Latest news with #13thAnnualInternationalFightWeek
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 317 pre-event facts: Ilia Topuria or Charles Oliveira will achieve title history
The UFC's 13th Annual International Fight Week has arrived and the 2025 version of the celebratory week in Las Vegas is built around Saturday's UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena, which features a main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+. Two championship fights top the bill. In the main card, Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) will do battle for the vacant lightweight championship, while in the co-main event flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) attempts to continue his dominant reign against Kai Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC). For more on the numbers inside both title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie's pre-event facts about UFC 317. Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira Ilia Topuria Topuria is one of 14 fighters to win an undisputed UFC title with an undefeated record. Topuria is one of five fighters to hold the undisputed UFC featherweight championship. Topuria can become the first in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes with an undefeated record. Topuria became the first Georgian champion in UFC history with his UFC 298 title win. Charles Oliveira Oliveira won the title for the first time in his 28th UFC bout, the record for most appearances in company history. Oliveira is one of 12 fighters to hold the undisputed UFC lightweight championship. Oliveira can become the first two-time undisputed UFC lightweight champion. Oliveira competes in his third vacant UFC championship bout, the most in company history. He was previously tied with Jan Blachowicz at two. Oliveira becomes the seventh fighter in UFC history to make 35 or more octagon appearances. Oliveira's 23 UFC victories are tied with Andrei Arlovski and Donald Cerrone for second-most in company history behind Jim Miller (27). Oliveira's 16 victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Miller (24) and Cerrone (17). Oliveira's 20 stoppage victories in UFC competition are most in company history. Oliveira's 14 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Miller (17). Oliveira's 16 submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history. Oliveira's 10 submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Miller (11). Oliveira's six submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history. He hasn't competed at 145 pounds since August 2016. Oliveira's four guillotine-choke submission victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Nate Diaz (five). Oliveira's three anaconda choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history. Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn submission victories with six different techniques. Frank Mir also accomplished the feat. Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a calf-slicer submission victory. Brett Johns also accomplished the feat. Oliveira has been awarded 20 fight-night bonuses for UFC bouts, the most in company history. Oliveira has been awarded 13 Performance of the Night bonuses, the most in company history. Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to be awarded five or more fight-night bonuses in two separate divisions. Diaz also accomplished the feat. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Alexandre Pantoja Pantoja is one of five undisputed UFC flyweight champions. Pantoja's three UFC title defenses are tied with Zhang Weili for most among current champions. Pantoja is one of four fighters in UFC history to force a title change by split decision when he won at UFC 290. Robbie Lawler, Henry Cejudo and Carla Esparza also accomplished the feat. Pantoja's four victories in UFC flyweight championship fights are second-most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (12). Pantoja's 13 victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson and Joseph Benavidez for most in divisional history. Pantoja's seven-fight UFC winning streak at flyweight is the longest active streak in the division. Pantoja's seven stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson and Deiveson Figueiredo for most in divisional history. Pantoja's five submission victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson for most in divisional history. Pantoja's six fight-night bonus for UFC flyweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine) and Brandon Moreno (seven). Kai Kara-France Kara-France's eight knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Figueiredo (11). Kara-France defends 88 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Matheus Nicolau (90.5 percent) and Ian McCall (90 percent). Kara-France's six fight-night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine) and Moreno (seven). Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van Brandon Royval's (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) three submission victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Johnson (five), Pantoja (five) and Muhammad Mokaev (four). Royval's four Fight of the Night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are tied with Moreno for most in divisional history. Joshua Van (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) makes his third UFC appearances of 2025. He's 2-0 with wins at UFC 316 in June and UFC 313 in March. Van's four-fight UFC winning streak at flyweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Pantoja (seven). Van lands 8.2 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history. Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Beneil Dariush's (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6-1 UFC) 16 victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Miller (24) and Cerrone (17). Dariush is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 174. Renato Moicano (20-6-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) is 7-2 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in March 2020. Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez Tracy Cortez (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is 3-1 since she dropped to the UFC women's flyweight division in April 2021. Cortez has earned eight of her 10 career victories by decision. That includes all five of her UFC wins. Terrance McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev Terrance McKinney (16-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has earned all 16 of his career victories by stoppage. He's finished 15 of those wins in Round 1. McKinney's average fight time of 2:34 in UFC lightweight competition is the shortest in divisional history. McKinney's six first-round stoppage victories since 2021 in UFC competition are tied with Jailton Almeida for most among active fighters in the company. McKinney's seven-second knockout at UFC 263 is the fourth-fastest in UFC history. Jorge Masvidal holds the record with a five-second finish. McKinney's seven-second knockout at UFC 263 is the fastest in UFC history by a debuting fighter. McKinney's seven-second knockout at UFC 263 is the fastest in UFC lightweight history. McKinney is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn multiple knockout victories of 20 seconds or less. Anthony Johnson and Matthew Semelsberger also accomplished the feat. Niko Price vs. Jacobe Smith Niko Price (16-8 MMA, 8-8 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 19. Jon Fitch and Irene Alana also won with the technique. Price has earned two of the six knockout victories in UFC history stemming from the bottom position. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 19 and UFC Fight Night 133. Price has earned one of four knockouts in UFC history stemming from punches from bottom position. Kevin Holland, Paul Craig and Cameron Saaiman also accomplished the feat. UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 317 commentary, broadcast teams set: Joe Rogan calls International Fight Week card
The seventh numbered UFC event of 2025 is just days away, with UFC 317 set to highlight the 13th Annual International Fight Week celebration on Saturday from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there in "Sin City" to help guide viewers through the experience. Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below. UFC 317 broadcast UFC 317's main card airs on pay-per-view/streams via ESPN+ pay-per-view for residents in the U.S. beginning at 10 p.m. ET. The preliminary-card lineup is slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET and airs on ESPN following early prelims, which begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and stream on ESPN+. UFC 317 roving reporter Longtime UFC correspondent Megan Olivi will conduct pre and post-fight interviews backstage with some of the athletes on the UFC 317 card, as well as report additional real-time updates for the event. UFC 317 weigh-in show Dan Hellie will host the official UFC 317 weigh-in show on Friday at 11:50 a.m. ET/9:50 a.m. PT. He'll be joined by UFC Hall of Famers Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping, as well as Laura Sanko. UFC 317 octagon announcer The most famous octagon announcer in history will do his thing once again at UFC 317 as legendary Bruce Buffer will introduce the fighters before battle. UFC 317 desk analysts Retired light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith, former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen and former UFC/WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will serve as desk analysts on the UFC 317 post-fight show and throughout the card, when necessary. Brendan Fitzgerald will serve as desk host. UFC 317 cageside commentators Jon Anik will serve as the leading man on the mic from cageside at UFC 317. He will command play-by-play alongside color commentators, former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan. Din Thomas will also contribute to the broadcast as a coach-analyst.
