UFC 308 went down yesterday (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024) at the Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, UAE. In the main event of the evening, Ilia Topuria retained his featherweight title by defeating Max Holloway via a devastating knockout (see it again here). In the co-main event Khamzat Chimaev made quick work of it Robert Whittaker by submitting him rather violently in the very first round (see it again here).

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Biggest winner: Ilia Topuria

“El Matador” once again ran wild after talking the talk, delivering a masterpiece performance against Holloway en route to securing a third-round knockout (see it here), becoming the first man to ever “Blessed” beat that way. Time and time again, Topuria has shown that he is without a doubt one of the best fighters in the world, and through Holloway and Alexander Volkanovsky on back-to-back outings is unheard of. Aside from his unparalleled fighting skills, the undefeated fighter (16-0, 8-0 UFC) is as stylish in victory as they come, paying tribute to one of the best fighters to ever grace the Octagon for paving the way has cleared for him. Topuria is well on her way to becoming a major superstar.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Second place: Khamzat Chimaev

Are you a believer now? Chimaev did to Robert Whittaker what no other man has done before him: he rolled him up in the very first round with a choking attack that resulted in a quick submission victory for ‘Borz’ and a broken jaw for ‘The Reaper’. Time and time again, Chimaev has shown that he is simply built differently, and now that he has scored the biggest win of his career, those at the top of the division should be on guard, because he is coming fast and brutal and he is not going away. without a title shot. It’s one he deserves Sean Strickland without a doubt, so don’t be too surprised if it does Dana White and Co. switch and book Chimaev vs. Du Plessis early 2025.

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Honorable mention: Shara Magomedov

Magomedov once again proved why many see him as a potential title challenger – perhaps as early as 2025 – by putting in another devastating performance, knocking out his former training partner, Armen Petrosyanin the final seconds of round two with an unprecedented double backfist finish (see it again here). With the win, “Bullet” improves to 15-0, 4-0 UFC after securing his third win of 2024. And that makes him a fan favorite; his willingness to fight often and his aggressive style. Big things are in store for Magomedov.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Biggest loser: Aleksandar Rakic

With a golden opportunity presented to him to upset Magomed Ankalaev and possibly steal his title shot, Rakic ​​failed to get his result, losing a unanimous decision to the man who will now likely face Alex Pereira . To make matters worse, it is now “Rocket”’s third straight loss inside the Octagon after getting off to a hot start with a 6-1, with many pegging him as a potential title contender early on. And that’s how drastically a fighter’s luck can change in the fighting game; a win would likely have put him in a title fight, but the loss now leaves him with a lot of questions. He won’t be cut based on his skid, but he will enter his next fight with immense pressure, staring down the barrel of potentially losing his fourth in a row.

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