Ilia Topuria receives stern warning from lightweight rival before UFC 317

Ilia Topuria’s recent comments ahead of UFC 317 didn’t sit well with the official backup fighter for the night’s main event.

Set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV as part of the UFC’s International Fight Week, UFC 317 is headlined by a massive fight for the promotion’s vacant lightweight belt between Topuria and the division’s former titleholder Charles Oliveira.

The matchup came together after Topuria vacated his featherweight belt and Islam Makhachev followed suit ahead of a move up to the welterweight division, where Makhachev will presumably be the first challenger for newly-crowned welterweight king Jack Della Maddalena.

Ilia Topuria celebrates his championship victory against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Arman Tsarukyan Sends Warning Before UFC 317

Makhachev’s final lightweight title defense was a short-notice fight with Renato Moicano at UFC 311, which only came about the day before the event when Arman Tsarukyan was forced to miss out on his title shot due to a back injury.

Tsarukyan is in Las Vegas this week to serve as the official backup fighter for the UFC 317 main event after pulling out of his rematch with Makhachev, and the 28-year-old didn’t take kindly to Topuria’s recent suggestion that he’d made a “bad decision” signing on as the backup option.

You better pray nothing happens to Charles, because I’m the worst possible matchup for you in this division. There’s a reason you’re fighting the guy I already beat, and not me, for that belt. https://t.co/qXS0lImDya
— Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) June 24, 2025

“You better pray nothing happens to Charles, because I’m the worst possible matchup for you in this division. There’s a reason you’re fighting the guy I already beat, and not me, for that belt.”

A New Era For The UFC Lightweight Division

Tsarukyan solidified himself as the lightweight division’s #1 contender when he bested Oliveira by split decision at UFC 300, but after pulling out of UFC 311 the Armenian was told by Dana White that he’d have to work his way back to a title shot.

Arman Tsarukyan (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Charles Oliveira (red gloves) during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oliveira is currently the promotion’s #2-ranked lightweight contender after he bested Michael Chandler in their rematch at UFC 309. This weekend he’ll try to achieve the rare feat of becoming a two-time UFC champion after he lost the lightweight belt on the scale before UFC 274 and then was submitted by Makhachev in his next outing.

Islam Makhachev (red gloves) reacts after defeating Renato Moicano (not pictured) in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Either Topuria or Oliveira will usher in a new lightweight era on Saturday night as long as Tsarukyan’s services as backup fighter aren’t called upon, but it seems as if the shadow of Makhachev will still loom large over the division given the latter two fighters' history with him and Topuria’s well-documented desire to fight the UFC’s pound-for-pound king.

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