While drawing comparisons between any fighter and an all-time great like Muhammad Ali is delicate, Dana White admitted it was hard to avoid after Ilia Topuria delivered a truly star-making performance at UFC 317, living up to his bold predictions.
Before his bout with Charles Oliveira on Saturday night, Topuria confidently stated he would secure a brutal first-round knockout to capture the vacant lightweight title, following Islam Makhachev`s departure from the division. Astonishingly, this is precisely how the fight unfolded. Topuria landed a massive right hook that visibly hurt Oliveira, and then followed up with a left hand to decisively finish the former champion.
Topuria was already on a rapid ascent, having secured similar dominant victories over established featherweight icons like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. However, even White was taken aback by Topuria`s ability to not only predict but also execute the quick finish against Oliveira.
“If you look at what he’s accomplished in his last three fights, tonight was like his big coming out party,” White commented at the UFC 317 post-fight press conference. “Moved up to win another title and did it in spectacular fashion.”
“Like some [Muhammad] Ali shit saying ‘I’m going to knock him out in the first round’ and viciously knocks him out in the first round. I think tonight was his big night. We have a star on our hands.”
Even prior to this recent victory, Topuria was already being considered as a potential new figurehead for the UFC, a role the promotion has needed to fill as previous massive draws such as Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and now even Jon Jones have moved away from active competition.
The UFC continues to be a massive revenue generator, and with a significant new broadcast rights deal on the horizon, the year 2026 is shaping up to be potentially the biggest yet for the organization.
In this context, Topuria provides the UFC with an incredibly valuable asset: an undefeated, highly marketable champion with a thrilling, fan-friendly fighting style that makes him an attractive draw for ticket sales and pay-per-views.
“He did exactly what he said he’s going to do,” White stated admiringly about Topuria. “He is an absolute complete fighter. His standup is beautiful, ground, grappling, everything. This kid’s a star.”
“There’s no doubt about it. You obviously felt the energy in the building tonight. It was a big fight. Again, to go in and say exactly what you’re going to do and then do it in the way that he did it, is impressive.”
