With UFC 317 on the horizon, Charles Oliveira is all set to face Ilia Topuria for the vacant lightweight title.  The Brazilian veteran knows the narrative—Topuria is younger, faster, and riding a surge of momentum. However, Beneil Dariush, during a recent interview, pointed out the biggest threat for ‘Do Bronx’ walking into the fight. It’s the ground game of the former featherweight champion. The 28-year-old is known for his outstanding striking skills, which he has displayed many times in the past.

But ‘Benny’ feels Topuria’s ground game is just as good as his striking. Well, as a fighter, when you take on Charles Oliveira, there’s no way you can escape his pressure on the ground. For the unversed, the Brazilian fighter holds the record for the most submission wins in UFC history with 16, along with the most finishes in the organization, at 20. All these records might be enough to rattle anyone. However, Dariush feels ‘El Matador’ has a fantastic ground game which might surprise many, including the former champion. He sat down for a chat on the ‘Submission Radio’ show and gave some insights about the clash.

The 36-year-old fighter said, “I know Ilia’s Jiu-Jitsu is very good because when he fought Ryan Hall, I believe right? He fought him and he did really well. Even if you know the fight was on the ground or he was throwing ground and pound, he did fine. The fact that he was able to stop Bryce’s takedowns and you know, eventually turn it around, and then when he was on top, he was able to just get into positions really quickly. Bryce has good Jiu Jitsu. Like, I don’t care what people say, the guy can grapple. You cannot be a fan of his, but you can’t say he’s not a good grappler. So I think Ilia’s grappling is very, very good, and if anything, it could be considered underrated.” 

This matchup didn’t come without its share of tension. Both Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria had their sights set on a showdown with the seemingly unstoppable Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani powerhouse has now left the lightweight division to chase a second title in the welterweight division. This move from the Dagestani fighter has opened the door for Oliveira and Topuria to settle their own score. Now, with the stage set, the Brazilian appears ready to shake up the world once again. Moreover, he is not too worried about the hype surrounding his opponent.

Charles Oliveira shares a message for Ilia Topuria before their UFC 317 clash

Charles Oliveira isn’t chasing storylines or seeking validation. He’s not in it for the spotlight, the headlines, or to prove anything to anyone. He’s past that. But his opponent has been constantly trying his best to get under his skin. With Topuria, fans can expect nothing but confidence in the build-up to his fight. This is exactly what he did with one of his messages for ‘Do Bronx’.  The Spanish-Georgian standout hasn’t held back when it comes to Charles Oliveira. He’s taken shots at the Brazilian’s past defeats at featherweight and openly questioned his fight IQ and record. Lately, he said, “On June 28, another dream will come true. I’ll be the champion of the lightweight division. Charles, my apologies in advance… I’m just fighting for my dreams. It’s unfortunate that Makhachev ran away. 17-0”

But it seems Oliveira isn’t quite worried about all the claims. Rather, he himself issued a message for the 28-year-old during his conversation on the Full Violence podcast. ‘Do Bronx’ said, “It’s a great fight. He’s a great fighter, but I don’t need to prove anything to anyone about who I am, what I’ve done in the fight business. This fight came at a huge opportunity. I will knock out this guy. That’s for real.” This wasn’t empty hype. It was a straightforward declaration from a former champion who’s experienced far more battles inside the cage than most. The former champion has always found a way to shut doubt his critics. However, this time he has a tough task ahead of him, mainly because of the recent run of Topuria.

Who do you think will win the fight between the two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.