The silence is over, and what followed was pure chaos. Dana White has released the much-anticipated bombshell: Ilia Topuria will face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 317. That’s right—it’s vacant. Islam Makhachev has been stripped of his 155-pound title and will now compete for welterweight gold. The buzz was already loud, but with this announcement, the volume just hit max.
White first took to Instagram Live without warning or buildup, delivering the news to his fans. It was quick, direct, and just what fans had been asking for. Then came the Instagram post by the UFC that confirmed that Topuria vs. Oliveira is now scheduled for June 28 at International Fight Week in Las Vegas, arguably the largest stage on the UFC calendar.
The moment the announcement was made, timelines exploded. No more theories. No more fan posters. No more waiting. It’s official, and it is big. The belt is on the line because Islam Makhachev, previously regarded as Khabib Nurmagomedov’s heir, made the career-altering choice to fight Jack Della Maddalena at welterweight. Some call it ambition. Others call it an escape.
In either case, the outcome is the same: the lightweight strap is up for grabs, and for the first time in years, the division seems wide open. Makhachev’s departure creates a power vacuum, and two eager combatants are ready to step in. Ilia Topuria, undefeated and unwavering, has been playing a long game. After handing up his featherweight belt, he made it clear that he was not interested in filler contests. “Only gold,” he told Joe Rogan, and the UFC has delivered.
The Brazilian legend needs no introduction. Oliveira was made for nights like this. He has been here before. He understands the pressure, the lights, and the stakes. And, with new social media teases and gym footage surfacing, he appears to be the man ready to recover his position at the top.
However, it still seems odd to see the way Islam Makhachev left his throne. The man wanted to achieve double championship status, but instead, he had to vacate the gold and move towards a new challenge. This surely irked many fans, especially after seeing how the heavyweight division is running right now. In fact, social media soon erupted with some serious wrath targeted toward Dana White and the UFC, as fans believe that some major bias is now as clear as night and day.
Dana White asking Islam Makhachev makes fans speak out against Jon Jones bias
That outrage with Islam Makhachev’s forced dethroning reached a boiling point when fans glanced up at the heavyweight division and saw Jon Jones still firmly clinging onto his throne, despite defending it only once since he took the gold. For many, the difference was too obvious to overlook. If Makhachev had to give up his lightweight title simply for daring to go up a level, why is ‘Bones’ granted so much leeway? That question sparked a social media campaign, with fans openly criticizing Dana White for what they now see as blatant, long-standing favoritism.
The complaints were neither quiet nor courteous. “Forcing Islam to vacate but keeping Jones’ title ,” one fan tweeted, expressing his fury. Others wanted an explanation: “How come Jones wasn’t forced to vacate, @danawhite?” coupled with “Islam has been stripped but not Jon Jones .”
The skepticism was intense, with one user even joking, “What if Islam changed his name to ‘Islam Jones’—could he keep his belt and never fight the number one contender?” These weren’t simply casual jibes; they were frustrated sentiments from a fan base that believes the UFC operates under two separate rules depending on who is involved.
And who has suffered the most as a result of this? It is not Islam. Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, is left with a useless title as his division remains frozen in time. “Tom Aspinall should sue the UFC for wasting years of his life,” one irate fan remarked, while another added, “Tom could’ve been a GOAT candidate—bro lost 2 years of his prime for no reason.”
These fans believe Dana White’s tolerance for Jones’ pay demands and negotiating delays is destroying the heavyweight division. Some even say, “Dana’s not the boss—Jon Jones is.” Statements like “UFC is finished. Ruined heavyweight” make it obvious that this is about more than just one guy being stripped. It is about a company that has lost trust. What do you think? Is Dana White actually biased towards Jones? Let us know in the comments.
The post UFC 317 Card Lands Dana White Under Hot Waters as Fans Call Out His Bias Towards Jon Jones Amid Islam Makhachev Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.