ABU DHABI: Topuria vs Holloway brought another incredible night of action to Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, culminating in Ilia Topuria successfully defending his featherweight title with a knockout win over No2-ranked Max Holloway.
Topuria maintained his perfect record, improving to 16-0-0, and showcased his dominance in the main event by becoming the first to knockout Holloway in his UFC career.
In the main event of the thrilling UFC 308 night in the UAE capital, Topuria landed a devastating right hand that visibly staggered Holloway in the third round of the fight.
Seizing the moment, Topuria unleashed a powerful left hook that sent the 32-year-old American fighter to the canvas. He immediately followed up with relentless ground-and-pound until referee ending the fight at 1:34 in the third round.
Speaking on his win, Topuria said, ‘Defeating a legend like Max Holloway, I’m at a loss for words. He’s been a huge inspiration for this generation. I hope to be a small example for the next generation like he has
been for me.’
Topuria revealed that he sensed victory was near the moment he landed the initial heavy blow. ‘When I hit him with the right hand, I felt it, I could see it in his face. That’s not something you often see in Max Holloway,” the featherweight champion added.
Reflecting on his experience fighting in Abu Dhabi, Topuria shared, ‘It was incredible. I debuted my UFC career in Abu Dhabi and now defending my title here for the first time was really special. The fans and the atmosphere were amazing.’
Chimaev needed just one takedown to dominate Whittaker with relentless grappling, ultimately securing the position for a submission. Locking his arms around Whittaker’s jaw, Chimaev tightened his grip, prompting an almost immediate tap-out. The bout concluded at 3:34 of the first round, moving Chimaev’s undefeated record to 14-0 overall and 8-0 in the UFC.
Following the fight, Whittaker disclosed that he had likely suffered a dislocated jaw due to the submission. With this victory, ‘Borz’ strengthens his
position as a top contender in the middleweight division.
After the victory, Chimaev directly called for a title shot, stating, ‘I’m coming for the belt.’ Reflecting on his fight, he said, ‘When I took him down, I controlled him in that position and got the choke in. I submitted him so quickly.”
Chimaev also praised Abu Dhabi, calling it the best city in the world: “Abu Dhabi safe and an amazing place. There are a lot of different things happening here for the future, for kids, and for life. I’ve been here many times, and now I live here. It’s the best place.” Speaking about the fans, he added, ‘They were amazing, supporting me a lot. From day one I fought here, I felt their support, and I still feel it.’
Earlier in the main card fights, Sharaputdin Magomedov maintained his unbeaten record with a TKO win over Armen Petrosyan, delivering a double backfist finish at 4:52 of Round 2. In another bout, Magomed Ankalaev put on a striking masterclass to secure a unanimous decision victory against Aleksandar Rakic
. Additionally, Lerone Murphy extended his impressive undefeated streak with a win over Dan Ige.
With UFC 308 living up to its billing, Abu Dhabi Showdown Week came to a stunning close, delivering plenty of thrilling moments for the fans who flew into the UAE capital from all over the world, as well as for residents. The event drew fans from around the world as part of the action-packed week, which also featured Power Slap 9 and a variety of fan experiences.
Source: Emirates News Agency