“I believe in the fire and power of these hands I have, so let’s wait and meet on June 28,” Charles Oliveira stated in his Full Violence interview, fully confident that his hands would be just as formidable against Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 as they were against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274. The Georgian-Spaniard has taken multiple shots at him leading up to their International Fight Week showdown. Because of that, ‘Do Bronx’ will be gunning for a knockout—but that’s not all he’ll be pushing for.

Charles Oliveira has been one of the most decorated champs the UFC’s lightweight division has ever seen. What’s stood out in his journey is that relentless drive to get the belt. But, it hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride. He’s had his fair share of setbacks. That loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280? That one stung. It crushed his hopes of getting the belt back. And ever since, he’s been hovering close—but closing that final gap? That’s been a whole different kind of challenge.

But after beating Michael Chandler at UFC 309, Charles Oliveira made one thing crystal clear—he only had eyes on the title. That was the next stop, no question about it. Around that time, Ilia Topuria’s name started floating around too, as the next best option if Makhachev wasn’t available. That sparked some talk, even accusations, that Oliveira was ducking ‘El Matador.’ He shut that down quickly during an interview with Portal do Vale Tudo, saying, “I’m looking for the title. I don’t run away from anyone, I never have.”

Now, with a showdown against Ilia Topuria set for UFC 318—the promotion’s biggest event of the year—Oliveira has the chance to kill two birds with one stone. Silence ‘El Matador’s trash talk and walk out with the vacant lightweight championship. And when the promotion dropped the official fight poster, ‘Do Bronx’ hopped on Twitter and kept it simple, by writing “Gold.” 

However, that’s not just a word he posted on X. It reflects the grit and hard work the Brazilian has been putting in to reclaim what he lost in 2022. It’s been a long three-year chase that might finally come to fruition on June 28th inside the T-Mobile Arena. But he’ll be up against the undefeated force of Ilia Topuria, who’s coming off two legendary knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, back to back.

With only a month to go, predictions are already flying in, many are picking Ilia Topuria to win, and he’s even a -305 favorite according to SportsBetting.ag. But for former bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley, it’s not that simple. Just like the fans, he’s stuck in a bit of a dilemma.

Sean O’Malley had trouble picking between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira

Sean O’Malley is gearing up for his shot at redemption in a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316. But as a sharp observer of the game, he’s also been keeping a close eye on the stellar lightweight headliner between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. It’s one of those matchups where picking a winner isn’t easy, and for ‘Suga,’ it’s a battle between the head and the heart.

During a podcast with Israel Adesanya, O’Malley said, “Ilia vs. Charles — heart says Charles, my brain says Ilia, but you can’t count either of those guys out.” And honestly, that pretty much sums up how every fan feels right now. Both are absolute fan-favorite legacy fighters, and picking between them is like choosing your favorite chocolates or snacks. 

Both guys are powerful and have solid ground games, though Topuria comes from a Greco-Roman wrestling background, while Oliveira is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu master. They’ve got serious knockout power but could also take it five rounds in a technical war, even if that feels unlikely with how they both fight. So, while the Georgian-Spaniard might have the edge in the early odds, the actual matchup feels a lot closer than the numbers suggest.

With that being said, who’s your pick to win the UFC 317 main event? Do you see Ilia Topuria walking away with a brand-new belt? Or does Charles Oliveira reclaim the glory he’s been chasing for years? Drop your thoughts in the comments.