Charles Oliveira, a formidable former champion, will be Ilia Topuria`s initial challenge in the lightweight division.
As Islam Makhachev has relinquished the lightweight title, Topuria is set to compete for the 155-pound championship against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28.
Even if not considered the sport`s top pound-for-pound fighter, Oliveira represents a significant challenge for Topuria upon his entry into the weight class.
`Do Bronx` has risen to become a widely popular fighter within the organization, known for his impressive tenure as champion.
Consequently, it`s understandable that fellow competitors are volunteering to assist Oliveira in preparing to potentially upset Topuria during International Fight Week.
Featherweight Contender Jean Silva Offers Sparring Help to Charles Oliveira for UFC 317
Jean Silva has extended an offer to train alongside Charles Oliveira in anticipation of UFC 317, proposing to mimic Ilia Topuria`s fighting style during sparring.
Recently, Silva has emerged as a prominent rising talent in the UFC, currently holding the #11 spot in the featherweight rankings.
Representing `The Fighting Nerds,` Silva has demonstrated capabilities as both a dangerous striker and a skilled submission specialist, highlighted by notable victories.
Speaking to Ag Fight, Silva offered assistance to `Do Bronx,` suggesting he could serve as a training partner capable of closely imitating `El Matador` if Oliveira requires such preparation.
Finding someone to replicate Topuria`s approach can be challenging, but even if not a perfect match, Oliveira would benefit significantly from having Silva in his training camp.
Silva quoted:
“I`m available; I`m the same size as Topuria. If Charles wants to use me as a sparring partner for his training, I`m here. I know how to imitate Topuria perfectly; I even know his facial expressions.”
Jean Silva Predicts Charles Oliveira`s Performance Against Ilia Topuria Based on Chandler Fight
Jean Silva also shared his forecast for the UFC 317 main event, a fight anticipated by many fans to be highly engaging for its duration.
Both Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira are renowned as top finishers in the UFC roster. A key distinction is that `Do Bronx` has experienced significant defeats previously, while `El Matador` remains undefeated.
While the former lightweight champion, Oliveira, poses diverse threats to Topuria, many speculate that the power demonstrated by the former featherweight king, Topuria, could prove too much.
Based on Oliveira`s dominant performance against Michael Chandler at UFC 309 last November, Jean Silva is confident that a similar outcome could occur on June 28, provided the Brazilian fighter performs at the same level.
Silva stated:
“If we see the same Charles who fought his last fight, it’s going to be insane. If he comes with the same approach, Charles will run over Topuria.”
