Topuria retains featherweight title at UFC 308; Chimaev defeats Whittaker | Mixed Martial Arts News

Ilia Topuria defended his featherweight championship against Max Holloway, while Chechen Khamzat Chimaev remained undefeated at middleweight.

Champion Ilia Topuria overcame early adversity to score a commanding third-round knockout victory over Max Holloway of Hawaii to retain the UFC featherweight title at UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The 27-year-old Topuria scored an early takedown but struggled to close the distance in the first two frames of a thrilling title fight. Once he figured it out, the writing was on the wall for his opponent.

Holloway, who defeated Jose Aldo to become undisputed featherweight champion in June 2017 but lost the belt in December 2019, used his dizzying array of punches to keep his Georgia-born opponent at bay, but Topuria's piston-like right hand was all Time about a threat Saturday night.

That right hand was what sparked Holloway's downfall, but it was a quick follow-up left hand that sent Holloway crashing to the canvas, and then Topuria quickly followed him to the floor, raining down punches before referee Marc Goddard jumped in to take over to end the fight.

“I felt it with this right hand. I just saw it in him, in his face, he started to take a few steps back and you don't see that often with Max,” Topuria said, acknowledging his opponent as Holloway suffered the first knockout loss of his UFC tenure.

“I hope that I will be a small part of the role model that he was for me, for the new generation.”

Chimaev's win opens up a possible title fight with Du Plessis

In the co-main event, undefeated Chechen Khamzat Chimaev produced another dominant grappling performance before defeating former champion Robert Whittaker in the first round of their middleweight contest.

Chimaev wasted no time in taking down the Australian, using his limpet-like wrestling to bring Whittaker under control before taking his back and holding on to a face crank that appeared to dislocate his opponent's jaw, leaving him 1:26 The first frame forced a very quick strike minutes before the end.

Chimaev is now considered the number one contender to face South African Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight world title in early 2025, in what would be a blockbuster fight.