Charles Oliveira: Ilia Topuria 'is going to fold in front of me' at UFC 317
LAS VEGAS – Charles Oliveira is planning to offer a reminder to anyone underestimating him against Ilia Topuria at UFC 317.
Former titleholder Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) has the chance to become the first two-time lightweight titleholder in company history when he meets Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) for the vacant belt left behind by Islam Makhachev in Saturday's headliner at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
With nearly 15 years in the promotion and 34 octagon appearances under his belt, Oliveira said his biggest driving force at this point is to elevate his resume. Turning back heavily hyped former featherweight champ Topuria, who enters undefeated, would be a massive addition.
"(I'm a) guy that continues to stay thirsty, that is always for the win," Oliveira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday's UFC 317 media day. "This is for my legacy, for my history. I'm ready for this fight.
"He's younger, comes in undefeated, but does he want it more than I do? Does he have more hunger, more thirst than I have?"
Topuria has not been shy to declare his intentions for Oliveira at UFC 317. He is predicting a finish in the first two or three minutes of the fight and thinks Oliveira is simply going to crumble under his precision and pressure.
After such a decorated tenure in the sport that includes UFC records for finishes, submissions and bonuses, there's nothing Oliveira hasn't heard out of an opponent before. It all glides off him, but for anyone getting behind Topuria as the big favorite and potential next breakthrough star for the UFC, Oliveira warns that UFC 317 will end with sorrow and disappointment.
"Every fighter has different levels of things, different approaches to things," Oliveira said. "Ilia's just coming out there very young, very hungry. He's also undefeated. But there's a lot to prove still.
"In reality, everyone knows what's going to happen. He's another dude that's talking that's going to fold in front of me."
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