Ilia Topuria recently stated that he would have preferred not to face Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. The original plan for `El Matador` was to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship on June 28.
However, Makhachev, a protégé of Khabib Nurmagomedov, vacated his 155-pound belt and moved up to welterweight for a bout against the new division kingpin, Jack Della Maddalena, who had defeated Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 just days before. Consequently, Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira are now scheduled to compete for the newly vacant lightweight title next month.
Topuria Pledges Gentle Approach Against Oliveira
Topuria openly admitted his admiration for his upcoming opponent, respecting him both as an athlete and a person. The 28-year-old fighter expressed regret about having to inflict damage upon Oliveira during their UFC 317 clash.
Speaking on Thursday, Topuria thanked Oliveira for accepting the fight, implying it was something Islam Makhachev avoided and that Oliveira would “pay the price” for Makhachev`s actions. He concluded by stating, “Honestly, I feel really sorry for Charles, but at the end of the day, it’s my job.”
While Topuria had previously predicted a submission victory over Makhachev, he was less precise regarding his planned method of victory against Oliveira. However, the former featherweight champion confidently asserted he would finish `Do Bronx` using the method that would cause the least pain.
He elaborated when asked about his prediction for the UFC 317 win method, “I don’t know… With Oliveira, the truth is, whatever is least painful for him, that’s what I’ll do because I like him a lot.”
Jean Silva Offers Sparring Assistance to Charles Oliveira
Featherweight prospect Jean Silva expressed confidence that he could aid Oliveira in preparing for his upcoming bout. Silva offered his services to mimic Ilia Topuria`s fighting style during sparring sessions leading up to UFC 317.
In an interview, Silva publicly offered his help, stating he is available as a sparring partner for Oliveira. He highlighted that he is the same size as Topuria and confidently claimed he could perfectly mimic Topuria`s style, even his facial expressions, for training purposes.
