UFC 308 saw Ilia Topuria retain his featherweight title by knocking out Max Holloway and Khamzat Chimaev defeat Robert Whittaker with a first-round submission, potentially setting up future title opportunities for both fighters.
UFC 308 is now history, and Ilia Topuria remains the featherweight champion after achieving the unthinkable: knocking out Max Holloway.
This past Saturday in Abu Dhabi, Topuria secured his first title defense with a third-round stoppage of Holloway. This may have solidified his status as Fighter of the Year. Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev dominated Robert Whittaker with a brutal first-round submission, thrusting himself into title contention.
With so much to unpack, let’s gather the MMA Fighting brain trust to discuss everything that happened at UFC 308.
1. What is your blurb review of UFC 308?
Heck: Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev are those guys.
Topuria knocking out Max Holloway was stunning. Did I see Topuria winning? Sure, but not like this.
Chimaev obliterating Whittaker’s face and teeth? Just plain scary. Don’t overthink it, UFC: Give Chimaev the title shot, pronto.
Lee: The fighters with the most pressure delivered, helping themselves and the UFC.
Ilia Topuria is a future legend. Khamzat Chimaev looked like the best middleweight in the world. Magomed Ankalaev held serve, and Lerone Murphy and Shara Magomedov made impacts too. Now it’s on the UFC to give these winners their deserved opportunities.
Meshew: None of your heroes are safe from this sport’s relentless march.
Max Holloway and Robert Whittaker are beloved fighters. Both former champions, still young, looked incredible leading up to Saturday night. Many thought they might fend off Father Time. But Saturday was a harsh reminder of this sport’s reality for all our heroes.
Martin: As advertised.
Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev were favored to win at UFC 308 but delivering such impressive finishes can’t be emphasized enough. Max Holloway had never been knocked out until Topuria did it. Whittaker had never been submitted in the UFC until Chimaev tapped him inside five minutes. Living up to expectations is tough, but they did more than that on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
2. What’s next for Max Holloway?
Heck: So many options for Holloway now; it’s an embarrassment of riches for fight fans now that he’s a full-time lightweight. But Charles Oliveira is the answer, no matter what happens at UFC 309.
They were matched before in a main event in 2015, but only got about 90 seconds until Oliveira got injured. I’ve wanted this fight rebooked since then, and now we have the best chance to do it. Oliveira faces Michael Chandler soon at MSG. Win or lose, give us Holloway vs. Oliveira as it should have been.
Martin: It’s rematch season, and there’s no bigger fight available than finally running it back with Conor McGregor.
As “BMF” champion, Holloway has many exciting fights available, and a rematch with Dustin Poirier isn’t bad either. But Dana White insists McGregor will fight in 2025, while Chandler is tied up with Oliveira again. Dan Hooker keeps pushing for that fight, but he doesn’t move the needle enough for McGregor’s attention. Let’s not complicate things — McGregor vs. Holloway 2 would be huge for the UFC next year, offering McGregor a belt without upsetting every contender waiting at lightweight or welterweight.
Lee: It’s truly a blessing – no pun intended – that one of the three best featherweights ever is poised to close his career with a run at lightweight, MMA’s deepest division. Plenty of rematches await (or trilogies like Poirier), but fresh blood I’d love to see tested against Holloway too.
For his next fight, I’m choosing neither a past opponent nor an up-and-comer but rather Renato Moicano. In recent years, “Money” has built his brand well enough not to be considered an also-ran in lightweight anymore. He’s earned fighting a legend like Holloway; their styles match perfectly. I’ll be sad if this one never happens.
Meshew: I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade here…but it might not be good news.
Holloway has one of MMA’s greatest chins ever…but it just got cracked! Once that bell rings…you can’t unring it again! From now on…his chin will never be invulnerable again historically speaking…this usually signals slow decline starting point-wise anyway given how great his chin was though perhaps late-career Mark Hunt-like “good-but-not-impervious” chins could still happen over few years ahead yet moving up lightweights means bigger dudes hit harder meaning real possibility All-Time Great Max seen last already which really bums me out honestly…