.Oct 26, 2024, 12:32 PM ETUndefeated UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria makes the initial protection of his headline versus former champ Maximum Holloway generally celebration of UFC 308 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.Topuria (15-0) gained the waistband in February with a second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria is No. 3 in the ESPN pound-for-pound men's rankings.The 10th-ranked Holloway (26-7), who ruled from June 2017 till December 2019, has won three fights in a row, most just recently a KO of Justin Gaethje at 4:59 of the fifth cycle in their April battle at lightweight.Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale, Jeff Wagenheim and also Dre Waters malfunction all the action coming from UFC 308. How to watch the fightsWatch the pay-per-view as well as prelims on ESPN+: Receive ESPN+ here.There's also FightCenter, which provides online updates for each UFC card.UFC 308 fight cardESPN+ PPV, 2 p.m. ETFeatherweight championship: Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Max HollowayMiddleweight: Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat ChimaevLight heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar RakicFeatherweight: Lerone Murphy vs. Dan IgeMiddleweight: Shara Magomedov vs. Armen PetrosyanESPN+, 10 a.m. ETLight abundant: Ibo Aslan vs. Rafael CerqueiraWelterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Rafael Dos AnjosLightweight: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek OrolbaiMiddleweight: Abus Magomedov def. Brunno FerreiraHeavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris BarnettMen's bantamweight: Farid Basharat def. Winner HugoMiddleweight: Ismail Naurdiev def. Bruno SilvaWelterweight: Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Carlos Leal( c) = defending championA traveling MMA competitor's hardest rival while international? SleepFor considerably of the world, being totally practical at work without a great evening of remainder provides a considerable barrier. The good news is, many do not must stress over being punched in the skin. Nonetheless, for fighters functioning without effective sleep, the margin for mistake at their place of job is actually tiny as well as may be the variation in between a success as well as getting up on the canvass. Few browse these less-than-optimal journeying conditions along with Maximum Holloway." I stay in the middle oceanic," Holloway said in an interview along with the UFC's Megan Olivi as he readied to compete in the UAE for the 3rd opportunity. "Regardless of what way I go, it's a long way." There is actually no such point as a home ready Holloway. He have not battled in Hawaii given that his 4th expert battle in 2011. Ever since, the current BMF champion has actually competed on the road in the UFC for 29 qualified battles all over 8 opportunity zones.Read the story.UFC 308 match ranks: Performs any sort of match best Topuria vs. Holloway?The sales pitch for the light champion clash in between Ilia Topuria and also Maximum Holloway may adhere to current activities. It may start as well as finish in early 2024. One battle each-- the best current for each of them-- is actually all our company need to know about to become sold on Saturday's competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.For Topuria, that influential fight took place in February, when he snagged away the belt with a knockout blow that suddenly finished Alexander Volkanovski's four-year reign. As for Holloway, his high-pressure salesmanship came two months later on, when he authored probably the greatest KO in mixed martial arts history by sending Justin Gaethje face-first to the canvass along with simply one 2nd continuing to be in their 5th round of violence.Read the story.UFC 308 initial appeal: Big questions on Topuria-Holloway, Chimaev's gain, moreIlia Topuria confiscated the second at UFC 298 when he encountered among the light GOATs, Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria uncrowned Volkanovski in February as well as came to be the 145-pound champion. Eight months eventually, Topuria will certainly currently handle probably the other lightweight GOAT, as Max Holloway will definitely seek to reclaim his title.Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto as well as Jeff Wagenheim offer their 1st thoughts, analysis and also predictions on UFC 308. Check out the story.Best active mixed martial arts knockout blow musicians around body weight classesMaybe our team should place something additional vulnerable when Holloway challenges Topuria on Oct. 26. Along with the UFC featherweight champion, exactly how concerning our experts additionally break an association as well as proclaim the victor as the leading KO musician at 145 extra pounds?. That can be the situation, certainly, simply if the man who walks out of the crate with the district has protected the succeed by means of knockout blow. As well as it'll be a notable accomplishment if it happens, as Topuria is actually undefeated and Holloway has actually never been actually knocked senseless in 33 professional fights.Read the story.2024 mixed martial arts midyear honors: Consensual champions, uncommon submittings as well as legendary knockoutsThere are going to never be actually a consensus "greatest knockout in UFC history," yet Holloway's KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April could be the most well-known selection. Filling in the facility of the Octagon in the ultimate seconds of a five-round match he was actually precisely succeeding and resting Gaethje-- it was merely all Holloway. It defined Holloway as a boxer and a person. The truth it happened up a body weight class in a BMF label battle could not have actually been any more perfect.Read the account.