Ilia Topuria always keeps her word. He promised that he would challenge Max Holloway in the center of the octagon and he did. He promised he would knock him out and he did too. El Matador took out another legend after KOing Volkanovski in February. The Hispano-Georgian had to take risks to get into the distance at which he could impact. He took blows, but he always delivered the most powerful ones. Thanks to them he taught that his KO could come and he ended up certifying it in the third round to retain the UFC Featherweight Championship.
UFC 308 results: Topuria vs Holloway
Ilia Topuria knocked out Max Holloway in the third round for the UFC Featherweight Championship: Topuria once again kept his word. El Matador had to take risks to get into range where he could hurt Holloway. He did it. With a straight right hand and a crochet he achieved what seemed impossible: knocking out Max Holloway.
Khamzat Chimaev submitted Robert Whittaker in the first round: Absolute exhibition by Chimaev, who came out with everything for a takedown. Then he started working on the ground. Whittaker, with the quality that characterizes him, escaped several moments of danger, but ended up succumbing. Chimaev hit him with a hammer that caught his jaw and caused him to give up very quickly.
Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alexander Rakic by unanimous decision (triple 29-29): Combat that will not go down in memory. Rakic proposed a striking with little work and Ankalaev wanted to play there. The objective was clear: send a message to Pereira so he knows that he also knows how to fight there. The Russian was expected to use his wrestling, but he preferred to fight on his feet and start working there. It was better, but it didn’t shine. Still, Alex Pereira should be next. The Brazilian has no other path at this moment.
Lerone Murphy won by unanimous decision (triple 29-28) over Dan Ige: Very close fight in which Murphy achieved victory after a great comeback. He was close to being knocked out in the first round, but he managed to recover and went further. Ige’s gas tank was emptying and that ended up being key. Murphy remains undefeated in 15 fights (8 in the UFC) and has requested Josh Emmett. He hopes to continue moving up at featherweight.
Shara Magomedov knocked out Armen Petrosyan in the second round: A new movement has been born in Abu Dhabi. Magomedov and Petrosyan had almost two very even rounds in which both demonstrated the great striking they have. The evenness of the fight ended when Shara invented a double spinning elbow. He missed the first one, which hit Petrosyan’s guard, but with the second he surprised everyone and completely knocked out his rival. This victory will rank him at middleweight and he has asked for Israel Adesanya.
