Charles Oliveira fancies power edge in UFC 317 fight with Ilia Topuria: ‘I hit harder than him, for sure’

Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has claimed he has what it takes to stop incoming foe, Ilia Topuria in their title showdown at UFC 317 at the end of this month. And believes when it comes to the power equation of the pairing, he holds a trump card.

Oliveira, a decorated submission ace, holds the record for most victories via that method in the Octagon, as well as the record for the most outright finishes in the antiquity of the UFC.

And headlining UFC 317 at the end of this month during International Fight Week, Oliveira will vie for the vacant lightweight crown for the second time in his tenure as he draws the unbeaten ex-featherweight kingpin, Topuria.

Sidelined since November of last year, the Sao Paulo native co-headlined at Madison Square Garden, racking up a second career win over Michael Chandler with a unanimous decision win at UFC 309.

And attempting to hand Topuria his first professional loss in the Spaniard’s bid to win a second Octagon crown, Oliveira remains supremely confident of minting himself as champion for the second time at 155lbs.

Predicting a knock out win over the heavy-handed Topuria this month, Oliveira believes he has exactly what it takes to drop and stop the former featherweight titleholder.

“It’s a great fight, he’s a great fighter,” Charles Oliveira said of his pairing with Ilia Topuria in a recent clip shared by Full Violence on social media. “But I don’t need to prove anything to anyone about who I am. This fight came at a huge opportunity. I will knock out this guy. That’s for real.”

Charles Oliveira fancies chances of KOing Ilia Topuria

And this week, to boot, when it comes to flattening Topuria with one punch — Oliveira believes his hands are far more heavier than thatof the former.

“He (Topuria) is coming from featherweight, so he has to respect the lightweights,” Charles Oliveira told Full Violence. “[I hit harder than Ilia] for sure.”