ABU DHABI: Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vowed to become the first man to knock out Max Holloway.
He made good on his promise at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Using a huge right hand to daze Holloway, Topuria (16-0) followed up moments later with a powerful left hook that dropped the 32-year-old. Topuria pounced on Holloway immediately for a ground-and-pound finish before referee Mark Goddard stopped the bout at the 1:34 mark of the third round.
“To beat a legend like Max Holloway, I don’t know what to say,” Topuria said. “He’s been a great example for the generation. ... I hope I’m gonna be a small example he has been for me for the new generation.”
Topuria said he knew immediately with his initial power punch that the victory was within his grasp.
“I catch him with ... the right hand, I felt it,” Topuria said. “I saw it in his face. You don’t see that often in Max Holloway.”
Topuria opened the match with Holloway’s traditional gesture of pointing to the center of the ring, indicating he wanted to throw down with immediacy. Holloway, instead, pointed to where he was standing.
The two mixed it up in the first round, Topuria doing early damage with leg kicks to Holloway’s lead leg. Both fighters’ boxing skills were on display in the second round, with Holloway landing several big shots. But it was Topuria’s leg kicks that seemingly continued to weaken Holloway.
Then came his two big punches in the third.
“He just landed a shot and I guess it hurt much more than I thought it did,” said Holloway, who fell to 26-8. “I felt great until he did it. No excuses. I felt great, I had a great camp, no injuries. I went out there, did my thing. He was just a better man tonight.”
It was Topuria’s first title defense since capturing the belt with a second-round technical knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 on Feb. 17.
Topuria’s back-to-back victories over Holloway and Volkanovski make a case for Fighter of the Year.
Volkanovski was in attendance Saturday, and Topuria said he would honor him with a rematch.
“You deserve that, you’re the man,” Topuria told Volkanovski, who entered the octagon after the match.
In the co-main event, No. 13 Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) stopped No. 3 Robert Whitaker (27-8) with a first-round submission just 3:34 into the fight, after taking him down and administering a wicked face crank.
“I’m going for the belt!” Chimaev exclaimed after his dominating win.
“I love you brother, you’re a legend,” the Russian told Whitaker during his post-fight interview.
Additionally from the main card:
Top-ranked light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev defeated No. 5 Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous decision after three rounds.
In an action-packed three-round featherweight match, Lerone Murphy beat Dan Ige by unanimous decision.
Shara Magomedov (15-0-0) defeated Armen Petrosyan (9-4-0) by TKO at the 4:52 mark of the second round of their middleweight bout.
Ilia Topuria makes good on his promise, becomes first man to stop Max Holloway at UFC 308
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Ilia Topuria makes good on his promise, becomes first man to stop Max Holloway at UFC 308
- Using a huge right hand to daze Holloway, Topuria (16-0) followed up moments later with a powerful left hook that dropped the 32-year-old
- It was Topuria’s first title defense since capturing the belt with a second-round technical knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298
4 advance to quarterfinals at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- Samsonova, Kessler, Baptiste and Tauson all win, while Eala and Tjen progress in drama-filled doubles
ABU DHABI: Four WTA stars have reached the quarterfinals of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open at Zayed Sports City, while Filipina hotshot Alex Eala, alongside Janice Tjen, won a thrilling doubles encounter which went down to a super tiebreak.
On Tuesday, in the singles, seven-time WTA Tour title winner Liudmila Samsonova eliminated Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in straight sets and McCartney Kessler knocked out the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open reigning singles champion Leylah Fernandez.
In the evening, Hailey Baptiste won an all-American clash against Emma Navarro to book her spot in the quarterfinals.
Baptiste said: “It feels really good to progress to the quarters. The atmosphere was great and there’s some fans here from back home in Washington D.C. which is awesome.”
On the doubles side, there was a full crowd on court one to witness Eala and Tjen overcame Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic in dramatic fashion. The match went down to a super tiebreak and the popular Asian duo came out on top in front of an ecstatic crowd.
Away from the courts, students enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at sports physiotherapy as Aliaksandra Sasnovich visited Healthpoint Hospital to explore equipment used in the treatment and prevention of sports injuries.
The day included an exclusive meet-and-greet, with students taking photos with Sasnovich before gathering at the Stadium Court to soak up the atmosphere.
Nadiia Kichenok visited the Healthpoint booth, where she took part in a sports injury health quiz, posed for photos, and signed merchandise and tennis balls for fans.
In addition, there was a Special Olympics Clinic for an hour in the evening and activities at the tournament village with stilt walkers and live music.
Nigel Gupta, tournament director, said: “It was another wonderful day at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, with huge crowds and a fantastic atmosphere throughout the venue.
“Fans have even more to look forward to tomorrow, with defending champion Belinda Bencic making her tournament debut and crowd favorite Alexandra Eala aiming to book her place in the quarterfinals in the closing match of the day.”
Wednesday is the International Girl and Women in Sports Day, appropriately timed with a strong schedule on Stadium Court. Olympic gold medalist Bencic faces British qualifier Sonay Kartal, and Eala takes on Sasnovich.
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open runs until Feb. 7.
