Undefeated UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria makes her first defense of his title against former champion Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Topuria (15-0) won the title in February with a second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria is ranked No. 3 in ESPN’s pound-for-pound men’s rankings.

The 10th-ranked Holloway (26-7), who reigned from June 2017 to December 2019, has won three straight fights, most recently a KO of Justin Gaethje at 4:59 of the fifth round in their April fight at lightweight.

Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale, Jeff Wagenheim and Dre Waters recap all the action from UFC 308.

How to watch the fights

Watch the pay-per-view and prelims on ESPN+: Download ESPN+ here.

There is also FightCenter, which provides live updates for every UFC card.

UFC 308 fight card

The toughest opponent for a traveling MMA fighter abroad? Sleep

For much of the world, being fully functional at work without a good night’s sleep is a significant obstacle. Fortunately, most don’t have to worry about getting punched in the face. However, for fighters who operate without adequate sleep, the margin for error at their workplace is microscopic and can mean the difference between victory and waking up on the canvas. Few navigate these less-than-optimal travel situations as well as Max Holloway.

“I live in the middle of the sea,” Holloway said in an interview with the UFC’s Megan Olivi as he prepared to compete in the UAE for the third time. “No matter which way I go, it’s a long way.”

There is no such thing as a home game for Holloway. He hasn’t fought in Hawaii since his fourth professional fight in 2011. Since then, the current BMF road champion has competed in 29 professional fights across eight time zones in the UFC.

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UFC 308 Fight Rankings: Is There a Match That Tops Topuria vs. Holloway stands?

The sales pitch for the Featherweight Championship match between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway may stick to recent events. It could start and end in early 2024. One fight apiece – the latest for each of them – is all we need to know to be sold on Saturday’s match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

For Topuria, that one convincing fight came in February, when he took the title away with a knockout that abruptly ended Alexander Volkanovski’s four-year reign. As for Holloway, his hard sell came two months later, when he wrote perhaps the greatest KO in MMA history by sending Justin Gaethje face-first to the canvas with just one second left in their fifth round of violence.

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UFC 308 first look: Big questions about Topuria-Holloway, Chimaev’s return, more

Ilia Topuria seized the moment at UFC 298 when he faced one of the featherweight GOATs, Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria dethroned Volkanovski in February to become 145-pound champion. Eight months later, Topuria will now face arguably the other featherweight GOAT, while Max Holloway will look to regain his title.

Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim give their initial thoughts, analysis and predictions on UFC 308.

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Best active MMA knockout artists in different weight classes

Perhaps we should risk something extra when Holloway challenges Topuria on October 26. In addition to breaking the UFC Featherweight Championship, how about breaking a tie and declaring the winner the best 145-pound KO artist? Of course, that can only be the case if the man walking out of the cage with the belt has secured victory via knockout. And it will be a major achievement if it happens, as Topuria is undefeated and Holloway has never been knocked out in 33 professional fights.

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MMA Gap Awards 2024: Unanimous Winners, Rare Submissions, and Epic Knockouts

There will never be a consensus on the “greatest knockout in UFC history,” but Holloway’s KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April could be the most popular choice. Standing in the middle of the Octagon in the final seconds of a five-round fight, he was clearly winning and sleeping Gaethje – it was just all Holloway. It defined Holloway as a fighter and a person. The fact that this happened in a weight class in a BMF title fight couldn’t have been more perfect.

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