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Charles Oliveira details how he would’ve fought Ilia Topuria differently after brutal knockout at UFC 317

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Curtis Calhoun | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 5:08 PM ET

Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira has opened up about what went wrong at UFC 317.

Charles Oliveira‘s opportunity at securing a second UFC lightweight title fell well short of the mark at UFC 317. Just minutes into his vacant title fight with Ilia Topuria, Topuria caught Oliveira with a right hand that sent the former titleholder unconscious before he hit the canvas.

It was a stunning finish to the UFC 317 headliner after Oliveira survived knockout threats from Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Michael Chandler during his lightweight tenure. Meanwhile, Topuria cemented his legacy as one of the UFC’s few all-time two-weight world championship fighters.

While Topuria entered the fight as a modest favorite, few expected Oliveira to get demolished in the way he did at UFC 317. According to the former titleholder, it all came down to a lack of discipline once the fight started.

Charles Oliveira shares what his strategy was for Ilia Topuria fight at UFC 317

In a recent interview with AG Fight, Oliveira was asked about his gameplan at UFC 317 and what he would do differently in a rematch against Topuria.

“I would change everything. Not in my training camp, but in the fight,” Oliveira said. “Everything I trained, I didn’t put into practice. I didn’t do anything I trained. He implemented his strategy, and became champion. In reality, [the strategy] was to hit and get out, step on his knees, use hand sequences to be able to kick high to the head, maintain distance with my front kicks. I had trained a lot of calf kicks, a lot of knee stomps, not standing still. And then the fight started, I stood still, taking blows. Things I should have done, but didn’t.

“That’s what frustrates me the most. Having trained so hard for something and not having done it in the fight.” (h/t Sherdog)

Oliveira’s setback at UFC 317 came after a split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 last year. He bounced back in a big way with a decisive win over Chandler at UFC 309 in November.

Now, Oliveira will have to put another string of wins together to get back into the lightweight title picture. Topuria is expected to face either Paddy Pimblett, Tsarukyan, or Gaethje for his first title defense later this year. As the former champion prepares for his UFC comeback attempt, a top name is on his radar for a potential opponent.

Charles Oliveira open to facing UFC 318 headliner for Octagon return

Oliveira wants to run it back with BMF titleholder Max Holloway for his targeted return to the Octagon later this year. Holloway will face Poirier in a BMF title headliner later this month at UFC 318 in his first fight since a knockout loss to Topuria at UFC 308 last year.

Holloway and Oliveira fought earlier in their careers when both stars were featherweight contenders. In 2015, Holloway defeated Oliveira by TKO after Oliveira suffered an esophagus injury just minutes into their fight.

Now that Holloway and Oliveira are full-time lightweights, a potential rematch could be around the corner. Holloway announced his full-time move to the lightweight division following his featherweight title defeat to Topuria.