- 6/21/2025
#ufc317 #ufccountdown #ufc317countdown #ufc316countdown #ufc317topuriavsoliveira #omalleyvsmerabcountdown #episode
UFC 317 Countdown previews two title fights, as former 145-pound king Ilia Topuria faces former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title. In the co-main event, flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja faces Kai Kara-France.
UFC 317 Countdown previews two title fights, as former 145-pound king Ilia Topuria faces former 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title. In the co-main event, flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja faces Kai Kara-France.
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00:00Each year, as the summer heat rises in Las Vegas, so too does the anticipation for the UFC's international fight match.
00:09The combat sports world descends on the fight capital for a global celebration of elite talent.
00:15In 2025, the tradition continues at UFC 317 with the title fight doubleheader.
00:22As we celebrate mixed martial arts in the UFC, the best athletes in the world are ready to take it from here.
00:28In the main event, a European superstar and one of the most decorated Brazilians of all time square off with a vacant lightweight belt.
00:39After conquering the featherweight division,
00:44Gilea Teporia announced a bold move up to 155 pounds.
00:48I want to go to the lightweight division now.
00:50And now stands on the cusp of legendary status with a shot at a second title.
00:58Standing in the way of El Matador's destiny, he's a former champion with unfinished business.
01:06One of the most dangerous guys in the division.
01:07Absolute assassin.
01:09Charles Oliveira's record-breaking career has been defined by passion.
01:13You can hit it, man.
01:15You can hit it, man.
01:16We're in the middle, man.
01:1814 years into his UFC career, and he's never been better.
01:21Through perseverance.
01:22It's over!
01:23That is gonna do it!
01:24Oh my goodness!
01:24Can't stop!
01:25Charles Oliveira!
01:27Returning to the throne remains the drive for the Bronx.
01:30Todo mundo já sabe.
01:31They champion them!
01:32They're Charles Oliveira, brother!
01:33Esse é o campeão.
01:34Esse é o verdadeiro campeão de essa divisão.
01:36As he sets his sights on the steadfast Spaniard.
01:40I truly believe that I'm gonna finish him in the first round.
01:44In the co-main event, the Flyweight King looks to continue his legacy-making run.
01:49Look at this.
01:50It's on the neck.
01:50He is out!
01:51Wow!
01:52And still!
01:53When he puts his title on the line against a determined New Zealand warrior.
01:58In a rematch of years in the making.
02:00Nearly a decade has passed since Alexandre Pantoja had his hand raised against Kaikara France and
02:07the ultimate fighter.
02:07Alexandre.
02:08The Brazilian would go on to become one of the greatest flyweights of all time.
02:13I'm the champion right here!
02:14For Kaikara France, the road to the title has been an arduous one.
02:19But the moment has finally arrived for the key one.
02:22I'm ready!
02:23He's hell-bent on bringing UFC gold to the land of the long white cloud.
02:27I want to be the first one to bring a flyweight World title back to Altero, New Zealand.
02:31I'm gonna take care of his head and put it in my wall.
02:35As the world readies for another marquee event inside the T-Mobile arena,
02:38we chronicle the journeys of our main attractions.
02:41I'm ready!
02:43Buenas tardes, Alicante!
02:45I'm ready!
02:49I'm ready!
02:50This is UFC 317.
02:57Are you ready?
02:59Are you ready?
03:00Ready?
03:02Countdown.
03:15The motivation to fight varies between combatants.
03:20For some, it's the allure of stardom.
03:26For others, it's fortune.
03:29For UFC lightweight title challenger Ilya Tepuria,
03:33the desire to achieve something greater
03:35has fueled his ambition since the very beginning.
03:39At an early age, I had the dream to become a world champion.
03:42That was always my main motivation and my main dream.
03:49I want the people to mention my name between all the greatest of all time.
03:55I want them to use me as an example.
03:59So this is why I try to beat him.
04:02Walking for his debut is Ilya Tepuria, a legit prospect out of Spain.
04:08Carrying the hype he achieved as a sensation on the regional circuit.
04:12Ilya Tepuria quickly made his name known upon arrival in the UFC.
04:16Oh, he heard him.
04:18Oh, big crowd strikes from Tepuria.
04:20Stop, stop.
04:21As one of the most entertaining fighters in the featherweight division.
04:25Ilya Tepuria is a straight-up assassin.
04:27For me, it's very important to be worth it for the people.
04:30Crowd voicing its appreciation.
04:33Get a standing ovation.
04:34I like to walk forward.
04:36Oh, big shots.
04:36Oh, he heard him.
04:37Oh, and a right hand.
04:39I like to combinate punches.
04:41Huge combination for the Spaniard.
04:43I like to have my opponents under pressure.
04:45Whoa!
04:46He's still undefeated!
04:48And I want to be entertained for the fans.
04:50He closes the show.
04:51The guy's a killer.
04:52Oh, absolutely.
04:53And he's just fun to watch.
04:55I want them to say my ticket was worth it.
04:58Oh, right up the cut.
05:00And I'm happy that I was able to watch EBS 5.
05:04I'm the next guy, without any doubt, to take that EBS 5.
05:08Hundreds of Spaniards have traveled from their home nation
05:13to support their country's top-fighting son, Ilya Tepuria.
05:18And he believes tonight he is going to shock many MMA observers
05:21and wrest the title away from the long-standing featherweight champion.
05:26Before my fight with Walt, when I woke up in the morning,
05:30I was sitting in front of a window, and I was like,
05:34I always dreamed about this day.
05:36Ilya!
05:38That one day, I will become a world champion.
05:43And today is the day.
05:45Oh!
05:46Tepuria Grounds-Volkanovsky!
05:48That'll do it and new!
05:50The belt is headed to Spain!
05:53Ilya Tepuria, the featherweight champion of the world!
05:56Oh, my goodness!
05:57And he fought one of the greatest of all time tonight.
06:03He's going to reign potentially for a very, very long time.
06:06Becoming a UFC world champion means you are that person that you always dreamed that you will become.
06:13We've never had a Spanish champion before, now we have one of the best in the sport.
06:19The whole country of Spain now is going to be crazy about MMA.
06:22The newly crowned champion's first title defense would come against another legend of the division.
06:31Proudly repping his native Waianae Hawaii, enter the former undisputed UFC featherweight champion and the reigning BMF belt holder, Max Bless Holloway.
06:43But Ilya Tepuria believes he is set to make a major statement tonight in title defense number one.
06:49Max has one of the greatest legacy in the sport.
06:52Tepuria is very patient in his approach, doesn't rush, big right hand landed for Tepuria there.
06:59They told me before the fight that no one was able to knock him down.
07:04Oh, that's a big left hook!
07:06But when I was watching his fights, I was talking to my team and I'm like, what an opportunity.
07:11Because I know that I'm going to knock him out, I know that it's going to happen, I see it.
07:16Oh, that's what we've learned about Max Holloway, it's hard to put him down.
07:20When the second round was over, my brother told me, now I need you to pressure him.
07:28Because you are going to finish him, he's tired.
07:30Oh, man, if you beat up that lead leg, you really limit how he can move.
07:39He was going from his stance to the south pole.
07:42Of all people, to have their lead legs start to get better, Max can at least switch south pole.
07:47And I said, I'm going to go with the cross and the right hand when he will switch his stance.
07:56Oh!
07:57I land the right hand.
07:58A huge right now for Toporia.
08:01He started to wobble and he was trying to behave like, I'm okay.
08:07But I knew that he was f***ed.
08:11Oh!
08:12Massive knockdown for Toporia.
08:14And still, he does it again.
08:18Ilya Toporia.
08:20It's nice to be the only man in the world to knock out Max Holloway.
08:24Ilya Toporia all the guaranteed that he would be the first man to knock out Max Holloway.
08:31And man, did he deliver.
08:34It feels that I'm one of them.
08:36I'm one of the greatest.
08:39Volkanovski and now Holloway, two of the greatest featherweights of all time, firmly in the rearview mirror.
08:44Following his victory over Holloway, Toporia would set his sights on a new challenge.
08:53Now that I claim a mountain and I get to the top, I end the chapter that I had in the featherweight division.
09:02I decided, with my team, to move up to the next division, to have a new challenge in my life.
09:11Now I have to start claiming another one.
09:13I want to go to the lightweight division now.
09:16I will become a two-weight class award champion.
09:19He feels like he's cemented his legacy.
09:21So Toporia will be moving up to 155 pounds.
09:24Toporia's saying, hey, I'm going up to the money weight.
09:26I absolutely f***ed love that.
09:30And I know that I'm going to be able to achieve the same things that I achieved in the featherweight division.
09:37I know that I'm the best fighter in the world, in the featherweight or in the lightweight division.
09:43Toporia's lofty pursuit of a second belt placed a former king of the division in his sights for the vacant UFC lightweight title.
09:50It's kind of amazing that I'm able to live this kind of moments.
09:54Many people see it as a risk that I change the weight class.
09:58But I don't see it as a risk.
10:01I always dreamed, I always had this kind of visualization in my head.
10:07And it's kind of crazy that right now I'm living those moments.
10:11So I'm very happy, very excited.
10:13And now I have the chance to fight another legendary fighter.
10:18Ilya Toporia, Charles Oliveira.
10:21Guaranteed violence.
10:22Deal me in.
10:23The desire to give back is important to many UFC fighters.
10:39For lightweight title challenger Charles Oliveira, his eagerness to do so led him to the creation of his own institute.
10:47For those less fortunate.
10:50The hero of the world.
10:51Principalmente, a lot of people live in Guarujá, it's not close to the woods and the favela.
10:55Right?
10:55As coisas ruins are close to them.
10:57so most of the girls who train here are not so many conditions
11:01so they live near a community or in a community
11:03so they become men and women of good.
11:06Fimi Forte, that respect the father and the mother, for me, is huge.
11:10And that's it, we recorded with you.
11:12Thank you everyone for coming.
11:13Thank you, parents, for coming here.
11:15Those who know my story know that I came from below
11:18and today, thanks to God, I have a huge story.
11:20So, this is my dream,
11:22to make these guys get far away.
11:24So, thanks to God, things are happening.
11:26And we are more than together.
11:28Thank you!
11:30But my dream is, with certainty,
11:32that we can shine in some way,
11:35for some people like me,
11:37and I grew up in life, you know?
11:43To be able to live in a good house,
11:46to build a family,
11:48to make good things for my children,
11:49that's the most important thing.
11:53We just have to thank God
11:54because we see that things are happening 100% right.
11:59The bad things are on your side,
12:01so, just being good with the father and the mother
12:03is something big for me.
12:04But, with a doubt,
12:05if one or two,
12:07it doesn't matter,
12:08if it was for my side,
12:09to be a fighter,
12:10to be able to give something to the family,
12:12the way I can achieve,
12:13for me, it would be huge.
12:14Charles Oliveira made his UFC debut back in 2010.
12:30He is one of the most dangerous men in all of MMA.
12:33Against all odds,
12:34Oliveira rose from the slums of Guaduja,
12:37to become one of the most decorated mixed martial artists
12:40in the sports history.
12:42This man owns records for most finishes,
12:44submissions,
12:45and performance bonuses in UFC history.
12:48I went to the UFC and said I wanted to fight the best.
12:51I wanted to break all these records.
12:53Charles Oliveira, another submission.
12:56He extends the record.
12:58Show how dangerous you are.
12:59Show how dangerous you are.
13:00Show how dangerous you are.
13:01Show how much you want to fight.
13:02How much you want to fight.
13:03How much you want to fight.
13:04How much you want to fight.
13:05His record-breaking runs
13:06saw him reach the pinnacle of the lightweight division.
13:08He's out!
13:09Charles Oliveira is the undisputed UFC lightweight champion!
13:15And still...
13:16Doubt him now, folks!
13:18Oliveira is under the chin.
13:22Oh, my goodness!
13:23That is going to do it!
13:24Who can stop Charles Oliveira?
13:28In 2022,
13:30the lightweight division would crown a new king.
13:32What a way to stamp yourself the best in the world!
13:35Makhachev submits
13:37the greatest finisher in UFC history,
13:39the belt en route to Dagestan!
13:42When I lost the belt,
13:44I wanted to get the champion again.
13:46I had to look for him again.
13:47Gotta give him a hand.
13:48What an absolute legend.
13:49Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev.
13:51Makhachev now the new champ.
13:53I said to the guys,
13:54this moment here,
13:56putting the belt on my belt,
13:57it has to be repeated.
13:58Despite the setbacks,
14:00the desire to succeed still burn within the Brazilian.
14:03Darius goes down!
14:05Oh, he stunned him.
14:06Oh, he's hurt bad!
14:07It's over!
14:08Charles Oliveira!
14:10How about him?
14:11After never drifting far from title contention,
14:15Oliveira was presented with an opportunity
14:18to once again stake his claim
14:20with a rematch against a fellow veteran.
14:22And to the former undisputed lightweight champion,
14:25Charles Dubronx Oliveira.
14:26This man is 14 years into his UFC career
14:30and he's never been better.
14:32My strategy in reality,
14:33I just wanted to be conscious.
14:37Iron Michael Chandler taking on
14:39the future Hall of Famer,
14:40Charles Dubronx Oliveira.
14:42Sir, are you ready?
14:43Sir, are you ready?
14:45Fight!
14:46Tonight the rematch is upon us
14:48and for the winner,
14:49big things heading into 2025.
14:52I wanted to win round-round.
14:54I wanted to sit and listen to
14:56if I win or I lost the round.
14:57Charles fights so technically on the feet.
15:00Like, look how quickly that right hand comes.
15:02Chandler with a big land though.
15:04Oh!
15:05Nice knee up the middle.
15:06Big knee for Oliveira.
15:07Chandler ate it well.
15:08He's calm on the feet.
15:10You know, the downsides.
15:12Oh!
15:13Another take down by Charles.
15:15I'm sure a great performance analysis
15:17is.
15:18Oh, my goodness.
15:19He's beating him up.
15:21What a fight!
15:23Charles Dubronx Oliveira
15:24and Michael Chandler go
15:26the full 25.
15:28So, I just went back home
15:31waiting for my opportunity
15:32to win the title.
15:33In all likelihood,
15:34he will find himself
15:35in a championship setting next.
15:43Well, his third shot at UFC Gold
15:45is top of mind.
15:46Olivera never forgets what's most important
15:51and leans on his growing family
15:54for support and motivation.
15:57The family is the base of everything.
15:59If you have a strong base,
16:01nothing will destroy you.
16:02You know?
16:07I had a daughter,
16:08and now I have a daughter,
16:10Dominique.
16:11Seven months.
16:12Seven months.
16:13Eita, Dudu!
16:16I had a daughter
16:17to talk to my father
16:19and my mother.
16:20Hey, my father.
16:21Hey, my mother.
16:22I've never seen a child
16:23as he.
16:25I think it's a phase.
16:26It's a moment.
16:28I think it's a phase.
16:29It's a moment.
16:30It's a moment.
16:31Wow, here's the court
16:32that's so beautiful.
16:34When I was born,
16:35I got 12 times.
16:36When Dominique was born,
16:37it was UFC 319.
16:38I won the fight
16:39and now I'm going to win the title.
16:42That motivates me.
16:43That makes me bigger.
16:44To be a champion
16:45of the heavy weight
16:46for me,
16:47it's going to be big.
16:48What I always say
16:49about my life
16:50is about the legacy.
16:51To be a champion
16:53once again,
16:54against many things
16:55people say
16:56it would never be possible.
16:57So,
16:58I'm going to break
16:59the history
17:00and make history.
17:25the next generation
17:26of fighters
17:27from the region
17:28with the creation
17:29of his own MMA promotion.
17:30Our champion of the world,
17:32Ilya Topuria,
17:33is today with us
17:34back home.
17:37UFC is the biggest promotion
17:39in Spain.
17:40Buenas tardes,
17:41Adicante!
17:43It means a lot
17:44to provide a platform
17:46to the fighters
17:47to achieve their dreams.
17:49Alright, let's get the show
17:50on the road.
17:51And as a fighter,
17:52I know very well
17:53what a fighter really needs.
17:56Oh my God!
17:57This is crazy!
18:01I had to do so many things
18:03before I was able
18:04to get to the UFC.
18:06I don't want the new generation
18:07to pay the same price
18:09that I had to pay.
18:10Off they go,
18:11receiving the acknowledgement
18:13from Ilya Topuria.
18:15I want to give them
18:16all the facilities
18:18to be concentrated
18:20and focused
18:21on what they have to do,
18:22which is fighting.
18:24And I feel very happy
18:26that I have that opportunity.
18:30Before in Spain,
18:31MMA was something dangerous,
18:34something for crazy people.
18:36They don't even accept it
18:39as a sport.
18:40And right now,
18:41the story is completely different.
18:43Great nights of fights.
18:45Tonight,
18:46everybody was pretty happy here.
18:48Right now,
18:49in Spain,
18:50they accept MMA
18:51and the UFC
18:52as a sport.
18:55And I want to see
18:56a lot of fighters
18:57from WoW FC
18:58going to the UFC
19:00and Archie Day dreams.
19:04Inspiring others
19:05is a quality shared
19:06by Topuria's next opponent.
19:08with the UFC 317
19:11approaching.
19:12Former lightweight champion
19:14Charles Oliveira
19:15once again
19:16joins the team
19:17in Shooterbox.
19:18As he prepares
19:20for his 46th
19:21professional fight.
19:22His relentless effort
19:23to reclaim the title
19:25continues to serve
19:27his motivation
19:28to those around him.
19:30Today in a day,
19:31Charles is an inspiration
19:32not only for our team,
19:33but for the whole world.
19:34He is a guy who
19:35has already fallen,
19:36he has already lifted,
19:37he has already hurt,
19:38he has always managed
19:39to get out of any situation
19:40that he has found.
19:41It's not direct jab.
19:42Okay?
19:43He's going to work the jab.
19:44He's ready.
19:45He's ready.
19:46One, two.
19:47Boom!
19:48And he does all
19:49want to be better
19:50every day,
19:51not only in the octogoon,
19:52but in the life.
19:53Charles is moved
19:54to the challenge.
19:55Charles is moved
19:56to really make
19:57great wars.
19:58Locho,
19:59you get caught.
20:00And I think Topuri
20:01is a guy who will
20:02give us this war
20:03that Charles Santos
20:04likes.
20:05The boxing
20:06on this young man
20:07is phenomenal.
20:08Topuri is an excellent
20:09fighter,
20:10he has an incredible ascension.
20:11The power of Topuri!
20:12He has a very strong power
20:14in his hands.
20:15He rotates his whole body
20:16into everything
20:17that he throws.
20:18Even if he doesn't
20:19have been tested,
20:20we know that he has
20:21a good wrestling,
20:22a good jiu-jitsu
20:23too.
20:24He is very good,
20:25deserves all the respect
20:26of the world.
20:27Charles is an incredible
20:28experience.
20:29Good!
20:30Excellent!
20:33He will be a real champion.
20:3427.
20:35Talk to me.
20:36He has 15 years
20:37of UFC,
20:3834 fights,
20:39but Charles has
20:40already conquered
20:41everything that
20:42he could conquer.
20:43He wants to conquer
20:44everything again.
20:45He wants to win again.
20:46He wants to win
20:47not only win,
20:48but he wants to win
20:49many times.
20:50And now,
20:51he has this unstoppable
20:52desire to get back
20:53in there and reclaim
20:54that title.
21:03His future undeniable
21:04is in the UFC Hall of Fame.
21:05Tanto on the floor
21:06as well as on the floor.
21:07I go forward,
21:08I have the power of fire
21:09in my hands.
21:10I have a lot of strength.
21:12I have a lot of strength.
21:14I have a very good jiu-jitsu
21:15and my wrestling
21:17every day that passes.
21:18You know?
21:19I think I'm going to
21:20take a step,
21:21I think I'm going to
21:22take a step forward.
21:23I think I'm going to
21:24take a step forward.
21:25In the UFC history.
21:26So,
21:27I'm sure,
21:28on June 28,
21:29you will see
21:30a Charles completely
21:31improved
21:32and everything that has
21:33passed there.
21:34We are again to be the champion.
21:48Over 5,000 miles away,
21:51Ilya Taporia has chosen
21:52to prepare to capture
21:53his second UFC title.
21:54UFC title at one of Spain's most prestigious training facilities this is the performance
22:00institute of the Spanish national team of boxing wrestling all the Olympic sports
22:10we bring the cage to the place we ask them for a space because i wanted a different
22:16environment for this training camp and they accepted so it's amazing to be able
22:24to share that space with that kind of athletes
22:32charles he has more professional fights than me but at the end of the day i don't think that that's
22:38going to help him because i represent the new generation of mixed martial arts
22:44the skill development that i'm bringing to the sport is completely different
22:49walk oh toponia grounds mokinowski max holloway oh massive knockdown for toponia and still
23:00they thought that i was crazy but at the end they realized that i was right
23:08it doesn't matter who is in front of me
23:10charles is not going to have any advantage i'm a very complete fighter
23:17i can go everywhere and you're not going to feel comfortable in any place
23:25i'm going to be dominating all the time i don't play anyone's game
23:31i make them play my game that's why i'm undefeated and he's not he has 10 loses i have zero i respect him
23:44but i'm going to try to take his head off and you all know that i'm going to do it
23:49he has that championship mindset
24:17he thinks that he's going to walk forward he's going to do his thing he's going to take me down
24:27he's going to dominate me in the ground
24:30but i see myself much better everywhere
24:34ilia taporia has perfect technique
24:38the complete game the wrestling the striking the knockout power
24:44i see myself knocking him up in the first round
24:49he does it again ilia taporia
24:52i was the bronx olivera
24:57it's the
25:14the story of the co-main event for ufc 317 dates back almost 10 years to season 24 of the ultimate fighter
25:25with the current flyweight king alashandre pantoja
25:29first crossed paths with the title challenger kaikara france
25:33in a unique season of the show
25:35all right gentlemen we have the baddest 125 pounders in the world right here
25:43the ultimate fighter season 24 was season of champions everybody have a belt
25:50it's a very hard tournament
25:54no one really knew who i was but after my first fight
25:57stop stop stop people started to take notice
26:06my first fight i beat brandon moreno and i make a very tough fight
26:14and go to fight the kaikara france
26:19that fight with the kaikara france i need to fight very smart with very technique with kicks
26:24to take downs to control the fight
26:31it was a huge victory
26:34he won by decision
26:39it was a tough pill to swallow but i picked myself up and i knew that this wouldn't be the end of my ufc
26:46career
26:54he has got a lot of hype and potential
26:57pantoja's performance on the ultimate fighter earned him a ufc contract
27:02and the brazilian set out on his journey of evolution
27:05into a championship caliber fighter pantoja is such a savage all my life i learned how to be a good
27:14fighter he can do it all and he pushes a pace that melts men and when i go to the octagon i feel freedom
27:22he has submissions he has a wealth of experience he taps that's my fight style freedom
27:29it's just me and my opponent oh and pantoja ends it and then i put my game to work unbelievable
27:39brazilian jiu-jitsu skills the cannibal and use everything i have to win the fight
27:46six years after his ufc debut pantoja's shot at ufc gold had arrived
27:52pantoja's a hunter he's been hunting down all of this he certainly gets the job done and becomes
27:58the champion of the world oh knock down for pantoja oh he hit him with the left hook again
28:05go to the octagon is so much better when you have the belt
28:09alexandre pantoja the newly minted ufc flyweight champ that's what i want all my life i want to
28:15fight in the full arena everybody look to a primitive extent he's so dominant he's so well-rounded he's
28:21the best in the world he has beaten everybody that's what everybody wants to see he's beaten nine guys
28:28and that's my art i love them this is ufc 310 pantoja versus asakura pantoja's extended dominance
28:41saw him face and defeat the ufc flyweight division's elite leading to a challenge from an international
28:48superstar looking to make waves in his first octagon appearance a 125 pound fighter that can end fights
28:56with one single strike my last fight i'm very excited when the ufc bring mikai sakura someone new
29:04come from another promotion pantoja has an unstoppable determination and that's my motivation a lot
29:13to make a good statement and show to ufc who's the champ final championship fight of this most memorable
29:202024 and that's what i did he really walks and tries to break his spirit
29:32oh nice job by pantoja look how he jumped on that back look at this oh look at that it's on the neck
29:38it's on the neck oh he's got it he's got it that's it he's out he's out and still pantoja he is the man
29:49i feel so glad to be this champion with the flyweight knee just absolutely phenomenal i want to be the
29:56best flyweight i want to be the best fighter all the world this is the level ufc level when the octagon
30:01is locked this is my town this is my city that's the only thing passed through my head right now
30:07eighth career win by rear naked choke for the best flyweight in the world alishandre pantoja
30:12that dude's amazing man he's amazing i mean all this dude has been doing is winning we got
30:18to find somebody to fight pantoja after my fight in december with the kai asakura
30:24kai kairofans is one of the first dms i have in my instagram he said congrats and hey i'm the next
30:31shama in that point i really think he's the next ufc 317 june 28th flyweight champion pantoja will
30:41defend his belt against kai kai kai of france pantoja hasn't lost a fight in five years kai kai
30:47kai kai of france three of his last four wins have come in the very first round i want to prove in that
30:52fight to take care of france i'm still the best fight with all the world as the indigenous people
31:05of new zealand the maori have preserved their culture and traditions for centuries maori warriors
31:12were renowned for their fighting spirits a legacy that has been passed down through generations
31:18ufc flyweight title challenger kaikara france proudly embraces his maori heritage
31:29a source of identity and strength that has helped shape his journey in combat sports
31:36maori culture it's what i hold closest to my heart it's me it's everything
31:48and before my ancestors would have gone on the battlefield they would have done a haka
31:53as a war dance it's the same feeling when i step into the octagon
31:57i've got clear intentions it's kill or be killed
32:11it's in me it's in my blood it's in my dna kai kai kai of france bring in that 40 warrior spirits
32:24all my ancestors my two-prunner that have come before me fighting on the battlefield for survival
32:40i just put all the flyweights on notice let's go
32:44i'm just the modern-day version of that
32:46kai far friends is a savage doing it in the ufc taking on the best fighters in the world
32:51the world
33:02kai kai kai kai kai
33:10In his first shot at UFC gold,
33:33Cara France would come up short against a former champion.
33:36These are two of the most skillful men in the sport.
33:40Two of the fastest and two of the most technical.
33:43If you take this as a career, this fight game,
33:46there's always going to be obstacles,
33:47there's always going to be challenges that you have to overcome.
33:51The way that I've persevered and pushed through
33:53is because I've tapped into what my 2.0,
33:57my ancestors would have done.
33:59Brandon Moreno, back with gold at 125 pounds.
34:03Kaikana France, all class in defeat.
34:06What it creates is character and this hunger.
34:09I channel it and I tap into that realm.
34:12We'll be back, baby.
34:14We'll be back, baby.
34:18Not allowing himself to be deterred,
34:23the Kiwi would climb back towards another title opportunity.
34:27My last fight against T-Versik, a lot of people counted me out,
34:32but I know what I'm capable of.
34:34So when I stepped in there, I was in there to spoil the party.
34:37This young man has shown time and time again that he has a fighting spirit
34:46and he continues to improve every single time.
34:50Kaikana France believes that this matchup is his ticket back to a title shot.
34:56We'll see if Kaikana France can produce the desired results here today.
35:01Kaikana France nearly landed that left hand.
35:13Pretty good entry by him.
35:14Kaikana France nearly landed that left hand.
35:15Pretty good entry by him.
35:16Kaikana France throwing good combos,
35:17but you can see Ersik seeing the combos that he's throwing
35:20and sliding just out of the way, barely.
35:22Barely.
35:23Nice guy.
35:24Good.
35:25Kaikana France attacks the body.
35:27Touch, shuffle step.
35:29He'll be right there.
35:31Oh!
35:32An overhand left connected.
35:33Huge run for Kaikana France.
35:35Once I landed that shot, it put him away.
35:38Kaikana France has knocked down Xenor's second round one.
35:43Just brought me back to where I belong,
35:45and that's at the top of the flow at Division.
35:47Ah!
35:49Yeah!
35:50Woo-hoo!
35:51Woo-hoo!
35:52Thirteenth first round knockout for this man.
35:55Look at that, baby.
35:56Look at this thing.
35:57Look at this thing.
35:58You are a flyweight, man.
36:00How are you knocking people out like that in this weight club?
36:03It's because I'm Maori bird, that's why.
36:05What do you want next?
36:07Anything I should fight next for the title?
36:12I knew I was going to fight Pantoja for the flyweight world title.
36:16What a huge result for the number four ranked flyweight contender,
36:20Kaikana France.
36:21The UFC 317 flyweight title fight will feature two fighters whose national pride extends beyond their performances inside the octagon.
36:41With the champion Alexandre Pantoja, a return to his homeland offered a chance to pay forward the wisdom and motivation once bestowed upon him.
36:53Thank you very much for the reception.
37:03I'm very excited to be here.
37:06A special thing that I bring with me, and I still keep alive, one of my trainers, when I was very young.
37:16I asked him what he saw in me.
37:18He said that I didn't have fear.
37:20And one of them said that I had eyes that cut blood, eyes that want a lot.
37:26And I can see that in the eyes of you.
37:29So...
37:30Let's go.
37:31It's a project that exists since 1996, so I made a project very much help.
37:38So I was going to experience, to be invited, to be here as champion,
37:43to be honored by these teenagers, with a great love that is so...
37:48It's something that, man...
37:49I want a round of applause for our great legend, Minotauro.
37:58I win more than 2, you know.
38:02We have here from the social boy to the ultimate stadium,
38:07which is the professional of boxing.
38:09Move, move, move!
38:11Pick, pick, go!
38:13That's it!
38:15It's a very big responsibility, you know.
38:19And this power of your cinturón of the UFC
38:21is to enter in a place like this, with so many dreams
38:24and people dream about the position I have today.
38:29Let's believe, let's look for who wants to be the mundial champion!
38:33Let's get one!
38:36Two!
38:40Toad has a change in the sport.
38:42He was a kid who first understood all the educational parts
38:47and many of these kids pass through this process.
38:50Every smile,
38:53every look determined
38:55that I see today,
38:57I will take it with me.
39:00I want you to feel
39:03that you are also a world champion.
39:05I am here today, right?
39:07To give them feelings
39:09and I am revitalized, you know.
39:12I am feeling a lot better than I entered.
39:15I am much stronger, man.
39:17So, I think...
39:22My next opponent will feel all this pressure
39:25because it helped me a lot.
39:27For the challenger Kaikara France,
39:41the proud Kiwi has parlayed his skills inside the octagon
39:45into aiding his hometown team in the NRL.
39:48The chance to show his support up close and personal.
39:56For those that watch rugby league,
39:58you'll know him already as the Warriors wrestling coach.
40:01That's New Zealand's premier rugby league team.
40:05I've been with the team for three years now.
40:07A lot of stuff translates from martial arts to rugby league.
40:19The techniques that we use to get people down in the octagon,
40:22wrestling, jiu-jitsu,
40:24being efficient with your movements,
40:26how to be heavy on top,
40:27so weight distribution.
40:31How you been?
40:32How you been?
40:33Yeah, good.
40:34How you been?
40:35Make some noise for the future
40:38125,000 champion of the world,
40:41Mr. Kaikara France!
40:48I grew up going to the stadium my whole life.
40:55To watch a field side is pretty special.
40:57Seeing the boys run out, cheering them on, walking them out.
41:00I feel like I'm about to go walk out and fight.
41:02That's the same feeling I get.
41:05My family, my brother, my dad,
41:10it's nice that we get to come together for a team that we love to support.
41:17My goal, my bucket list, is obviously winning a flyweight world title,
41:30but help the Warriors win a premiership.
41:32Winning a UFC title is an incredibly rare feat.
41:45But defending the crown is even more extraordinary.
41:49No one knows this better than flyweight champion Alessandre Pantoja,
41:54who credits his success to the mentality instilled in him by his head coach.
42:03All my life I hear people say, get the top is very hard, but staying at the top is the hard thing to do.
42:17And I have this belt because I have Marcos Parrupinha in my corner.
42:22He not want to say, I'm the best of the world.
42:26He wants to prove to him all the time, I'm the best fighter of the world.
42:30When we have a fight side, when you have a target already, he's no longer the champion anymore.
42:38He's the challenger.
42:39He needs to have that mentality so he will not be too comfortable on being the champion.
42:49And that's when champions make mistakes.
42:52He's on his prime, but he's still improving.
42:54Come, come, come, come, come.
42:56When Pantoja first got to American Top Team, his biggest flaw was his wrestling.
43:01Both offensively and defensively.
43:04When I hit my palm, you go to the right hand.
43:06The same side, don't change the side.
43:07And we tried to, over the years, close that gap and we did a pretty good job.
43:12Now he's finding his way to his submissions and I think that's going to be the key for this fight.
43:17He's up, Anderson. 30 seconds in the final.
43:19Not only the wrestling, the grappling, but to be complete.
43:22Very good.
43:24Kai is a dangerous fighter.
43:26He has a good striking, good takedown defense.
43:28There, he's moving the head.
43:30That's the posture.
43:32He's playing the head in front.
43:33That's it.
43:34But Pantoja has everything he needs to beat Kai again.
43:38That's it.
43:39You know?
43:40You want to move the ball.
43:41He's moving the head in front.
43:43And remains the UFC flightweight champion.
43:4610 seconds.
43:47Peace.
43:48Kai Cara France is very sharp with the hands.
43:51He knocked out a lot of good fighters.
43:53I need to be sharp about that.
43:55And I know I have the skills to win that fight.
43:57With preparations in full swing.
44:12Kai Cara France readies to bring a UFC title back to New Zealand.
44:17With head coach Eugene Behrman and the team at City Kickboxing.
44:24Kai has been one of my best students.
44:28He's a consummate professional.
44:32The reason he's able to get back to a second title shot is because he's just always in the gym.
44:42Always studying and always trying to improve.
44:44Every time he's had victory or especially when he's lost, he's made improvements and got better every single time.
44:54And you can only do that with absolute dedication.
44:57Kai's got something special that is not a very well featured thing in the UFC.
45:03And that's got that power.
45:05It's especially unique because it's not normally a gift that's given to people of such small stature.
45:12So that's what he's got.
45:19Stylistically, this is a tough matchup, not just for myself, but for him as well.
45:24If he tries to get me to the ground, he can't keep me there.
45:27I'm too quick, I'm too fast.
45:29I've got one of the best takedown defense in this flyweight division.
45:32The takedown defense of Kai Cara France.
45:34Absolutely perfect.
45:38Pantoja's biggest weakness is he's going to be too stubborn and try to walk me down.
45:41And eventually he's going to get sloppy.
45:43This kid's on fire.
45:44One thing I've always got in my back pocket is I can finish the fight whenever.
45:48In the division, there's not many knockouts, I've got 12 of them.
45:51Big power for a small guy.
45:54Double jab, step.
45:55Fighting for a world title, I'm excited because there's 15 years of fighting.
46:00Nice.
46:01It's a long time to work on this one goal.
46:04It's a goal that I haven't tipped off to be the first flyweight Māori world champion.
46:10And I want to be the first one to knock him out in the UFC flyweight division.
46:14This man has all the ability to become a world champion.
46:17And then bring another belt back to El Tehron, New Zealand.
46:20That's what I'm chasing.
46:21Alessandre Pantoja, he's the best in the world.
46:24He has beaten everybody.
46:26Kai Cara France has a huge power in his hands.
46:29But I can finish him.
46:31He is a champion, a champion for a reason.
46:33He is the man.
46:35I can submit him.
46:36His crown game is levels above.
46:39And still!
46:41The important thing is I keep this belt.
46:45Me and Pantoja get to run it back.
46:47This time I'm making it count.
46:49I can finish the fight whenever.
46:51UFC 317 and bringing another belt back to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
47:00The battle for flyweight gold sets the stage for a clash at 155 pounds in the main event.
47:07Or past champion, Charles Oliveira.
47:09He wants to get back to where he was.
47:12He wants to hold that belt again.
47:14Takes on the former featherweight king, Ilya Tepori, for the vacant lightweight title.
47:19Ilya Tepori is special.
47:21The highest fight IQ in the game.
47:23It all goes down for International Fight Week and UFC 317 in Las Vegas.
47:30I mean, if that doesn't get you hyped, I don't know what will.
47:37No big thing, I mean, I do not know what will happen.
47:42I am not a champion, but I am not a champion.
47:47I am not ready to stay so cute.
47:49I am not a champion in the game, but I have to leave.
47:50I am not a champion.
47:51I will be kidding me.
47:52I will be kidding you.
47:57I am not a champion.
47:59The King Mates vs.
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