Champion Ilia Topuria, proper, battles Max Holloway throughout a combined martial arts featherweight title bout at UFC 308 on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photograph/Altaf Qadri)
Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vowed to change into the primary man to knock out Max Holloway.
He made good on his promise at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Article continues after this commercial
Utilizing an enormous proper hand to daze Holloway, Topuria (16-0) adopted up moments later with a robust left hook that dropped the 32-year-old. Topuria pounced on Holloway instantly for a ground-and-pound end earlier than referee Mark Goddard stopped the bout on the 1:34 mark of the third spherical.
READ: Topuria ends Volkanovski reign, wins UFC featherweight title
“To beat a legend like Max Holloway, I don’t know what to say,” Topuria stated. “He’s been a terrific instance for the technology. … I hope I’m gonna be a small instance he has been for me for the brand new technology.”
Topuria stated he knew instantly together with his preliminary energy punch that the victory was inside his grasp.
Article continues after this commercial
“I catch him with … the appropriate hand, I felt it,” Topuria stated. “I noticed it in his face. You don’t see that usually in Max Holloway.”
Topuria opened the match with Holloway’s conventional gesture of pointing to the middle of the ring, indicating he needed to throw down with immediacy. Holloway, as an alternative, pointed to the place he was standing.
The 2 combined it up within the first spherical, Topuria doing early harm with leg kicks to Holloway’s lead leg. Each fighters’ boxing abilities had been on show within the second spherical, with Holloway touchdown a number of large pictures. However it was Topuria’s leg kicks that seemingly continued to weaken Holloway.
Then got here his two large punches within the third.
“He simply landed a shot and I assume it damage way more than I assumed it did,” stated Holloway, who fell to 26-8. “I felt nice till he did it. No excuses. I felt nice, I had a terrific camp, no accidents. I went on the market, did my factor. He was only a higher man tonight.”
It was Topuria’s first title protection since capturing the belt with a second-round technical knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 on Feb. 17.
Topuria’s back-to-back victories over Holloway and Volkanovski make a case for Fighter of the 12 months.
Volkanovski was in attendance Saturday, and Topuria stated he would honor him with a rematch.
“You deserve that, you’re the person,” Topuria instructed Volkanovski, who entered the octagon after the match.
READ: Max Holloway KO of Gaethje doubtless the lasting reminiscence of UFC 300
Within the co-main occasion, No. 13 Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) stopped No. 3 Robert Whitaker (27-8) with a first-round submission simply 3:34 into the struggle, after taking him down and administering a depraved face crank.
“I’m going for the belt!” Chimaev exclaimed after his dominating win.
“I like you brother, you’re a legend,” the Russian instructed Whitaker throughout his post-fight interview.
Prime-ranked mild heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev defeated No. 5 Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous determination after three rounds.
In an action-packed three-round featherweight match, Lerone Murphy beat Dan Ige by unanimous determination.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please attempt once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
Shara Magomedov (15-0-0) defeated Armen Petrosyan (9-4-0) by TKO on the 4:52 mark of the second spherical of their middleweight bout.
