The UFC 317 is stacked, headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira in the main event on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The lightweight title fight matches Topuria (16-0), a former featherweight champion with eight UFC wins. His challenger, Charles Oliveira, is a seasoned former lightweight champion (35-10). UFC is one of the biggest events and all the fights can be bet on and fans are able to Bet on UFC 317 at Stake’s sportsbook, where they provide competitive odds on all bouts, along with promotions such as split-decision insurance and free live streams.
Along with the headliner, analysts point to a number of key matchups outside of the main event. In the co-feature, flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja puts his belt on the line against Kai Kara-France. Pantoja holds a seven-fight winning streak and earned four performance bonuses in his last six bouts. He’s the betting favorite and ought to dictate this one. Kara-France is a promising prospect with three consecutive KO victories, but he has lost three of his past seven bouts.
Beneath the top two title bouts are some other interesting fights: lightweight prospects Renato Moicano vs. Beneil Dariush, middleweight Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov, and middleweights Jack Hermansson vs. Gregory Rodrigues, and a women’s flyweight fight Viviane Araújo vs. Tracy Cortez.
Main Event: Topuria vs Oliveira
Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira battle for the UFC lightweight championship. In a preview of this championship match, analysts note Topuria’s unbeatable rise in the featherweight ranks, as he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway and was declared the 2024 Fighter of the Year.
Many note that Topuria’s knockout power over opponents makes him the betting favorite. Recently, former UFC titleholder Michael Bisping said he’s leaning towards Ilia Topuria, pointing to Topuria’s increased weight and power as positives. Indeed, Topuria’s strength, wrestling, and increased cardio have been receiving much acclaim.
Oliveira, on the other hand, has been among the best lightweights for years. He’s lethal and submitted elite-level fighters such as Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, but experts warn he is not untouchable. Analysis shows Oliveira has a high finish rate but was knocked down in some of his recent fights. Most anticipate the bout to be competitive: Topuria will attempt to utilize power and speed to execute his game plan, and Oliveira will attempt to get Topuria into grappling exchanges.
Based on the current odds, Topuria is a big favorite to emerge victorious, with Oliveira as a big underdog. Most experts, Bisping included, foresee Topuria’s momentum propelling him to victory, extending his undefeated streak. However, Oliveira’s experience and finishing skills are such that this could be a very exciting fight.
Co-Main Event: Pantoja vs Kara-France
The co-main event sees flyweight titleholder Alexandre Pantoja defending his belt against Kai Kara-France. Pantoja has “all but cleared out the entire flyweight division,” says the official preview. He’s riding a dominant title defense (second-round submission of Kai Asakura) and has never been finished in 34 professional bouts. Stake’s preview has Pantoja as the betting favorite, based on his durability, grappling ability, and recent performance bonuses. Flyweight Kara-France possesses devastating striking; he boasts three Round 1 knockout victories, but has also been inconsistent versus top-level competition.
In this fight, Pantoja’s skill level ought to be the deciding factor. Predictive odds suggest that, as of the latest reports, he’s the favorite. Neutral observers have a tendency to see Pantoja retaining the title. In brief, experts predict the champion will continue his streak, though Kara-France will challenge him with strikes.
Alexandre Pantoja Exclusive UFC 317 Interview
In the Alexandre Pantoja Exclusive UFC 317 Interview with Stake.com, the flyweight titleholder discussed his training and mindset as he prepares for UFC 317. Pantoja said strength training has provided him with “extra power.” He explained that he is lean, has little to no fat and is super strong. He credited his conditioning coach for strengthening him and said being capable of rehabbing an ACL injury made him even stronger.
Pantoja believes his new strength assists him in takedown defense and in being capable of competing at full intensity. He also discussed his camp with Brazilian coach Marcos Da Matta, referring to Da Matta as the mastermind: Da Matta gets the best out of Pantoja by considering every detail.
Talking about his opponent, Kai Kara-France, Pantoja recognized their 2016 bout, which was won by Pantoja, and pointed out a key difference now: Kara-France is a father of two. He explained that Kara-France having children is important because now he fights for someone other than himself. Pantoja politely praised Kara-France’s right hand, but said he has faith in his own chin and training; he admitted he has an “unbelievable chin” from taking a lot of punches, but that his coaches have tightened up his defense.
Finally, Pantoja discussed the impact American Top Team (ATT) has had on his career. He called the move to ATT a turning point; he referred to ATT as a safe zone where he could achieve maximum potential. “If I wasn’t at ATT,” said Pantoja, “I was never going to get this belt.” He feels that the ATT training and veteran coaches took him from a fighter to a champion-level athlete.
UFC 317 Importance for the Lightweight Division
The UFC’s lightweight division is perhaps the most talented and deepest weight class in mixed martial arts and UFC 317 has the potential to significantly alter it. With Ilia Topuria now moving up in weight and already challenging for the title, the event represents a potential changing of the guard for the division.
A victory for Topuria not only makes him a two-division champion, the most uncommon of feats, but positions him for fights against the likes of Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier, or Arman Tsarukyan. The UFC has a tendency to reward impressive performances with accelerated matchmaking, and Topuria’s unblemished record positions him as a natural promotional priority. With an impressive win over Oliveira, he may well jump the queue in the rankings and establish himself as a long-term face of the lightweight division.
For Charles Oliveira, UFC 317 is a chance at redemption. Following a brilliant title run at lightweight, which saw him finish Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, Oliveira lost to Makhachev and now seeks to regain momentum. A victory over an unbeaten challenger such as Topuria would resuscitate Oliveira’s championship aspirations and demonstrate that he is not done yet at the highest level.
The outcome of this fight won’t only crown the champion but also determine the title picture going ahead. The UFC matchmakers usually utilize big-name pay-per-views such as this to establish storylines for upcoming cards.
Rising Stars to Watch
While the headliner and co-headliner at UFC 317 dominate the headlines, this card also includes several up-and-coming stars who have the chance to compete on the world stage. Possibly the most promising prospect is Jhonata Diniz, a heavyweight with limitless potential. A heavy hitter with knockout power, Diniz is viewed by many insiders as the future star of the UFC’s heavyweight division.
If he can overcome Justin Tafa, Diniz might find himself accelerated into fights against top-15 competition. UFC president Dana White has said in the past that the organization is always searching for the next heavyweight superstar, and Diniz might be the blueprint.
Another name to watch out for is Tracy Cortez at women’s flyweight. Holding an 11-2 professional record and getting an increasing number of fans, Cortez has both skill and marketability. The bout with Viviane Araújo will be her toughest task yet, and a win could see her in the top-10 mix. Cortez has built a balanced game, blending wrestling and striking to great results, and she fights out of a first-rate camp that is continually sharpening her arsenal. With the UFC looking to put fresh challengers in each weight class, a dominant effort from Cortez ought to earn her a ranked foe next time around.
The flyweight clash between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van has fight-of-the-night potential in its favor. Both men are dynamic, wild cards, and have multiple avenues to finish a fight. Royval, a former title challenger, is looking to get back on track after some recent setbacks, and Joshua Van is looking to insert himself into title contention with a victory. UFC 317, as title-focused as it is, is also a testing ground for the promise of MMA’s future stars.
Expert Predictions
Expert UFC picks and predictions are heavily in favor of the champions. Topuria’s advantages are what position him as the favorite against Oliveira, according to the majority of experts. Former UFC champion Michael Bisping, for instance, has already selected Topuria as the winner, pointing to Topuria’s increased strength, wrestling, and superior cardio at lightweight.
Bisping broke it down that Topuria appears to be stronger going up, with the ability to strike harder and absorb punches better. In line with tradition, bookmakers have Topuria as a huge favorite (approximately 395). Not many experts have chosen Oliveira to cause the upset, considering Topuria’s 16-0 record and win against top-level featherweights.
At flyweight, bettors also predict a Pantoja victory. The champion sits at circa 258 vs +210 for Kara-France. Stake’s own blog (i.e., their UFC tips and predictions page) provides fight-by-fight analysis and mostly concurs that the champion should emerge victorious.
Outside of Stake, the MMA media is still debating and considering different angles. Due to Pantoja’s well-rounded game (submission grappling as well as solid striking), most experts have him outlasting Kara-France. Undercard fights are less of a consensus, though favorites include Moicano vs Dariush (Moicano -166 vs +140), Kopylov vs Costa, and Cortez vs Araújo.
Betting on UFC 317
For those gamblers inclined to put down a bet on this massive fight week card, Stake.com has plenty of betting opportunities. As they explain on their website, Stake is an official UFC partner and offers the best UFC betting odds and free live streams of all the fights. It’s easy to bet: sign in to your Stake account, navigate to UFC 317 via the sports menu, and pick from moneyline (match winner) bets, round bets, method-of-victory bets, and others. All the UFC 317 bouts are available on the Stake sportsbook, so UFC 317 betting is directly accessible via their MMA section.
Stake also provides useful guides and promotions for UFC bets. For instance, their split decision insurance can payout for losing wagers on close battles, and frequent bettors can become a part of the VIP Club for extra benefits. In short, if you are an MMA wagering seasoned veteran or a newcomer, Stake’s website is designed to ensure that UFC 317 betting is simple and enjoyable, with solid odds and bonus offerings to enhance the excitement.
