UFC 317 is now complete, marking a historic night where Ilia Topuria successfully transitioned to the lightweight division. He achieved this with remarkable success, knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round to secure his place as only the 10th fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes. This victory caps a truly legendary streak of three consecutive championship wins for Topuria. The question is, just how legendary *is* this current run?
We brought together the collective expertise of the MMA Fighting team to delve into the significance of Topuria`s current streak, analyze Alexandre Pantoja`s impressive fourth title defense and ongoing rise, and cover other major talking points from UFC 317.
Martin: Exactly what the UFC desperately needed. Looking at the pay-per-view results earlier in 2025, there hasn`t been much to excite fans or build new stars. While Merab Dvalishvili and Jack Della Maddalena provided some highlights, from top to bottom, UFC 317 delivered massively like no other event this year. Simply bravo.
Lee: It might have seemed underwhelming on paper, but UFC 317 proved to be a wonderfully entertaining event with significant, lasting implications for both the lightweight and flyweight divisions. As the great Dan Tom might suggest, perhaps stacking your card with elite fighters at 155 pounds and below is a winning strategy?
Heck: Without question, the best card of 2025 so far. We`ll be reflecting on this event for a considerable time, and several year-end awards will likely hinge on what transpired on Saturday night.
Meshew: Thrilling. Captivating. Extraordinary. Exceptionally good fun.
Meshew: Considering just a three-fight sequence, this one is definitely ranked highly. By my assessment, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway are easily among the top 10 fighters of all time, and Charles Oliveira belongs in the top 25. This means Topuria has now secured knockout victories over three all-time greats, admittedly slightly past their absolute prime, in three consecutive fights. Notably, he is the *first* fighter ever to knock out Max Holloway. While there might be other runs that are equally impressive, I genuinely don`t believe we`ve witnessed anything *more* impressive than this.
Martin: Given the caliber of opposition he`s faced and how utterly he has dismantled them, he`s certainly in that conversation. His recent three-fight stretch includes knockouts of two of the three greatest featherweights ever, Volkanovski and Holloway. Then he steps up and demolishes Oliveira, a fighter who hadn`t been knocked out in nearly six years! That level of performance is incredibly remarkable. The only comparable figure challenging Topuria`s claim is potentially Jon Jones after his dominant wins over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans in quick succession. Defeating four former champions back-to-back is pretty unparalleled.
Lee: I`m inclined to agree and give it to him. Every time I find myself writing about Topuria, I like to recap his current trajectory, and it consistently sounds unbelievable, no matter how many times I type it out: He`s the only fighter to defeat Volkanovski at 145 pounds, and the sole fighter in history to knock out Holloway. Now, add a first-round finish of a top 10 all-time lightweight like Oliveira? It`s simply the best run ever witnessed.
Heck: Honestly, it`s becoming exceedingly difficult to argue against this claim. Topuria possesses a rare quality in this sport. Naturally, many fighters have achieved great streaks, demonstrated limitless potential, high ceilings, or undeniable talent. But very few in the sport`s history truly earn the label “special,” and Topuria has definitively joined that exclusive list. While I still regard Jon Jones` run following his DQ loss to Matt Hamill, through winning the light heavyweight title, and extending up to the first Alexander Gustafsson fight, as the benchmark, Topuria has significantly narrowed the gap. I believe “El Matador” currently holds the No. 2 spot, and he is far from finished. I`m confident Jones` record won`t stand unchallenged for much longer.
Heck: A stark reminder that while the UFC might lack mainstream *superstars*, their roster is absolutely stacked with *exceptional* fighters. The fact that I currently rank Alexandre Pantoja as high as No. 5 on my pound-for-pound list speaks volumes about the sheer talent level right now – from Islam Makhachev, to Topuria, Merab Dvalishvili, Dricus du Plessis, Pantoja, Tom Aspinall, and the list goes on. Fans should truly appreciate this era where the pound-for-pound debate features five or six fighters with a legitimate claim, and Pantoja is undeniably part of that discussion. Pantoja stands as the second-greatest flyweight of all time and might just be the sport`s best fighter *right now*. How good is he? Phenomenally good!
Meshew: He`s so much better than many people realize or acknowledge. I understand that in the immediate aftermath of UFC 317, people will argue that Topuria is the best fighter on the planet – and they might well be correct – but I`m increasingly leaning towards the idea that Alexandre Pantoja actually holds that distinction. Pantoja has conquered eight consecutive ranked opponents, finishing four of them. Furthermore, if we trace back to *The Ultimate Fighter 24*, he boasts a total of 11 victories over ranked contenders. He has defeated the flyweights ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 6, No. 7, No. 9, and No. 14. Pantoja has definitively cleared out his division in a manner unmatched by any other current champion, and he is now poised to take on the next wave of contenders. On top of these achievements, Pantoja on Saturday became just the 21st champion in UFC history to record four or more title defenses. He is also only the second fighter to break the notorious “35-plus curse” (a perceived difficulty for fighters over 35 to win or defend titles), following Volkanovski`s victory earlier this year (which came with some debate). It`s high time we give “Pants” the respect he has earned.
Martin: He is unquestionably amazing, but I`m not entirely convinced UFC 317 revealed anything about Pantoja that we didn`t already know. To be frank, Kai Kara-France didn`t really have a strong case to be in there with him, coming off just a single win, and now holds a 1-3 record in his last four outings. That hardly represents top-tier competition. Of course, this isn`t Pantoja`s fault at all, as he has already thoroughly dominated the best available fighters at 125 pounds. For all the expectations placed on Muhammad Mokaev to evolve into a top flyweight contender, it increasingly looks like Joshua Van will be the one to provide new blood and a genuinely fresh challenge for Pantoja when their paths eventually cross.
Lee: He`s so good that I genuinely believe he would pose a significant challenge to prime Demetrious Johnson. Yes, I said it. While Pantoja is unlikely to stay around long enough to surpass Johnson`s record reign atop the flyweight division, when you compare the quality of their opponents, Pantoja stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the all-time greats. Would Johnson have accumulated nearly a dozen title defenses if he had to navigate opponents like Brandon Moreno, Brandon Royval, or Manel Kape consistently? Probably, but those fighters represent the standouts of what I consider a stronger, healthier flyweight roster than the one Johnson primarily faced (though I maintain that many of Johnson`s past opponents are often underestimated). Beyond his impressive resume, Pantoja is simply incredibly exciting to watch because he consistently fights his fight, regardless of the situation. This relentless approach might eventually cost him, but for now, let`s all savor the spectacle.
Lee: It feels strange labeling a fighter who just improved his record to 11-0 as a “loser,” but Jacobe Smith… what exactly was that performance, my man? I appreciate a good troll as much as the next person, and I`ll confess, the third instance of Smith nonsensically yelling “JOE ROGAN” at the top of his lungs did make me chuckle. However, the bit dragged on far too long, he failed to say anything meaningful during his microphone time, and crucially, the Las Vegas crowd was clearly *not* reciprocating his energy. Smith went from being promoted as the biggest betting favorite in UFC history to appearing like a rambling eccentric within the span of two minutes. Time to go back to the drawing board.
Heck: I`m casting my vote for “Hokey Pokey” Herb Dean, because, ladies and gentlemen, this referee continues to show regression in his performance and is genuinely going to get someone seriously injured, or something even worse. Dean was the referee for the featured preliminary bout between Jack Hermansson and Gregory Rodrigues. “Robocop” landed a monstrous punch that sent Hermansson`s consciousness to another dimension, his head slamming into the canvas with full force and his entire body becoming rigid. Dean ran towards them and seemingly yelled at Rodrigues to stop, but he failed to take any definitive action to intervene, which resulted in Rodrigues landing a brutal, and absolutely unnecessary, follow-up strike. Let me be unequivocally clear: Rodrigues bears ZERO blame for this. The responsibility rests entirely on Dean, who, once again, failed to step in decisively and make the call. Hermansson was lying unconscious on the mat for what felt like an eternity. Perhaps if Dean had intervened quickly enough, that follow-up shot wouldn`t have landed, and maybe Hermansson still would have been unconscious for the same duration. That might be the case. But the fact that we can never know the answer to that question drives me absolutely insane. I`ve been calling Dean “Hokey Pokey Herb” for almost five years now, and his performance is only deteriorating.
Meshew: Charles Oliveira. Don`t misunderstand me, “do Bronx” is already destined to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but that defeat effectively extinguished his immediate title aspirations. Moreover, the brutal manner of the loss may have lasting repercussions on his career trajectory. Oliveira is 35 years old and just absorbed one of the most devastating losses of his entire career. I`m uncertain how he will rebound from this, but however he does, it won`t be for an extended period, and he will likely never reach these career highs again.
Martin: Pretty much everyone in the lightweight division, except maybe Paddy Pimblett. Topuria`s coronation as champion injected significant excitement into what is historically the sport`s strongest division. There were certainly legitimate challenges awaiting him from contenders like Arman Tsarukyan and Justin Gaethje. However, neither of those fighters is likely to receive the next title shot, thanks to the very real, brewing rivalry between Topuria and Pimblett. The UFC would be absolutely crazy *not* to book that fight next, given the intense heat generated between Topuria and Pimblett. This means Gaethje will either need to fight again or potentially follow through on his previous suggestion of retiring. Tsarukyan emerges as the real loser here, as weighing in as the backup fighter for UFC 317 ultimately guaranteed him nothing, and he is now clearly positioned behind Pimblett in the hierarchy of most probable challengers to Topuria`s reign.
Martin: It`s the most obvious answer, but it`s the correct one – Joshua Van. What an absolutely unbelievable story for this young man. He fought and defeated Bruno Silva just a few weeks prior (at UFC 316, where he apparently broke his toe), yet he didn`t hesitate for a second when the UFC called with an offer to face Brandon Royval at UFC 317. Simply accepting the opportunity already demonstrated Van`s fearless “gangster” mentality, but the fact that he went in there and delivered a potential “Fight of the Year” candidate while defeating Royval is truly astonishing. At just 23 years old, Van now has the potential to become one of the youngest champions in UFC history – assuming everything aligns and he challenges Pantoja next. His story is still very much unfolding; in fact, we might only be witnessing the opening chapter of Van`s remarkable career.
Lee: Terrance McKinney, you remain an absolute force of nature, as always. There are few certainties in combat sports, but one reliable truth is that a McKinney fight will not extend beyond the halfway point of the second round, and it`s highly, highly probable that it won`t even reach the end of the first round. Indeed, there`s a significant chance the fight won`t even last a full *minute*. “T. Wrecks” was true to form on Saturday, securing a quick takedown against Viacheslav Borshchev and immediately pursuing choke submissions. Borshchev tapped out in less than 60 seconds. I have no idea, nor do I particularly care, if McKinney ever accumulates a win streak long enough to contend for a title. What I *do* know is that this man absolutely needs to have 50 UFC fights before his career concludes… health permitting, of course.
Heck: While Royval and Van are the obvious choices, I want to shine a light on the hidden gem of UFC 317 – Jose Miguel Delgado. Delgado stepped into the octagon on Saturday night against a capable and dangerous opponent in Hyder Amil and essentially threw himself into the absolute chaos of the fight. Twenty-six seconds later, the bout was over, Delgado had secured the biggest victory of his career, and yet, virtually no one remembers it happened amidst everything else. No bonus awarded, no mentions in post-fight discussions, not even ranking among the top five to seven talking points of the event. If Delgado were Khalil Rountree Jr., UFC 317`s main story would be equivalent to Jon Jones suddenly retiring. It was a damn good performance and finish that regrettably got lost in the shuffle. But I haven`t forgotten you, Jose.
Meshew: How quickly perspectives shift in this sport. I`m old enough to recall when Payton Talbott was widely considered one of the sport`s top prospects (which was only about six months ago). And just last week, people were writing him off, claiming his matchup was poor and ill-conceived. After all, his opponent, Lima, was now seen as the preferred prospect, and Talbott was supposedly being sacrificed. Well, guess again. Talbott performed exactly as you`d hope an elite prospect would after a loss – like a fighter who dedicated time to learning from the defeat and improving significantly. Talbott`s defensive wrestling was noticeably sharper, his grappling transitions were smooth and refined, and his striking appeared fundamentally sound and highly effective. Not only did he demonstrate these improvements, but he also clearly executed a well-designed game plan effectively. A great many impressive things transpired on Saturday night, so Talbott`s performance might not grab major headlines, but he served a clear reminder to the world that he represents the future of the bantamweight division, and that we shouldn`t prematurely abandon hope for fighters who experience a stumble.
