UFC 308 LIVE: Topuria defends title against Holloway in featherweight blockbuster

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway clash in a highly-anticipated title fight tonight, headlining UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

The unbeaten Topuria claimed the men’s featherweight belt in February, ending Alexander Volkanovski’s long title reign with a brutal knockout in round two.

In doing so, he achieved what Max Holloway could not accomplish in three fights; the Hawaiian lost the belt to Volkanovski in 2019 and failed to regain it in two rematches, losing all three bouts via decision.

However, Holloway tends to bounce back well, and his current winning streak peaked in April, when he dominated Justin Gaethje before faceplanting him in the very last second – securing the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ belt with an all-time great KO.

Tonight’s main event is one of the most anticipated fights of the year, and the co-main event has also been long-awaited: Robert Whittaker, a former middleweight champ, takes on unbeaten, rising star Khamzat Chimaev – four months after the Russian withdrew from their match-up due to illness.

Follow live updates and results from the UFC 308 main card and prelims, below.

UFC 308 LIVE

• Ilia Topuria defends 145lb title against former champion Max Holloway

• Unbeaten middleweight Khamzat Chimaev faces ex-champ Robert Whittaker

• Chimaev, after his own health battles, opens up on young son’s struggles

• Shara Magomedov scores unique KO of Armen Petrosyan with double spinning back fist

• Former champion Rafael dos Anjos suffers early injury against Geoff Neal

• Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic meet in crucial light-heavyweight fight

• Plus: Lerone Murphy faces Dan Ige in meeting of featherweight contenders

UFC 308 LIVE: Shara Magomedov vs Armen Petrosyan

19:27 , Alex Pattle

Round two

Magomedov blocks a high kick, then fires a cross over the top of a body kick by Petrosyan. Good jab by Magomedov as he moves backwards, then he seems to absorb a low blow. A pause in the action now.

We’re soon back under way, though. Petrosyan presses forward, but Magomedov throws a body kick to deter the Armenian, then both men land punches at point-blank range.

A side kick troubles Petrosyan again. Magomedov complains of another low blow, but the kick looked clean. Petrosyan is tagged by a check hook as he closes range.

A head kick just misses for Petrosyan, and Magomedov’s counter hook is narrowly wide. Petrosyan with a pair of low kicks. Magomedov reallllly loads up on a right hook and misses, but he lands a high kick. Now Petrosyan has a break for an apparent low blow. That kick looked clean as well, though.

Petrosyan catches a side kick and lands a left hook. Again Magomedov swings fiercely on a hook but misses. Good body hooks by the Russian, however.

OH! Another side kick by Magomedov, then scores the knockout late in the round with a DOUBLE SPINNING BACK FIST! I’ve never seen anything like that.

Petrosyan blocked the worst of the first one, but was tagged on the other side by the second! He fell to the mat and shelled up, and clearly wasn’t lucid.

Shara Magomedov def. Armen Petrosyan via second-round TKO (double spinning back fist, 4:52). Magomedov says the double spinning back fist was the first Muay Thai attack he was ever shown, and it was his brother who showed him.

UFC 308 LIVE: Shara Magomedov vs Armen Petrosyan

19:25 , Alex Pattle

The main card is finally here! First up, middleweight action: the flashy up-and-comer Shara “Bullet” Magomedov faces Armen Petrosyan.

These two have trained together before, and know each other well from their amateur fighting days. The unbeaten Magomedov basically has one working eye, and there’s a belief he can’t get fights sanctioned in the US.

Round one

Petrosyan takes the centre of the ring early and kicks low a few times. “Shara” is the chant from the crowd.

Both men throw hooks at the same time, and Petrosyan follows up with two more – and a one-two! Magomedov seems a bit off… Was he buzzed there?

More low kicks from Petrosyan, who isn’t rushing despite that early success. Magomedov with a strong right hand, and another – a hook! Petrosyan lands a hook in that exchange, too, and now a long left hand! Also a knee in the clinch.

These two are fighting at quite a pace now… Magomedov with a clean left hook! Petrosyan didn’t like that. HARD low kicks from both middleweights.

Another stern left hook from Magomedov. More leg kicks by Petrosyan, who is managing range better for the time being.

A side kick knocks down the Armenian, though! He pops back up. Lots of punching and kicking output from both men. Spinning back fist by Magomedov late on!

UFC 308 LIVE: Ibo Aslan vs Rafael Cerqueira

18:38 , Alex Pattle

Light-heavyweights wrap up the main card, as Ibo Aslan faces Rafael Cerqueira.

A bit of a wait for this one, as the UFC shows a promo for tonight’s main event: Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway.

Okay, finally, the fighters are in the ring!

Round one

Both men stand orthodox at first, though Cerqueira quickly starts switching back and forth.

Short left hook from Aslan early, and Cerqueira backs up to the fence and covers up!

Aslan is pouring on punches, changing the target – going from head to body and back – and Cerqueira has no answer!

He’s rocked a few times, and the fight is waved off in 50 seconds!!

Ibo Aslan def. Rafael Cerqueira via first-round TKO (punches, 0:51).

UFC 308 LIVE: Geoff Neal vs Rafael dos Anjos

18:16 , Alex Pattle

Two more fights before the main card! First up, the pick of the prelims tonight: Geoff “Handz of Steel” Neal faces ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos at welterweight.

Round one

Neal presses forward early. Both men stand southpaw.

RDA, who turned 40 today, is already dropped by a left hand! He still seems lucid, though, as Neal enters half-guard…

Now he backs off and lets RDA stand. Good move. OH! A one-two by Neal, and RDA falls again, but clutching his left knee this time! An injury ends this fight early…

Geoff Neal def. Rafael dos Anjos via first-round TKO (strikes and injury, 1:30).

UFC 308 LIVE: Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai

17:59 , Alex Pattle

Round three

A replay shows that a clash of heads caused the cut over Rebecki’s right eye.

OH! Rebecki floors Orolbai with a left hook, and Orolbai looks to be out?! But the ref lets it go, and Rebecki is pouring on punches, as Orolbai turtles up. Orolbai might have just been woken UP by those shots!!

Somehow, Orolbai – who has shown his toughness tonight – manages to stand and survive for now… There’s blood EVERYWHERE, some of it Rebecki’s, some of it Orolbai’s.

This fight should have been stopped. Orolbai can’t see and is just eating shots. He’s holding Rebecki and hoping for the best.

But as time passes, Rebecki tires, and Orolbai briefly gets on top of the grappling! Emphasis on ‘briefly’; Rebecki is back in control with 90 seconds left.

OH! But Orolbai reverses the position again! Now the fighters stand. They are COVERED in blood. One-two by Orolbai, and Rebecki staggers!

What a fight. What a card so far. Mateusz Rebecki def. Myktybek Orolbai via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

UFC 308 LIVE: Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai

17:52 , Alex Pattle

Up next Mateusz Rebecki fights Myktybek Orolbai at a 160lb catchweight.

Round one

Rebecki stands southpaw; Orolbai is orthodox. Some bombs thrown by each man so far. Rebecki is sporting a little bruising on his face from Orolbai’s punches, already.

Rebecki lands an overhand left, but Orolbai is taking his opponent’s shots well so far. Lots of low kicks from the 160lbers, too.

Orolbai skips back to avoid a left hook – barely. He then blitzes forward. Now he lands a single shot, a long right hook.

Orolbai is sporting his own damage, though, and it’s BAD around his right eye! Severe swelling.

Round two

A delayed start to this round, as Orolbai’s swelling is checked. He’s allowed to continue, but for how long?

Under way, and there’s lots of close-range fighting so far. Both men land clean punches in the pocket. Rebecki looks sharper than his opponent, though.

The pair grapple against the fence, with Rebecki controlling Orolbai for a while. Now they separate, and it’s back to loading up on punches in the middle of the cage.

Orolbai with a great rear uppercut, inflicting his own damage on Rebecki, who is now pawing at a bloody cut around his right eye. Jeez, they’re both so beaten up!

UFC 308 LIVE: Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira

17:32 , Alex Pattle

Round two

Ferreira is trying to get Magomedov’s respect now, pressing forward a bit more.

Magomedov shows his grappling advantage, however, and he gets the first takedown of the fight! He takes the back, then gets side mount, then the back again… but Ferreira scrambles free! Good work!

And Ferreira cracks Magomedov with a brutal left hand! Magomedov gets back to his wrestling, wisely, with another takedown late in the round.

Round three

More success on the feet for Ferreira, but once again he’s taken down! Magomedov has the back by the fence…

Ferreira shows more resilience to shrimp free and stand again, but he’s quickly taken down once more!

And Magomedov works on an arm-triangle from mount… and gets the tap!!

Abus Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira via third-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 3:14).

UFC 308 LIVE: Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira

17:12 , Alex Pattle

Middleweights step up next, as Abus Magomedov fights Brunno Ferreira. Here we go.

Round one

Ferreira and Magomedov (who looks HUGE by the way) are switching stances early. Magomedov is holding the centre of the cage. Ferreira barely blocks a left hook.

Lots of feints from Ferreira, but very little actual activity. That said, the feints are having an effect; Magomedov seems hesitant to let his hands or legs go.

Now Magomedov throws, though, launching a left high kick that Ferreira just blocks. Another high kick from Magomedov – this time on the right – and it skims off Ferreira’s head.

Stabbing front kick by Ferreira now. He had to leap forward to land that. Magomedov with his own front kick. He kicks low now, and Ferreira barely misses with a simultaneous overhand.

UFC 308 LIVE: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Chris Barnett

16:54 , Alex Pattle

Heavyweights enter the cage now: Kennedy Nzechukwu and Chris Barnett. These two have been through a lot in recent years. Barnett’s wife passed away, while Kennedy has been caring for his brother – who has autism – and his wife, who has ALS. Can they both win, please?

Round one

Kennedy comes forward, and Barnett throws a couple of leg kicks to try to deter the much taller man. Both fighters stand southpaw.

An overhand left connects for Barnett, but it’s only a grazing punch. Kennedy feints a spinning attack, and Barnett laughs and gives him a high-five.

Kennedy kicks around the waist and hits Barnett’s cup, but Barnett is okay to continue. Clean cross by Kennedy. Barnett misses with a couple of flashy kicks.

Kennedy with a scraping head kick. And again. He can’t quite get a clean connection on the shorter man. But he does manage a clean land to the body with the next kick.

Barnett appears to be compromised. Is his left foot causing him some problems? He had an Achilles injury just recently.

“He’s hurt,” Kennedy is told by his corner. Yep, Barnett is moving so sheepishly, and now he clutches his leg! He covers up, and Kennedy just pours on punches.

The ref should stop it, but he lets it go a few more seconds, and Barnett drops to the canvas, holding that leg again. So maybe it was a leg injury, not the ankle? A replay shows Barnett injured himself while jumping during the fighter introductions! He then aggravated his leg, seemingly, while throwing one of those high kicks.

Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris Barnett via first-round TKO (strikes and injury, 4:27).

UFC 308 LIVE: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo

16:36 , Alex Pattle

Round two

A knee cracks Hugo! He felt that. Basharat ups the pressure, as Hugo tries to recover.

Some dynamic striking exchanges in the middle of the Octagon, with Hugo seemingly lucid now.

Lots of stance-switching from Basharat. Some taunting from Hugo. He tags Basharat with two to three left hands – a combination of hooks and stiff jabs – and those had a clear effect.

Round three

Hugo with a spinning back kick, and it sends Basharat cascading back to the fence and down to the mat! Hugo tries to follow up with a flying knee, but it just misses…

Basharat with a tidy takedown, picking the ankle and driving Hugo down with the spare hand. He’s controlling Hugo by the fence, and now he moves into half-guard.

Hugo stands against the cage wall, but Basharat drives him down again. Hugo shakes him off, though, and the pair move into space.

Another takedown by Basharat, and he ends the round – and fight – on top.

Farid Basharat def. Victor Hugo via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

Justice after Hugo’s 10lb weight-miss?

UFC 308 LIVE: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo

16:23 , Alex Pattle

The prelims roll on. Next up: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo at featherweight. This bout was due to take place at bantamweight, but Hugo missed weight.

Round one

Both men stand orthodox. Hugo closes range, misses with an uppercut but lands a left hook. Basharat comes back with a right cross.

Basharat slips as he backs up to the fence, and Hugo clinches. Basharat reverses the position, and the pair separate. Hugo kicks low and hard.

Basharat eats an elbow, ouch. Hugo with a daring roll now, a variation on an Imanari, and he tries a leg lock! Basharat stays calm and gets his leg free.

He ends up in half-guard but chooses to back off. Hugo stands and leans back to evade a wheel kick attempt! Now Hugo tries a spinning back kick, but Basharat closes range and gets a body lock.

Another separation. Basharat shoots for a takedown, but again Hugo gets creative with a leg-lock attempt! Nothing doing before the buzzer, though.

UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva

16:05 , Alex Pattle

Round three

Naurdiev gets a front headlock and puts his weight on Silva, landing a couple of knees to the top of his opponent’s head.

He lets go and lands a calf kick and jab. Again Naurdiev takes advantage of some slack movement from Silva, grabbing a body lock and forcing him to the fence.

Brutal one-two from Naurdiev. Silva is being far too passive, walking slowly along the cage wall.

We go to the scorecards, and – barring another robbery – this will go Naurdiev’s way.

Ismail Naurdiev def. Bruno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

This time, the judges get it right (not that it was a hard one (then again, neither was the previous fight…)).

UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva

15:58 , Alex Pattle

Round two

Silva swings and misses with a low kick. Naurdiev goes next, landing a hook to the body.

He then reacts quickly to get an ankle pick as Silva throws a leg kick – while Naurdiev was trying an overhand actually, so the Austrian did well to turn that into a kind of shove, aiding the ankle pick.

Again Naurdiev has Silva tied up against the fence and on the mat. Spiteful elbows from Naurdiev, but Silva shrimps free and stands.

Back into the open, and Naurdiev catches a standing guillotine… Silva stays calm and shucks him off, though.

Another very well-timed takedown by Naurdiev, again catching a kick and turning the defence into an ankle pick. Once more, he has Silva pinned against the fence.

Now Naurdiev is dragging him about. Credit to Silva, however: he’s able to escape and stand yet again. Still, he’s been largely listless tonight.

UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva

15:52 , Alex Pattle

Next up, it’s middleweight action. Ismail Naurdiev faces Bruno Silva.

Round one

Naurdiev stands orthodox; Silva is southpaw. Two hard low kicks from Naurdiev, ouch – the smacks on those.

Silva retaliates with a low kick of his own, then he sees a front kick parried. Now Naurdiev clinches Silva and drives him to the fence.

Silva throws a lazy low kick and spins 360, and Naurdiev pounces! Wise move, lashing a body kick at Silva, whose complacency is punished.

Now Naurdiev grapples Silva against the fence again. He takes him down and laces up Silva’s legs. Silva is able to twist and stand, but he gives up the back in the process!

Naurdiev is off the ground, on Silva’s back, trying a rear naked choke… but no joy before the buzzer!

UFC 308 LIVE: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal

15:34 , Alex Pattle

Round three

Third and final round. Leal is sporting some redness around his nose, but his chin has held up to Rinat’s best offence in the striking.

Rinat is able to control Leal briefly, against the fence, but as in the previous two rounds, Leal eventually gets free.

Now it’s Leal with a takedown! He rolls under a hook and times it to perfection. Rinat gets to the fence and back to his feet, and the pair move back to the centre of the ring.

There, Leal eats three straight punches in a row, but he’s undeterred, landing a one-two in return.

Good sprawl now from Leal, resisting a takedown yet again. Rinat lands a few more good punches in the final seconds, and we’ll go to the scorecards.

A really fun opener.

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Carlos Leal via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

No two ways about it: horrid scoring. Those scores should all have gone the other way. If you’re a Robert Whittaker fan and think he goes the distance against Khamzat Chimaev tonight, worry about a Russian getting such a lucky decision in this first fight of the night.

UFC 308 LIVE: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal

15:28 , Alex Pattle

Round two

The striking has been quite sloppy from both men, but Leal continues to get the best of these back-and-forths.

Now Rinat gets his jab going, however. He eventually goes for another takedown, but it’s thwarted, and he eats a knee for his trouble!

Rinat holds Leal against the fence for some time, but Leal gets away eventually. Rinat closes range with a front kick, but Leal fires back with a one-two.

Again Leal counters a takedown attempt with a knee, before tagging Rinat with a couple of left hooks.

OH! But Rinat stumbles Leal slightly with an overhand right. Leal does well to stay composed, but he’s taken down in the final 15 seconds of the round.

UFC 308 LIVE: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal

15:21 , Alex Pattle

The prelims begin with a welterweight bout between Rinat Fakhretdinov and Carlos Leal!

Round one

Both men stand orthodox. Rinat presses forward early. He feints an overhand and pulls off a double-leg takedown. The pair land near the fence, and Leal is able to use it to stand up.

Rinat holds Leal against the cage wall for a while, before they separate. Both men land punches in a laboured exchange, before Leal sprawls to halt a takedown attempt.

Rinat’s next effort is successful, but again Leal is back up quickly. This time he doesn’t need the fence to stand, but he’s forced back to the cage wall shortly thereafter.

The welterweights separate again, and Leal lands a hard left hook! Leal with some heavy leg kicks, too. Rinat lands a body kick. Leal with a left hand and a knee up the middle!

He defends another takedown. Rinat is sporting some bruising around his nose and left eye. He’s landing punches now, though! One more takedown defended by Leal, and that’s round one in the books.

UFC 308 LIVE: Robert Whittaker on the Chimaev twist and the performance of a lifetime

14:45 , Alex Pattle

Whittaker and Chimaev were due to clash in June, but the latter withdrew on short notice due to “violent” illness.

Whittaker went on to stop Ikram Aliskerov in round one, before speaking to The Independent about the entire episode.

Here’s our conversation with the Australian:

Robert Whittaker on the Khamzat Chimaev twist and the performance of a lifetime

UFC 308 LIVE: Khamzat Chimaev reveals one-year-old son’s health issues

14:30 , Alex Pattle

Khamzat Chimaev has opened up on the ‘difficulty’ of seeing his one-year-old son deal with health issues – a physical battle that the fighter knows all too well.

Chimaev is 13-0 in MMA with 11 finishes, and he stormed to 3-0 in the UFC with three fights in two months in 2020. That run led fans to predict that the Russian-born Swede would race to a title at welterweight or middleweight – his preferred divisions – but Chimaev’s career has been stop-start since.

The 30-year-old contracted Covid in December 2020 and has continued to battle lingering effects of the illness, fighting just four times in the last four years. And now, Chimaev is tasked with keeping his young son healthy, as well as himself.

Ahead of UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, where Chimaev resides and where he will fight Robert Whittaker tonight, the “Wolf” spoke to ESPN.

Here’s what he had to say:

UFC star Khamzat Chimaev reveals one-year-old son’s health issues

UFC 308 LIVE: Fight card in full

14:15 , Alex Pattle

‘C’ denotes champion; card subject to late changes…

Main card

Ilia Topuria (C) vs Max Holloway (featherweight title)

Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev (middleweight)

Lerone Murphy vs Dan Ige (featherweight)

Magomed Ankalaev vs Aleksandar Rakic (light-heavyweight)

Shara Magomedov vs Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)

Prelims

Ibo Aslan vs Rafael Cerqueira (light-heavyweight)

Geoff Neal vs Rafael dos Anjos (welterweight)

Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai (lightweight)

Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Chris Barnett (heavyweight)

Faris Basharat vs Victor Hugo (bantamweight)

Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva (middleweight)

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal (welterweight)

UFC 308 card in full as Topuria vs Holloway headlines stacked event

UFC 308 LIVE

13:30 , Alex Pattle

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway clash in a highly-anticipated title fight tonight, headlining UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

The unbeaten Topuria claimed the men’s featherweight belt in February, ending Alexander Volkanovski’s long title reign with a brutal knockout in round two.

In doing so, he achieved what Max Holloway could not accomplish in three fights; the Hawaiian lost the belt to Volkanovski in 2019 and failed to regain it in two rematches, losing all three bouts via decision.

However, Holloway tends to bounce back well, and his current winning streak peaked in April, when he dominated Justin Gaethje before faceplanting him in the very last second – securing the ‘Baddest Motherf*****’ belt with an all-time great KO.

Tonight’s main event is one of the most anticipated fights of the year, and the co-main event has also been long-awaited: Robert Whittaker, a former middleweight champ, takes on unbeaten, rising star Khamzat Chimaev – four months after the Russian withdrew from their match-up due to illness.