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UFC 308 highlights: Ilia Topuria knocks out Max Holloway with devastating, star-making performance

shaheen al-shatti · uncrowned staff
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26: (L-R) Ilia Topuria of Spain punches Max Holloway in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway faced off in the UFC 308 main event on Oct. 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Ilia Topuria proved to be everything he promised and more at UFC 308. On Saturday in Abu Dhabi, UFC featherweight champion Topuria became the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway when he finished the former 145-pound titleholder with a ruthless hailstorm of punches in the third round.

It was an impressive display for the undefeated featherweight king. The division is now Topuria's oyster after taking out two legendary former champions in his past two fights with relative ease.

Undefeated as a mixed martial artist, Topuria is a perfect 8-0 under the UFC banner, having earned the belt in February with a monster second-round knockout of longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway was expected to be a tough test coming off what will likely be 2024's Knockout of the Year with a literal last-second stoppage of Justin Gaethje to win the UFC's symbolic BMF title in April.

Unfortunately for Holloway, the momentum from that Gaethje win was short-lived.

Here's how the all the action unfolded at UFC 308:

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER143 updates

  • RESULT: Ilia Topuria def. Max Holloway by KO (punches) at 1:34 of R3

  • Armando Botello II

    TOPURIA WINS BY KO!!

    Down goes Holloway after eating a huge left hand and then some follow up shots. What a win for the champion over the former champ.

  • Armando Botello II
  • Armando Botello II

    Round 2 ends

    Max's jab is giving the champ problems. Topuria continued to struggle with distance early, but eventually found his range landed his biggest punch of the fight so far with a big right hook to the body. Max ends the round with a brutal spinning body kick. Ilia shrugs it off.

  • Armando Botello II

    Round 1 ends

    Round 1 began with the champ calling for Max to meet him in the center of the Octagon, but Holloway didn't oblige. Max's length and footwork was giving Ilia some problems early. The champ did get a couple takedowns, but didn't do much with them. Max's lead leg got chewed up a bit by Ilia's calf kicks, but the former champ was able to get off several combos targeting Ilia's upper body.

  • LIVE NOW: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for the featherweight title

  • RESULT: Khamzat Chimaev def. Robert Whittaker by submission at 3:34 of R1

  • Armando Botello II
  • Armando Botello II
  • Armando Botello II
  • Armando Botello II
  • Armando Botello II

    Chimaev gets the submission win in Round 1!

    Whittaker quickly taps after Chimaev locked in a neck crank. It's all over!

Featherweight: Ilia Topuria def. Max Holloway by KO (punches) at 1:34 of R3

Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev def. Robert Whittaker by submission at 3:34 of R1

Light heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Featherweight: Lerone Murphy def. Dan Ige by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Middleweight: Shara Magomedov def. Armen Petrosyan by TKO (strikes) at 4:52 of R2

Ibo Aslan def. Raffael Cerqueira via TKO (punches) at 0:51 of Round 1

Rafael dos Anjos def. Geoff Neal via TKO (injury) at 1:30 of Round 1

Mateusz Rębecki def. Myktybek Orolbai via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Abus Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:14 of Round 3

Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris Barnett via TKO (punches) at 4:37 of Round 1

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

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

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