UFC 317 is a top-heavy pay-per-view. Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira is one of the best fights the promotion can make, and it carries the weight of International Fight Week on its shoulders. Despite that, there are a few jewels on Saturday’s undercard.
Topuria and Oliveira fight for the vacant UFC lightweight championship. The most exciting non-title fight on the card also features 155-pound athletes. Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano are elite grapplers who love to throw hands. The winner takes an important step towards contention in a division soon to have a new ruler.
Let’s put the magnifying glass over three undercard fights you shouldn’t miss.
Beneil Dariush vs Renato Moicano.
Dariush vs. Moicano was originally set for UFC 311, but imploded at the final hour. Moicano stepped in for an injured Arman Tsarukyan on one day’s notice, taking on Islam Makhachev for the UFC lightweight title. Now they run it back. Dariush was on the precipice of a phenomenal comeback story, rebounding from near retirement to a title shot. Knockout losses to Oliveira and Tsarukyan left that draft on the cutting room floor. For Dariush, a first-class grappler with powerful hands, winning is crucial. Moicano is working through his own redemption story, winning five straight before running into Makhachev. Moicano is a marvelous submission fighter with a growing ground striking game. Their fight has a high fun factor and situates the winner for something substantial.
Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
Royval and Manel Kape were guaranteed to put on a banger. Though it’s unfortunate Kape pulled out of the fight, UFC found a great replacement. Van returns to the Octagon three weeks after a TKO win over Bruno Gustavo da Silva. It was great to see Van find the finishing ability that empowered him on the regional scene. Royval has one mode: go. The one-time UFC title challenger is coming off decision wins over Tatsuro Taira, one of 2024’s better fights, and former champion Brandon Moreno. Before that, Royval built a reputation as one of the flyweight division’s best highlight reels. Expect one of these guys to be called up if something goes wrong with the co-main event title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara France.
Terrence McKinney vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
A stoppage is guaranteed when McKinney is involved. The lightweight prospect has fought 23 times, each one ending before the final bell. McKinney (16-7) has another chance to step into the fire against Borschev. Affectionately nicknamed “Slava Claus,” the Urijah Faber student is a reliable KO threat whose only been stopped once. McKinney must use the totality of his offensive dynamics against Borschev’s tough and rugged style. If there’s a fight, excluding the main event, likely to produce a memorable finish, it’s this one.
