UFC 317 is headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Charlies Oliveira on Saturday, June 28, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. With two title bouts on Saturday’s card, UFC 317 is projected to be one of the most impactful cards of the year.
We'll break down each fight in UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira, including fight predictions and PrizePicks picks for the UFC 317 main card.
In a stacked main card for UFC 317, there is not a single fight that lacks incredible talent or implications this Saturday.
The pinnacle of the night ends with the main event, where Ilia Topuria (16-0) will look to add the Lightweight belt to his undefeated collection. Across the octagon is former champion Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1NC), seeking a return to champ status.
Co-headlining UFC 317 is another title bout, as Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France. Pantoja (29-5) looks for his fourth-straight successful title defense against an electric contender in Kara-France (25-11, 1NC).
Click here to go directly to our UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira Main Card Predictions below, including PrizePicks UFC picks and projections for Saturday’s fights.
The UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira main card is set to start at 10 p.m. ET, with Topuria vs. Oliveira expected to start around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on when the other fights end.
PrizePicks is the easiest way to win cash with your UFC predictions; just pick More or Less on fighter projections — like significant strikes or fight time — and win money if your picks are correct.
UFC 317 Projections & Start Times: Topuria vs. Oliveira
UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira will start at 10 p.m. ET with the main card on Saturday, June 28, while the Topuria vs. Oliveira main event is expected to start at 12:15 a.m. ET— subject to change based on other fights before it.
UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira projections below are via the PrizePicks MMA board.
Here’s the UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira main card schedule, in reverse order.
Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira – Main Event
- Lightweight Championship
- Expected start time: 12:15 a.m. ET
- Topuria Free Pick on PrizePicks: 1 Punch = 1 Win
- Topuria Projections: 40.5 Significant Strikes, 19.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes, 67.5 Fantasy Score
- Oliveira Projections: 30.5 Significant Strikes, 14.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Significant Strikes (Combo): 69.5 Significant Strikes
- Fight Time Projection: 9 Minutes
- Topuria vs. Oliveira Prediction
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France – Co-Main Event
- Flyweight Championship
- Expected start time: 11:30 p.m. ET
- Pantoja Projections: 73.5 Significant Strikes, 2.5 Takedowns, 18.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes, 70.55 Fantasy Score
- Kara-France Projections: 69.5 Significant Strikes, 16.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Significant Strikes (Combo): 142.5
- Fight Time Projection: 22.25 Minutes
- Pantoja vs. Kara-France Prediction
Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
- Flyweight
- Expected start time: 11 p.m. ET
- Royval Projections: 70.5 Significant Strikes, 22.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Van Projections: 90.5 Significant Strikes, 25.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes, 60.5 Fantasy Score
- Significant Strikes (Combo): 160.5
- Royval vs. Van Prediction
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano
- Lightweight
- Expected start time: 10:30 p.m. ET
- Dariush Projections: 38.5 Significant Strikes, 16.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Moicano Projections: 37.5 Significant Strikes, 16.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes, 46.5 Fantasy Score
- Significant Strikes (Combo): 75.5
- Fight Time Projection: 12.25 Minutes
- Dariush vs. Moicano Prediction
Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima
- Bantamweight
- Expected start time: 10 p.m. ET
- Talbott Projections: 54.5 Significant Strikes, 17.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Lima Projections: 49.5 Significant Strikes, 2 Takedowns, 50.55 Fantasy Score, 16.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Significant Strikes (Combo): 104.5
- Talbott vs. Lima Prediction
Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira Prediction & Preview
Former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria (16-0) makes his debut at Lightweight this Saturday. His Featherweight career has seemingly come to a close as he relinquished his belt in order to make a new permanent home in the 155-pound weight class.
Topuria will look to do exactly what he did to the greats of Featherweight — best them at their own game. With finishes over Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria is widely considered the most dangerous fighter to ever grace the division.
Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1NC) will be seeking to chain together wins for the first time since his belt era and regain his lost title in the absence of Islam Makhachev, who has moved up to Welterweight. Oliveira, with the most submission wins and total finishes in UFC history, is one of the most dangerous fighters to ever step foot in the octagon.
This duo of current and former champs equate to two of the most notable figures in the sport. Oliveira is one of the most popular names in the entire sport, with a resume to back it up, while Topuria looks to prove that the weight change will simply result in more dominance. Either way it ends, this fight is career defining and has all the makings of an instant classic.
Topuria vs. Oliveira Prediction: Fight Time 9 Minutes
- Topuria has 14 finishes in his 16 fights.
- Oliveira has the most finishes in UFC history.
- Both fighters combined average fight time is under nine minutes.
- Oliveira holds the record for most UFC submission wins with 16.
Ilia Topuria Free Pick for UFC 317 on PrizePicks
PrizePicks is offering a UFC 317 Free Pick on Saturday. If Topuria lands one significant strike in Saturday’s main event, he’ll hit his significant strikes projection on PrizePicks. Until fight time, you can get the Topuria Free Pick. With the Topuria free pick, you only need one more pick to cash in on UFC 317 — use the UFC 317 picks from below to build your UFC Lineup!
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Prediction & Preview
Outside of the reign of Demetrious Johnson, Pantoja (29-5) may be the most dominant Flyweight champion the sport has ever seen. The Brazilian grappler is dangerous both on the feet and the ground, with 19 finishes in his 29 wins. While showing a tendency for submissions in recent bouts, Pantoja can still bring the fight in the striking department.
Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1NC) is a prolific striker. Despite a two fight skid in 2022-2023, a convincing knockout win against Steve Erceg placed Kara-France exactly where he wants to be — fighting for the belt.
While rarely an accurate indicator in MMA, Kara-France did convincingly beat a Steve Erceg that managed to push Pantoja to his limits. So if that’s anything to build on, Kara-France should have high aspirations of being the one to end Pantojas reign.
Pantoja vs. Kara-France Prediction: Pantoja 2.5 Takedowns
- Kara-France has an 88% takedown defense rate.
- Pantoja averages 2.74 takedowns per 15 minutes.
- Pantoja has a 47% takedown accuracy.
- Pantoja has scored 20 takedowns in his three title defenses.
Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van Prediction & Preview
Brandon Royval (17-7) is a fighter that has still only lost to current or former champions. Royval has now fought the former champ Brandon Moreno for a second time and a rising star in Tatsuro Taira, and despite the difficulty of his matchups — Royval has scraped by with two split decision wins.
However, if Royval wants another shot at the champion — and this would be his third go at Pantoja if he maintains the belt in the main event — he will need to be on the right side of a decisive win on Saturday.
On the contrary, Joshua Van (14-2) has been very convincing in his last fights. Stringing together four wins, the most recent via knockout, Van has propelled himself into the conversation to be the next challenger for the belt.
If he wants to earn that potential shot, there aren't many better tests in Flyweight than an opponent that has cleared the division except for the champions.
Royval vs. Van Prediction: Significant Strikes (Combo) – 160.5
- Royval landed 124 significant strikes in his last fight vs. Taira.
- Van lands 8.2 Significant Strikes per minute.
- Van has 81% Takedown defense, which could keep this fight on the feet.
- Van landed 125 Significant Strikes in his last fight vs. Bruno Silva.
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Prediction & Preview
In a stacked Lightweight division, Dariush and Moicano have always felt like they were on the outside looking in. Both dangerous, however never fully given the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. Originally scheduled for UFC 311, this matchup has been a long time coming and should prove to be worth the wait.
Dariush (22-6-1) had one of the most impressive win streaks in the UFC, with several finishes and no losses between 2018-2022. Until he matched up with Oliveira, Dariush looked destined to challenge for the belt. After being on the wrong side of two knockout losses in 2023, the versatile veteran will return from his brief hiatus hoping to add his name back to the contender list.
While many would claim Moicano’s title shot to kick off the year was undeserved, his string of three decisive wins in 2023 did at least put the UFC Lightweight division on notice. After a quick humbling loss in his title bout, Moicano (20-6-1) has a clear redemption path ahead of him and can show he’s still deserving of being in the challenger club with a win over Dariush.
Dariush vs. Moicano Prediction: Fight Time 12.25 Minutes
- Both fighters were finished in their last bouts — Dariush a first-round KO vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Moicano a first-round submission vs. Islam Makhachev.
- Dariush has an average Fight Time of 8:54.
- Moicano’s last three fights have all been finishes.
- Moicano has an average Fight Time of 9:09.
Payton Talbott vs. Felipe Lima Prediction & Preview
Upcoming prospect Payton Talbott (9-1) has drawn comparisons to Sean O’Malley, Cory Sandhagen, and Israel Adesanya. With good striking, quality grappling, an impressive frame for the weight class, and a personality that can sell tickets, Talbott may be destined to be the next star in the UFC.
However, a surprising, humbling loss in his last bout — which was perhaps much needed for his development — may have derailed the hype train. Talbott will need a spectacular performance in order to win back the UFC fans, and regain his ticket on the way to UFC stardom.
On the flip side, Felipe Lima (14-1) is building a hype train for himself. 2-0 in the UFC, and 14-1 overall — Lima has showcased an all-around skill set that includes both striking and grappling. With a third-consecutive UFC win at UFC 317, Lima’s reward will likely be a meeting with a ranked competitor in his next outing.
Talbott vs. Lima Prediction: Talbott 17.5 Rd 1 Significant Strikes
- Lima has 43% Takedown accuracy.
- Talbott has an average Fight Time of 9:20.
- Talbott lands 6.73 Significant Strikes per minute.
- Talbott has a 76% Takedown defense.
Make UFC 317 Picks on PrizePicks
UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira is set to bring us another star-studded Saturday night of great fights, including two title fights. The loaded UFC 317 main card will start around 10 p.m. ET. Before it does, be sure you’ve locked in your UFC Lineups on PrizePicks — it’s the easiest way to get real money action on UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira.
With a loaded card including two championship fights as well as multiple fights with ranking and future title shot implications — a lot is on the line this Saturday night, live from the iconic T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Head to the PrizePicks app, pick More or Less on two or more fighters, lock in your picks, and get ready for the sweat during UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira
