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Fight By Fight Preview | UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
Laying Out The Lineup For Saturday’s Return To Etihad Arena
By E. Spencer Kyte, on X @spencerkyte
A pair of devastating finishes put Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway on a collision course and Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the two will do battle in the UFC 308 main event with the victor walking away as featherweight champion.
The UFC’s annual autumn trek to the United Arab Emirates has traditionally produced massive championship moments and fight cards filled with thrilling efforts, and this instalment shouldn’t be any different, as the captivating headlining bout is joined by a fascinating co-main event that was delayed earlier in the year and host of intriguing matches featuring established contenders, emerging names, and intriguing neophytes.
This card is loaded with talent and should be a banger, so let’s get into it.
Featherweight Championship Main Event: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway
Ilia Topuria makes the first defense of his featherweight title against former champion Max Holloway in one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
Topuria claimed the throne in February, registering a breathtaking second-round knockout win over titleholder Alexander Volkanovski, leaving the Australian slumped against the fence. The win moved Topuira to 7-0 in the UFC and 15-0 overall, making “El Matador” the first Georgian and Spanish champion in UFC history.
Holloway’s path to potentially reclaiming the featherweight title seemed blocked as long as Volkanovski was still atop the division, but when Topuira claimed the belt, the road opened up. “Blessed” then went out at UFC 300 and claimed the BMF title from Justin Gaethje, wrapping up a dominant effort by knocking out “The Highlight” in the center of the Octagon just before the buzzer.
Every part of this fight is compelling, even the verbal sparring that has been taking place between the two. Topuria is confident and incredibly skilled, while Holloway is one of the most battle-tested fighters on the roster, making this an exceptional clash between a burgeoning superstar and one of the most popular fighters on the roster.
No matter how this plays out, it’s going to be captivating, and will set a new course for the 145-pound weight class heading into 2025.
Additional Main Card Matchups
Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev
Originally scheduled to take place in June, Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will finally share the Octagon together this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Whittaker remains an ever-present threat in the middleweight division; a former champion whose only losses have come against current champ Dricus Du Plessis and former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya. He followed up his unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February with a first-round knockout of Ikram Aliskerov in June, further solidifying his place as an elite contender in the process.
After an unmatched three-month stretch to begin his career, Chimaev has become a talented enigma in recent years. “Borz” has only fought four times in the last four years, struggling with health issues, though he remains unbeaten, having edged out former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman in a short-notice pairing in Abu Dhabi last October.
This is a massive fight for both men, as well as the division. If Whittaker can become the first to turn back Chimaev while securing a third win in 2024, he’ll head into next year in prime position to challenge for the title again, while if the undefeated grappler adds Whittaker’s name to his resume, his case for a championship opportunity will be difficult to overlook.
Lerone Murphy vs Dan Ige
Top 15 featherweights meet in the middle of the main card as Lerone Murphy looks to remain undefeated when he takes on UFC 303 hero Dan Ige.
The 33-year-old Murphy enters with a 6-0-1 record inside the Octagon and sporting a 14-0-1 mark overall. His first four UFC appearances took place in Abu Dhabi, and in May he picked up his biggest win to date by out-working Edson Barboza over five rounds.
A consummate pro and rankings fixture, Ige had a breakout moment in June, jumping into a fight with Diego Lopes on four hours’ notice, pushing the Brazilian every step of the way while landing on the wrong side of 29-28 scores across the board. The Xtreme Couture representative earned a first-round knockout win over Andre Fili earlier in the year and comes into this one looking to further improve his place in the division.
These two were scheduled to compete in February, but Murphy was forced to withdraw, resulting in Ige staying on the card and sparking Fili. It’s an outstanding test for the undefeated Brit and a good opportunity for the Hawaiian to re-affirm his standing as a perennial tough out in the 145-pound weight class.
Magomed Ankalaev vs Aleksandar Rakic
Light heavyweight contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic clash in a critical matchup just a few weeks after Alex Pereira successfully defended his title for a third time this year.
Ankalaev opened the year with a second-round knockout win over Johnny Walker in the first main event of 2024, resolving things with the Brazilian after their meeting at UFC 294 last October ended in a no contest following an illegal knee. The 32-year-old standout is unbeaten in his last dozen fights, and brings one of the most complete skill sets in the division into the Octagon.
After suffering a serious knee injury in his May 2022 meeting with former champ Jan Blachowicz, Rakic finally returned to action in April, landing on the wrong end of things in a clash with another ex-titleholder, Jiri Prochazka, at UFC 303. The Austrian standout was 6-1 in the UFC prior to his current two-fight skid, with his lone setback coming by debated split decision against Volkan Oezdemir at the end of 2019.
While there are never any guarantees, most anticipate that the winner of this one will find themselves standing opposite “Poatan” next year, as the Brazilian has done away with the current crop of top contenders, and the victor here will have a tremendous case for challenging for the title.
Shara Magomedov vs Armen Petrosyan
The main card opens in the middleweight division, as intriguing striker Shara Magomedov faces off with Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) grad Armen Petrosyan.
“Shara Bullet” made his promotional debut on last year’s October pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, registering a unanimous decision win over Bruno Silva. Since then, the 30-year-old has added a third-round finish of Antonio Trocoli and a unanimous decision win over Michal Oleksiejczuk to his resume to advance to 14-0 overall.
A member of the DWCS Class of ’21, Petrosyan has gone 3-2 through his first five UFC starts. Last time out, he was submitted by former BJJ world champion Rodolfo Vieira, but he shouldn’t have to worry about takedowns or submission attempts in this one.
Can Magomedov keep moving forward and secure a third win this year or will Petrosyan hand the unbeaten middleweight the first loss of his mixed martial arts career?
Preliminary Card Fights
Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai
Lightweights land in the final preliminary card fight of the day, as Mateusz Rebecki faces off with Myktybek Orolbai.
Rebecki began his UFC tenure with three straight wins, but the DWCS grad gassed hard following a strong start in his bout with Diego Ferreira earlier this year, resulting in a third-round stoppage loss. Orolbai debuted last November at welterweight, submitting Uros Medic, then moved to lightweight in May, registering a unanimous decision win over Elves Brener at UFC 301 to extend his winning streak to eight and his record to 13-1-1 overall.
Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira
Abus Magomedov and Brunno Ferreira meet in a battle of middleweights looking to maintain momentum heading towards the end of the year.
After dropping consecutive bouts to Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho, Magomedov rebounded with a dominant showing over Warlley Alves in May. Ferreira has gone 3-1 in four UFC starts since claiming a contract on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series, with all four fights ending in the first round.
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Chris Barnett
Kennedy Nzechukwu moves up to heavyweight for the first time in his UFC career, welcoming fan favorite Chris Barnett back to the Octagon for the first time in more than two years.
An early DWCS grad, Nzechukwu has struggled to find consistency on the big stage, climbing a division after consecutive setbacks and sporting a 6-5 mark under the UFC banner. After not having fought since September 2022, Barnett swaps places with Justin Tafa.
Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo
Intriguing bantamweights clash early in the fight card, as Farid Basharat puts his unbeaten record on the line against Brazilian finisher Victor Hugo.
Basharat has earned three straight wins since matriculating to the Octagon, most recently out-working surging French veteran Taylor Lapilus in January. Hugo, a member of the DWCS Class of ’23, earned a unanimous decision win in his promotional debut in April, and has posted 17 stoppages in 25 career victories.
Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva
Ismail Naurdiev takes on Bruno Silva in his return to the UFC this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
Naurdiev was a highly regarded welterweight prospect when he first arrived in the UFC, going 2-2 in four starts before departing the promotion, returning here off a first-round submission win in his middleweight debut at Brave CF 79. The 35-year-old Silva enters on a three-fight losing streak, most recently suffering a technical decision loss to Chris Weidman in a foul-filled affair in Atlantic City back in March.
Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal
A fighter on the verge of a Top 15 ranking, Russia’s Rinat Fakhretdinov has posted an impressive 4-0-1 record in the UFC since his debut in 2022, most recently a split decision victory over Nicolas Dalby in June. Expected to face Nursulton Ruziboev this weekend, the “Gladiator” will now battle Brazilian newcomer Carlos Leal, who sports a 21-5 pro slate.
Ibo Aslan vs Rafael Cerqueira
Light heavyweights that like to work quickly open the show on Saturday, as Ibo Aslan makes his sophomore appearance inside the Octagon in a meeting with newcomer Rafael Cerqueira.
The 28-year-old Aslan has won five straight, all by stoppage, including his promotional debut earlier this year, where he avenged a prior loss to Anton Turkalj. Cerquiera, who trains with heavyweight standout Jailton Almeida, is 11-0 for his career, having earned finishes in 10 of those wins, including a pair of first-round stoppages already this year.
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