Ilia Topuria Clears Controversial Weigh-In Hiccup Ahead of UFC 317 Title Clash with Charles Oliveira

UFC 317's main event between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira is officially on, but not without a strange moment during the weigh-ins that nearly cast doubt on the lightweight title fight. Topuria, returning to the lightweight division after reigning at featherweight, encountered a brief scare when Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Jeff Mullen mistakenly announced his weight as 155.5 pounds, putting him over the championship limit.

Topuria, the first fighter to step on the scale Friday morning, appeared confident as he weighed in. He even flexed for cameras after what he believed was a successful cut. However, confusion briefly struck when Mullen initially declared the fighter’s weight half a pound too heavy for a title bout. Topuria was immediately asked not to leave the scale. Mullen then re-checked the measurement, adjusted the scale, and clarified the situation, stating:

“155, I misspoke.”

With the error corrected, the official weight was confirmed at 155 pounds, making Topuria eligible for the lightweight title. His opponent, former champion Charles Oliveira, weighed in just under the limit at 154.5 pounds, finalizing the much-anticipated main event. The two fighters are set to battle for the vacant UFC lightweight title, as Islam Makhachev, the previous champion and pound-for-pound king, moves up to welterweight to face Jack Della Maddalena.

Also weighing in successfully was Arman Tsarukyan, who hit the mark at 155 pounds as the backup for the main event, ready to step in should anything go awry.

In the co-main event, UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja and challenger Kai Kara-France both made the 125-pound limit, confirming their championship fight. The two top flyweights will go toe-to-toe for divisional supremacy after recent strong showings in the octagon.

The rest of the UFC 317 fight card remained intact with all main card fighters making weight, including a high-stakes flyweight clash between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van (both at 125.5), and a lightweight bout featuring Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano, who each weighed in at the maximum of 156 pounds for a non-title matchup. Payton Talbott (136) and Felipe Lima (135.5) also made weight for their bantamweight bout.

On the preliminary card, middleweights Jack Hermansson (185.5) and Gregory Rodrigues (186) were on point, as were featherweights Hyder Amil and Jose Miguel Delgado at 145.5 pounds each. The women’s flyweight matchup between Viviane Araujo (125.5) and Tracy Cortez (126) also moves forward as planned, along with the lightweight fight between Terrance McKinney (156) and Viacheslav Borshchev (155).

The early prelims feature Niko Price and Jacobe Smith, both at 170.5 pounds, while heavyweights Jhonata Diniz (257.5) and Alvin Hines (259.5) round out the card.

One bout, however, was removed from the lineup. The middleweight contest between Christopher Ewert and Jackson McVey was canceled after Ewert, who took the fight on short notice to replace Sedriques Dumas, experienced weight-cutting complications and was withdrawn by officials before weigh-ins began.

Despite the weigh-in hiccup, UFC 317 remains a stacked event with title implications and high-stakes matchups across multiple divisions.