2 weeks Ago By Alex Ballentine
It's old guard vs. new guard in the featherweight division at UFC 308 with Ilia Topuria attempting his first title defense against Max Holloway in the main event at the Etihad Arena in Saudi Arabia. Ilia Topuria is fresh off of his career-changing win against Alexander Volkanovski that has made him UFC champion.
Now, he will have to defend that title against one of the greatest featherweights of all-time in Max Holloway. It's the only title fight on the card, but it's certainly not the only one with high stakes. Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will square off in the co-main event in what is likely a title eliminator in the middleweight division.
Chimaev remains undefeated, but Whittaker is a former champion with the potential to make one more run at the belt. It's a great pairing atop a strong card in Saudi Arabia. Here's a look at the whole card, the latest odds and a preview for the two biggest fights of the night.
Tickets: Vivid Seats Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 2 p.m. ET) Ilia Topuria (145) vs.
Max Holloway (145) Robert Whittaker (185.5) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (186) Magomed Ankalaev (204.
5) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (206) Lerone Murphy (145.5) vs.
Dan Ige (146) Shara Magomedov (185) vs. Armen Petrosyan (186) Prelims (ESPN+ at 10 a.m.
ET) Ibo Aslan (205) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (203) Geoff Neal (171) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (171) Mateusz Rebecki (160) vs.
Myktybek Orolbai (159) Abus Magomedov (185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (185.5) Kennedy Nzechukwu (241) vs.
Chris Barnett (264) Farid Basharat (137) vs. Victor Hugo (145.5) Ismail Naurdiev (185) vs.
Bruno Silva (186) Rinat Fakhretdinov (171) vs. Carlos Leal (169.5) Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook This matchup is a fight fan's dream.
It's a battle of two high-level strikers with a penchant for finishing fights colliding with a championship on the line. The stakes are high and the matchup is befitting of a pay-per-view main event. Holloway's return to the featherweight division is one of the most exciting aspects of the night.
"Blessed" just put on one of his most memorable performances in the lightweight division with a buzzer-beating fifth-round knockout over Dustin Poirier to win the BMF belt, but his home and best division has been the 145-pound class. The former champion has proven that he's still a threat despite a long record of knock down drag out bouts. Knocking out a legitimate lightweight like Poirier shows that he still has the pop in his hands to finish someone like Topuria.
Topuria has some finishing ability of his own, though. However, the 27-year-old has some finishing credentials of his own. His 15-0 record is littered with finishes including eight submissions and five knockouts.
Holloway is the more polished striker of the two. He's a more technical and tactical fighter, but Topuria is a willing brawler who could get the better of the exchanges because of his willingness to return fire when Holloway pushes the pace. Ultimately, this is a back-and-forth affair with Topuria having the potential to engage some grappling if he needs to gain an advantage.
Prediction: Topuria via decision Weight-cutting issues have probably delayed Khamzat Chimaev's first crack at UFC gold. The 30-year-old has oscillated between the welterweight and middleweight divisions, but his wait could be over if he comes out of UFC 308 victorious. Chimaev has amassed a 13-0 record with the latest win coming by way of majority decision against Kamaru Usman.
That was as bold a statement that he's ready for a title shot as any, but he is still ranked just 13th in the latest middleweight rankings . The biggest question that Chimaev must answer is whether his high-volume, high-pressure grappling game is enough to beat a natural middleweight. The win over Usman should mean a lot, but The Nigerian Nightmare has been a championship-caliber welterweight, but is trying to make a name for himself in the division.
Whittaker is a former middleweight champion who put himself back in the title picture with a first-round knockout win over Ikram Aliskerov in his last fight. Whether Whittaker can ride the momentum to beat another rising star is one of the most interesting subplots of the night. The key for Whittaker will be weathering the early storm.
Chimaev loves to push the pace, but he's used to getting early finishes with his relentless pressure. If Whittaker's takedown defense is on point and he makes Chimaev chase him for a while there's a good chance his gas tank runs out. From there, Whittaker's striking might have a chance to shine.
Whittaker's takedown defense rate is 82 percent. His defensive wrestling combined with his size as a natural middleweight might be enough to fend off Chimaev and spring the upset. Prediction: Whittaker via decision.
