317 news conference Thursday evening at T-Mobile Arena that Ilia Topuria, who’s fluent in English, had to get clarification on questions directed toward him from his Spanish translator.

Other than that minor delay, the 28-year-old fighting out of Alicante, Spain, didn’t come across as the least bit bothered by the hostility he garnered going into his lightweight championship fight against fan favorite Charles Oliveira.