.Oct 26, 2024, 12:32 PM ETUndefeated UFC lightweight champ Ilia Topuria helps make the very first defense of his label against previous champ Max Holloway in the main celebration of UFC 308 at Etihad Field in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.Topuria (15-0) gained the belt in February along with a second-round knockout blow of Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria is actually No. 3 in the ESPN pound-for-pound guys's rankings.The 10th-ranked Holloway (26-7), that ruled coming from June 2017 till December 2019, has actually gained three battles in a row, very most recently a KO of Justin Gaethje at 4:59 of the fifth cycle in their April struggle at lightweight.Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale, Jeff Wagenheim and Dre Seas malfunction all the action coming from UFC 308. How to view the fightsWatch the pay-per-view and prelims on ESPN+: Get ESPN+ here.There's likewise FightCenter, which delivers online updates for every single UFC card.UFC 308 match cardESPN+ PPV, 2 p.m. ETFeatherweight championship: Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Maximum 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 heavyweight: Ibo Aslan vs. Rafael CerqueiraWelterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Rafael Disk operating system AnjosLightweight: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek OrolbaiMiddleweight: Abus Magomedov def. Brunno FerreiraHeavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris BarnettMen's bantamweight: Farid Basharat def. Victor HugoMiddleweight: Ismail Naurdiev def. Bruno SilvaWelterweight: Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Carlos Leal( c) = standing up for championA taking a trip mixed martial arts boxer's toughest rival while foreign? SleepFor much of the globe, being entirely functional at the workplace without a good night of rest offers a notable challenge. The good news is, many don't must bother with being actually typed the face. However, for competitors working without suitable rest, the margin for inaccuracy at their area of employment is minuscule and can be the distinction in between a success and getting out of bed on the canvas. Couple of navigate these less-than-optimal taking a trip conditions as well as Max Holloway." I stay in the middle oceanic," Holloway pointed out in a meeting along with the UFC's Megan Olivi as he prepped to contend in the UAE for the third time. "Regardless of what means I go, it is actually a long way." There is actually no such factor as a home game for Holloway. He have not dealt with in Hawaii because his fourth qualified match in 2011. Ever since, the present BMF champion has actually contended when traveling in the UFC for 29 qualified battles throughout eight opportunity zones.Read the story.UFC 308 fight positions: Carries out any type of competition top Topuria vs. Holloway?The sales sound for the lightweight championship clash in between Ilia Topuria as well as Max Holloway can stick to current activities. It can easily start as well as finish in very early 2024. One fight each-- the most latest for each and every of all of them-- is all we need to understand about to be sold on Sunday's competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.For Topuria, that influential match occurred in February, when he snagged away the belt with a ko that suddenly finished Alexander Volkanovski's four-year supremacy. As for Holloway, his hard sell happened two months eventually, when he authored perhaps the best KO in mixed martial arts background through sending out Justin Gaethje face-first to the canvas along with just one second continuing to be in their fifth shot of violence.Read the story.UFC 308 1st look: Big inquiries on Topuria-Holloway, Chimaev's gain, moreIlia Topuria took possession of the instant at UFC 298 when he encountered among the lightweight GOATs, Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria dismissed Volkanovski in February and also became the 145-pound champion. Eight months eventually, Topuria will definitely currently take on arguably the various other featherweight GOAT, as Max Holloway will certainly look to recover his title.Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto and also Jeff Wagenheim supply their very first notions, study as well as predictions on UFC 308. Go through the story.Best energetic MMA ko performers throughout weight classesMaybe our experts should put one thing extra vulnerable when Holloway challenges Topuria on Oct. 26. Along with the UFC featherweight championship, just how regarding our experts additionally damage a tie and declare the champion as the leading KO artist at 145 extra pounds?. That may be the case, of course, just if the man who leaves of the cage along with the belt has gotten the gain through knockout. And also it'll be a notable achievement if it occurs, as Topuria is undefeated and Holloway has certainly never been actually knocked senseless in 33 professional fights.Read the tale.2024 mixed martial arts midyear awards: Consensual winners, unusual submittings and also epic knockoutsThere will certainly certainly never be actually an agreement "ultimate ko in UFC background," however Holloway's KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April could be the best well-known pick. Filling in the center of the Octagon in the final seconds of a five-round fight he was precisely succeeding and sleeping Gaethje-- it was actually simply all Holloway. It described Holloway as a fighter and an individual. The reality it happened up a body weight class in a BMF label fight couldn't have actually been actually any more perfect.Read the account.