The UFC is set to electrify Abu Dhabi once again with a stacked UFC 308 card headlined by a featherweight title tilt between undefeated champion Ilia Topuria and legendary former champ Max Holloway. This matchup alone has fight fans salivating, but it’s far from the only must-see bout on Saturday’s lineup.
Undefeated Topuria Aims to Solidify Reign vs Revitalized Holloway
In the main event, Ilia Topuria looks to defend his 145-pound strap for the first time since dethroning Alexander Volkanovski in stunning fashion earlier this year. The unbeaten Georgian phenom’s record stands at a perfect 15-0, with eight submissions and five knockouts painting a picture of a well-rounded finisher.
Aiming to halt Topuria’s meteoric rise is none other than Max Holloway, the most accomplished featherweight in UFC history. Though “Blessed” is no longer champ, his highlight reel KO of Justin Gaethje in April served emphatic notice that the Hawaiian is far from done at age 34. Holloway holds UFC featherweight records for wins (20), finishes (11), KOs (9), and significant strikes (2,892) and has only been finished once in his 33-fight career.
Max Holloway is a legend of the sport and this division, but I am the present and future. I will show why I’m champion by finishing him.
Champion Ilia Topuria
Chimaev Faces True Middleweight Test vs Ex-Champ Whittaker
In the co-main event, surging star Khamzat Chimaev aims to cement his status as middleweight top contender against former champ Robert Whittaker. Chimaev is unbeaten in the UFC at 7-0 but has competed just three times in the last three years. His last outing was an impressive stoppage of ex-welterweight king Kamaru Usman in a short-notice 185-pound bout.
To fully validate his hype, Chimaev must now turn back a true middleweight elite in Whittaker. The Aussie is 13-2 in his last 15 fights, with those only losses coming against Israel Adesanya. Whittaker’s combination of precise striking, strong wrestling, and frenetic pace will pose problems Chimaev has yet to solve in the Octagon.
Rising Contenders Ankalaev, Murphy, Magomedov Look to Stay Perfect
Beyond the blockbuster title fight and co-headliner, UFC 308 features several more undefeated upstarts aiming to break into contention:
- Light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev (20-1) rides a 12-fight unbeaten streak into a pivotal clash with Aleksandar Rakic. A convincing win could secure Ankalaev the next 205-pound title shot.
- Surging featherweight Lerone Murphy (14-0-1) faces perennial contender Dan Ige looking to crack the division’s top 10.
- Middleweight Shara Magomedov (14-0) makes his third UFC appearance vs Armen Petrosyan seeking to announce his presence at 185 pounds.
I have done everything to deserve a title fight. If I beat a tough opponent like Rakic, no one can deny me.
Light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev
With a total of six undefeated fighters populating the main card and prelims, UFC 308 is practically guaranteed to see ‘0’s fall and divisional landscapes shift. Will young champions like Topuria keep their perfect records intact? Can veterans like Holloway and Whittaker turn back fresh challengers to regain lost glory? The answers await on fight night.
No matter the outcomes, UFC 308 has all the ingredients to be a landmark event: champion vs legend, unbeaten king vs ex-ruler, and a host of undefeated prospects. For any MMA fan, this electric fight card is simply unmissable.
