Overview

• Ilia Topuria stopped Charles Oliveira with a first-round knockout to claim the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 317.
• Alexandre Pantoja retained his flyweight crown by submitting Kai Kara-France with a rear-naked choke in the third round for his fourth consecutive defense.
• Joshua Van answered a three-week call-up by defeating Brandon Royval via unanimous decision, extending his win streak to five despite competing with a broken big toe.
• The UFC’s designated challenger system officially positioned Van as the underdog challenger for Pantoja’s flyweight belt following their post-fight face-off.
• Fan criticism of a 30-27 scorecard in the Van-Royval bout has reignited concerns over judging consistency in high-profile UFC fights.