Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira participated in a notably respectful final face-off leading up to their clash for the vacant lightweight championship.
The highly anticipated 155-pound title fight is set to be the main event of UFC 317 early tomorrow morning in Las Vegas.
Both fighters, aged 28 and 35 respectively, successfully made weight without issue for their eagerly awaited showdown in Sin City. Topuria was precisely at the 155lb limit for his second fight in the division, while former champion Oliveira came in slightly under at 154.5lbs, appearing visibly lean.
Following the official weigh-ins, the final step was the ceremonial face-off.
Oliveira, a fan favorite, was met with loud cheers as he stepped onto the scales for the ceremony, while Topuria received boos, which he appeared to relish.
Much like their initial encounter, the two remained cordial. They shared an intense stare before concluding with a warm embrace before going their separate ways. UFC President Dana White oversaw the proceedings but was not required to intervene.
Both men have the opportunity to make UFC history with a victory this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena.
A win would make Ilia Topuria only the tenth fighter in the promotion`s 32-year history to capture titles in two different weight classes.
Charles Oliveira, conversely, could become the first fighter ever to regain the UFC lightweight championship for a second time. He famously lost the belt on the scales in May 2022 when he missed weight ahead of what would have been his second title defense against Justin Gaethje.
