UFC 308 was one to remember. Ilia Topuria remains the featherweight champion after a stunning knockout of former titleholder Max Holloway. It was the first time in his 34-fight professional career that Holloway was knocked down.
The fight went as expected from the jump, with both fighters landing incredible power shots throughout the second round. After the second break, Holloway appeared to be gaining momentum with volume strikes and head movement, which frustrated the advancing Topuria. Instead, Topuria flipped the script in the third round by pinning Holloway against the fence and knocking him out with a straight right before landing a perfect left hook to knock him down for good.
Elsewhere on the card, Khamzat Chimaev returned to the scene with a dominant performance against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. Chimaev took down Whittaker early on and never relented. He continued the submission attempt with incredible ground control, eventually driving a forearm into Whittaker’s face to cause the submission. Whittaker said he thought he had dislocated his jaw in the hold. The victory ostensibly puts Chimaev on the fast track to a middleweight title showdown with Drix du Plessis, which he has waited years for due to illness and injury.
“They showed me that picture,” Chimaev told reporters at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “When I pressed on his jaw, I felt something wrong. It didn’t feel right. I didn’t mean to break his jaw, but this is my job. If I make someone feel pain, I will be happy.”
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UFC 308 fight card, odds
Ilya Topria (c) def. Max Holloway won by 3rd round KO (punch)Khamzat Chimaev def. Robert Whittaker via 1st round submission (face crank) Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakic, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Lerone Murphy def. Dan Ige, unanimous decision (29-28, 29) -28, 29-28)Shara Magomedov def.Armen Petrosyan 2nd round knockout (punches) Ivo Aslan def. Rafael Cerqueira 1st round TKO (punches) Jeff Neal def. Rafael dos Anjos 1st round TKO (injury) Mateusz Rebecki def. Miktibek Olorubayi, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Abs Magomedov def. Bruno Ferreira, 3rd round submission (arm triangle choke) Kennedy Nizechuk def. Chris Barnett 1st round TKO (punch) Farid Basharat def Victor Hugo by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Ismail Naudiyev def. Bruno Silva (unanimous decision) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Rinat Fakhreddinov def .Carlos Real wins by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
