As is usually the case when the mixed martial arts conglomerate heads to its Middle Eastern home in Abu Dhabi, there’s a particularly global atmosphere to the 13-fight card at the Etihad Arena, the main five-fight stretch of which is headlined by a featherweight championship grudge.

Reigning champion Ilia Topuria and former champion Max Holloway battle for supremacy at 145 pounds in the main event. Topuria has held the weight class title since knocking out Alexander Volkanovski earlier this year, while Holloway was the top man for more than two years until losing his laurels to Volkanovski in 2019.

Billed as UFC 308, the pay-per-view portion will also feature an intriguing middleweight showdown between a former champion in that division, Robert Whittaker, and an undefeated threat in Khamzat Chimaev, who burst onto the scene during the company’s pandemic. “Fight Island” days, but has only fought four times since 2020.