UFC

Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria Officially SIGNED For UFC 317 Main Event In International Fight Week, According To Reports

Author photo
By
Paul Kelly
Author photo
Paul Kelly Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

Get to know Paul Kelly better
Sports Editor

Published01 Apr 2025

Disclosure
We publish independently audited content meeting strict editorial standards. Ads on our site are served by Google AdSense and are not controlled or influenced by our editorial team.

Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria has been officially signed for the UFC 317 main event in International Fight Week. According to reports, Makhachev vs Topuria will headline UFC 317 on June 29 in Las Vegas.

Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria SIGNED For UFC 317

According to reputable MMA journalist Rueben Carter, Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria has been officially signed for the UFC 317 main event this June.

UFC 317 rumours have been rife these past few months, with some huge fights mentioned for the International Fight Week UFC card on June 29.

Las Vegas is where UFC 317 is going down, but there has been no official confirmation from UFC President Dana White or UFC officials as to what the main event will be or any other fights on the card.

The likes of Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall, Dricus du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev and Charles Oliveira vs Ilia Topuria are just some of the fights that be been rumoured for UFC 317 so far.

Now, the latest rumours are that Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria is officially signed. Whether or not this is the case remains to be seen, with official confirmation not yet coming from Dana White or the UFC.

If Makhachev vs Topuria has been signed for the UFC 317 main event, it would be the biggest fight of the year besides Jones vs Aspinall. The UFC Lightweight Title would undoubtedly be on the line, with Makhachev defending his 155-pound belt against the former 145-pound champion on his first fight up at lightweight.

If these Makhachev vs Topuria rumours are true and the fight is officially signed, it would undoubtedly be the main event. Makhachev would likely go in as the pre-fight favourite with the best UFC betting sites given his dominance at 155-pounds of late.

However, ‘El Matador’ is undefeated in MMA and is fresh off the back of emphatic knockouts of Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway at featherweight. Write him off at your peril!

Stay tuned for more UFC 317 rumours and official fight announcements.

Has Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria Been Made Official Yet?

Despite several rumours that the fight is being targeted for UFC 317 and the confirmation from UFC insider Rueben Carter, Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria is not yet officially signed.

UFC President Dana White hasn’t yet made any announcements at all regarding UFC 317 and the fights that will take place on the blockbuster International Fight Week card.

Of course, the Makhachev vs Topuria fight may well be officially signed, but the UFC are waiting to officially announce the fight in due course.

There are constantly fight rumours going about, particularly in the UFC, so it is difficult to know whether a rumour has an real substance or not.

Given that Islam Makhachev partakes in Ramadan, which ended at the back end of March, this UFC 317 fight date could be doable for the UFC Lightweight Champion.

June 29 is around 12 weeks away now, which is more than enough time for both fighters to prepare, train properly and make weight safely.

Time will tell whether Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria has indeed been officially signed or whether it was pure speculation.

Are There Any Other UFC 317 Rumours?

Alongside the Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria rumours, there have been several other UFC 317 rumours floating about in recent weeks and months. As of today, none have been made official for the blockbuster International Fight Week card.

Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall for the UFC Heavyweight Title has been mentioned on countless occasions for the UFC 317 main event, but it seems we are no closer to seeing that fight. The general consensus is that Jon Jones is stalling negotiations with Tom Aspinall in order to get the maximum purse he can.

Another UFC 317 rumour was that Dricus du Plessis would defend his UFC Middleweight Title against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. Again, this fight has been rumoured for a while and is almost definitely next for the 185-pound belt, but as of today no official announcement has been made.

Charles Oliveira vs Ilia Topuria has been a UFC 317 rumour too, but that has no chance if Topuria instead fights Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Title.

These are just some of the UFC 317 rumours that have been discussed over the past few weeks and months by MMA fans. Time will tell if any of them come to fruition or not.

First and foremost, MMA fans await confirmation that Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria is legitimate and is officially signed for the UFC 317 main event first.

Be sure to claim the various UFC betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of UFC 317.

Related

Football
Sushan Chakraborty  •  3H
Football
James Chittick  •  3H
Football
James Chittick  •  3H
Football
Steven Baker  •  3H
Author photo
Paul Kelly
Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

Get to know Paul Kelly better
Author photo
Paul Kelly Sports Editor

Having worked in the sports journalism and sports betting writing industry for several years now, Paul has gained vital skill, knowledge and expertise in a variety of different sports and industries. Paul is confident and competent at writing in-depth stories, features and betting predictions on a regular basis for SportsCasting. Having worked in the sports media industry ever since graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2020, where he attained a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Paul has jumped at the opportunity to attend numerous live sporting events on a regular basis. This includes working at some high calibre boxing, darts, UFC and football events over the years. Paul has covered a whole host of sports for BBC Sport, as well as being a consistent and regular contributor at ESBR Boxing for several years before becoming a Director in March 2024. Paul’s expertise lies in a wide range of sports, but he is particularly specialised in boxing, MMA, golf, football, darts and horse racing. He is also well-rounded in various sports which he may be less familiar with. Working in sports he is less familiar with helps him learn new skills, as well as nurturing the ability to adapt and overcome potential obstacles. Being a sports fanatic, Paul relishes the opportunity at taking on new challenges and is happy to try his hand at anything. During his time studying at university, Paul had the opportunity to gain some vital work experience at both Everton Football Club and BBC Radio 1. This has helped Paul master his knowledge of sports writing, as well as learning new skills with competence and proficiency.

All posts by Paul Kelly