Updates, results, analysis for the Topuria vs. Holloway card

UFC 308 is a must-watch and Topuria-Holloway is at the top of the list.

UFC 308 is shaping up to be a pugilist's delight as Ilia Topuria takes on Max Holloway live from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

It will be a daytime affair for those in the US who can watch a variety of prelims before the main card, which features two of the UFC's better punchers.

Topuria has an unblemished record of 15-0-0, with five of those fights coming by (T)KO. What it may lack in range, it fully makes up for in a balanced and measured attack.

He faces the equally hard-hitting Holloway, whose last two fights ended in knockouts. He defeated Justin Gaethje in the fifth round of UFC 300 and needed three rounds to defeat Jung Chan-sung at UFC Fight Night in August 2023.

Here you will find all the updates and everything you need to know about UFC 308 and Topuria vs. Holloway.

Locked up: Topuria and Holloway face off in the prefight video

Round 1: The feeling process begins with both fighters delivering powerful blows to the other. Things are expected to be more aggressive between the two in the second round.
Round 2: The referee had to call two stoppages in the first round as the two fighters exchanged kicks to the lower body. Magomedov appears to be eating up the punches Petrosyan counters him with. The strategy paid off when Magomedov landed a double-spin back fist in the final seconds of the second rebound that sent Petrosyan to the ground.
Results: Magomedov wins by TKO and remains undefeated (15-0-0).

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway: TV, time, streaming info

Ilia Topuria faces Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308 live from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Here's what you need to know about the fight.

Date: Saturday, October 26th
Time: Main card: 2:00 p.m. ET; Prelims begin at 10 a.m. ET
Streaming: PPV on ESPN+; Prelims on ESPN+
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Experience UFC 308 with an ESPN+ subscription and Topuria-Holloway with an ESPN+ PPV

Cover: 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT (ESPN+)
Main map: 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 p.m. PT (PPV on ESPN+)

According to BetMGM, all odds apply to moneyline bets (as of Friday).

Ilia Topuria (c) (-250) vs. Max Holloway (+200)
Robert Whittaker (+200) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (-250)
Magomed Ankalaev (-400) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (+300)
Lerone Murphy (-300) vs. Dan Ige (+240)
Shara Magomedov (-175) vs. Armen Petrosyan (+145)
Raul Rosas Jr. (-1000) vs. Aoriqileng (+650)
Ibo Aslan (+105) vs. Rafael Cerqueira (-125)
Geoff Neal (-300) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (+240)
Mateusz Rebecki (+240) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (-300)
Abus Magomedov (-145) vs. Brunno Ferreira (+120)
Kennedy Nzechukwu (-700) vs. Chris Barnett (+500)
Farid Basharat (-650) vs. Victor Hugo (+475)
Ismail Naurdiev (-190) vs. Bruno Silva (+160)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (-225) vs. Carlos Leal (+185)

Main map

Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Max Holloway (featherweight title fight)
Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev (middleweight)
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic (Light Heavyweight)
Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige (Featherweight)
Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)

front matter

Ibo Aslan vs. Rafael Cerqueira (Light Heavyweight)
Geoff Neal vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (welterweight)
Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai (catchweight)
Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira (Middleweight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Chris Barnett (Heavyweight)
Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo (Featherweight)
Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva (middleweight)
Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Carlos Leal (welterweight)

The prelims will be available to stream live on ESPN+. The pay-per-view main event is available to purchase and stream on ESPN+.

UFC 308 pay-per-view can be purchased via ESPN+ (which requires a subscription) for $79.99.

The event will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Ethiad Arena is located directly on the shores of Yas Bay and can accommodate 18,000 spectators.

MMAjunkie: Holloway in the distance

Dan Tom writes: “Add to that Holloway's ridiculous stamina and the fact that he's the more proven and effective fighter over five rounds, and I'm happy to take a flier on 'Blessed' to get through the early scares and get myself on track “to pull away.” a stoppage win in round 4.”

MMAmania: Topuria def. Holloway by decision

Jesse Holland writes: “The challenger has the conditioning to spam takedowns in all five rounds, and I'm not sure O'Malley – who was defeated six times by Petr Yan at UFC 280 – has the defense to stop him . “I just don’t do that.” Feel comfortable picking the champion based on the slim chance he can land the killing shot before being double-legged into oblivion.”

CBS Sports: Topuria wins

Brian Campbell writes: “But even if this fight goes the distance, Topuria's rare combination of punching power, speed and supreme accuracy should be enough to keep Holloway from being the kind of dominant self he was against each of Justin Gaetje and Arnold Allen was.” Yair Rodriguez and Calvin Kattar have too many weapons in recent fights and a mindset that will be difficult to break.

Round 1: Fakhretdinov took a minute to get this fight to the ground, but Leal did well to get him back to his feet. Leal is clearly comfortable getting out of takedowns and also throwing punches to Fakhretdinov's face.
Round 2: Leal is elusive and proves to be a problem for favorite Fakhretdinov, who is sure to take a hit. Leal has endured significant blows. But the round comes to an end when Fakhretdinov brings Leal to the mat. Too little, too late.
Round 3: Both fighters gave it their all in this first preliminary fight. It's a shame that there were few fans who attended the game at the Etihad Arena. Leal was inspiring with his takedown defense and his ability to cause problems with his punches.
Result: Rinat Fakhretdinov wins via unanimous decision (29-28; 29-28; 30-27) – I'm not sure what the judges saw, but Fakhretdinov continues his winning streak at 23.

Round 1: Naurdiev is the clear attacker who opens proceedings. He managed to get a rear naked choke near the end of the round, but he couldn't quite finish the move.
Round 2: What we expect from Silva is best described as lackluster. He doesn't fight with the same urgency as Naurdiev, who is clearly dictating things.
Round 3: Silva came into the game tired and from then on he just went down. Naurdiev seems to be able to last another two rounds. This is Naurdiev's fight unless I take crazy pills.
Results: Naurdiev wins via unanimous decision (30-27)

Round 1: The two measured each other and left their own mark. Hugo defeated Basharat with a leg lock and a back elbow, who dominated the action.
Round 2: Basharat has the higher strike rate and appears to be weakening Hugo, who was reeling at the end of the round.
Round 3: Basharat saves a nice connecting punch and ends the fight with several takedowns. His technical strikes and his ability to dominate the fight make it clear who should be the winner here.
Result: Basharat wins by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Round 1: The fight is stopped after Barnett appears to be in pain. In the first few minutes he favored his left leg. It is still not clear what exactly the problem was. In the final moments, the fight was stopped after Barnett was in too much pain to defend himself.

Result: Nzechukwu wins by TKO

Round 1: Kudos to Magomedov for providing plenty of action in this preliminary middleweight bout. Ferreira started to turn heads in the closing moments of the round. But in the first round it was mostly a waiting game.
Round 2: If Ferreira has been waiting for his moment, he really has impeccable timing. Both times he launched an attack, he put Magomedov on the mat, only to see his hold squandered. But the damage is done and Magomedov is exhausted after an action-packed second round.
Round 3: Magomedov takes Ferreira down and locks him in an arm triangle. It's over and Magomedov wins by submission.
Result: Magomedov wins by submission

Round 1: Rebecki is a power puncher and you only have to ask Orolbai's right eye for a statement. For most of the round there was an even exchange of blows until Rebecki scored a wonderful follow-up goal. Now Orolbai will continue with an ever-swelling eye.
Round 2: Orolbai landed some nice power punches, namely a great right uppercut. His eye continues to swell, but he has moved forward with relentless zeal. And it was rewarded when the two came together and the collision of heads caused a severe cut above Rebecki's right eye.
Round 3: Orolbai is on another level. After Rebecki took him down and did some more work on his face, he turned the tables at the end of the round. I'm not entirely sure how he even knew where his opponent was in the octagon, but he found Rebecki and his face was as bloody as his own at the end of this remarkable fight.
Result: Rebecki winner by split decision

Round 1: The fight is over. Rafael Dos Anjos suffered a so-called left knee injury. Neal was the aggressor and landed a few combos that sent Dos Anjos to the mat. He may have suffered a knee injury during one of these exchanges, which ultimately ended the fight prematurely.
Result: Neal wins by TKO

Ilia Topuria	vs.	Max Holloway
15-0-0	Record	26-7-0
Georgia	country	USA
5-foot-7	Height	5-foot-11
144 pounds	Weight	145 pounds
69 inches	To reach	69 inches
37 inches	Leg reach	42 inches

Round 1: Well, that was quick. Aslan just unleashed a barrage of punches, starting with a left strike to Cerqueira's left temple. It seemed like he was stunned afterwards and couldn't recover. Given the relentless attacks, it was clear that this battle had to end abruptly.
Result: Aslan wins by TKO

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UFC 308 is a must-watch and Topuria-Holloway is at the top of the list.