UFC 308 LIVE: Topuria knocks out Holloway after Chimaev submits Whittaker
Re-live updates and see all results after Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway met in a highly-anticipated title fight
Ilia Topuria got up and running as featherweight champion at UFC 308, with a history-making knockout of Max Holloway.
After two tense, closely-fought rounds, Topuria hurt Holloway with a right cross in the third frame, before dropping the former champion with a left hook. Topuria, 27, then poured on ground and pound to force a stoppage, becoming the first fighter to knock out the Hawaiian, 32.
With that, Topuria built on his title win from February, when he knocked out long-reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski. Saturday’s result in Abu Dhabi also kept Topuria unbeaten, as the Spanish-Georgian moved to 16-0.
In the co-main event of UFC 308, Khamzat Chimaev also stayed unbeaten, submitting ex-champ Robert Whittaker in the first round of their middleweight clash.
Re-live updates and see all results from the UFC 308 main card and prelims, below.
UFC 308 LIVE: Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai
Up next Mateusz Rebecki fights Myktybek Orolbai at a 160lb catchweight.
Round one
Rebecki stands southpaw; Orolbai is orthodox. Some bombs thrown by each man so far. Rebecki is sporting a little bruising on his face from Orolbai’s punches, already.
Rebecki lands an overhand left, but Orolbai is taking his opponent’s shots well so far. Lots of low kicks from the 160lbers, too.
Orolbai skips back to avoid a left hook – barely. He then blitzes forward. Now he lands a single shot, a long right hook.
Orolbai is sporting his own damage, though, and it’s BAD around his right eye! Severe swelling.
Round two
A delayed start to this round, as Orolbai’s swelling is checked. He’s allowed to continue, but for how long?
Under way, and there’s lots of close-range fighting so far. Both men land clean punches in the pocket. Rebecki looks sharper than his opponent, though.
The pair grapple against the fence, with Rebecki controlling Orolbai for a while. Now they separate, and it’s back to loading up on punches in the middle of the cage.
Orolbai with a great rear uppercut, inflicting his own damage on Rebecki, who is now pawing at a bloody cut around his right eye. Jeez, they’re both so beaten up!
UFC 308 LIVE: Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira
Round two
Ferreira is trying to get Magomedov’s respect now, pressing forward a bit more.
Magomedov shows his grappling advantage, however, and he gets the first takedown of the fight! He takes the back, then gets side mount, then the back again... but Ferreira scrambles free! Good work!
And Ferreira cracks Magomedov with a brutal left hand! Magomedov gets back to his wrestling, wisely, with another takedown late in the round.
Round three
More success on the feet for Ferreira, but once again he’s taken down! Magomedov has the back by the fence...
Ferreira shows more resilience to shrimp free and stand again, but he’s quickly taken down once more!
And Magomedov works on an arm-triangle from mount... and gets the tap!!
Abus Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira via third-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 3:14).
UFC 308 LIVE: Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira
Middleweights step up next, as Abus Magomedov fights Brunno Ferreira. Here we go.
Round one
Ferreira and Magomedov (who looks HUGE by the way) are switching stances early. Magomedov is holding the centre of the cage. Ferreira barely blocks a left hook.
Lots of feints from Ferreira, but very little actual activity. That said, the feints are having an effect; Magomedov seems hesitant to let his hands or legs go.
Now Magomedov throws, though, launching a left high kick that Ferreira just blocks. Another high kick from Magomedov – this time on the right – and it skims off Ferreira’s head.
Stabbing front kick by Ferreira now. He had to leap forward to land that. Magomedov with his own front kick. He kicks low now, and Ferreira barely misses with a simultaneous overhand.
UFC 308 LIVE: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Chris Barnett
Heavyweights enter the cage now: Kennedy Nzechukwu and Chris Barnett. These two have been through a lot in recent years. Barnett’s wife passed away, while Kennedy has been caring for his brother – who has autism – and his wife, who has ALS. Can they both win, please?
Round one
Kennedy comes forward, and Barnett throws a couple of leg kicks to try to deter the much taller man. Both fighters stand southpaw.
An overhand left connects for Barnett, but it’s only a grazing punch. Kennedy feints a spinning attack, and Barnett laughs and gives him a high-five.
Kennedy kicks around the waist and hits Barnett’s cup, but Barnett is okay to continue. Clean cross by Kennedy. Barnett misses with a couple of flashy kicks.
Kennedy with a scraping head kick. And again. He can’t quite get a clean connection on the shorter man. But he does manage a clean land to the body with the next kick.
Barnett appears to be compromised. Is his left foot causing him some problems? He had an Achilles injury just recently.
“He’s hurt,” Kennedy is told by his corner. Yep, Barnett is moving so sheepishly, and now he clutches his leg! He covers up, and Kennedy just pours on punches.
The ref should stop it, but he lets it go a few more seconds, and Barnett drops to the canvas, holding that leg again. So maybe it was a leg injury, not the ankle? A replay shows Barnett injured himself while jumping during the fighter introductions! He then aggravated his leg, seemingly, while throwing one of those high kicks.
Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris Barnett via first-round TKO (strikes and injury, 4:27).
UFC 308 LIVE: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo
Round two
A knee cracks Hugo! He felt that. Basharat ups the pressure, as Hugo tries to recover.
Some dynamic striking exchanges in the middle of the Octagon, with Hugo seemingly lucid now.
Lots of stance-switching from Basharat. Some taunting from Hugo. He tags Basharat with two to three left hands – a combination of hooks and stiff jabs – and those had a clear effect.
Round three
Hugo with a spinning back kick, and it sends Basharat cascading back to the fence and down to the mat! Hugo tries to follow up with a flying knee, but it just misses...
Basharat with a tidy takedown, picking the ankle and driving Hugo down with the spare hand. He’s controlling Hugo by the fence, and now he moves into half-guard.
Hugo stands against the cage wall, but Basharat drives him down again. Hugo shakes him off, though, and the pair move into space.
Another takedown by Basharat, and he ends the round – and fight – on top.
Farid Basharat def. Victor Hugo via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Justice after Hugo’s 10lb weight-miss?
UFC 308 LIVE: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo
The prelims roll on. Next up: Farid Basharat vs Victor Hugo at featherweight. This bout was due to take place at bantamweight, but Hugo missed weight.
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Hugo closes range, misses with an uppercut but lands a left hook. Basharat comes back with a right cross.
Basharat slips as he backs up to the fence, and Hugo clinches. Basharat reverses the position, and the pair separate. Hugo kicks low and hard.
Basharat eats an elbow, ouch. Hugo with a daring roll now, a variation on an Imanari, and he tries a leg lock! Basharat stays calm and gets his leg free.
He ends up in half-guard but chooses to back off. Hugo stands and leans back to evade a wheel kick attempt! Now Hugo tries a spinning back kick, but Basharat closes range and gets a body lock.
Another separation. Basharat shoots for a takedown, but again Hugo gets creative with a leg-lock attempt! Nothing doing before the buzzer, though.
UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva
Round three
Naurdiev gets a front headlock and puts his weight on Silva, landing a couple of knees to the top of his opponent’s head.
He lets go and lands a calf kick and jab. Again Naurdiev takes advantage of some slack movement from Silva, grabbing a body lock and forcing him to the fence.
Brutal one-two from Naurdiev. Silva is being far too passive, walking slowly along the cage wall.
We go to the scorecards, and – barring another robbery – this will go Naurdiev’s way.
Ismail Naurdiev def. Bruno Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
This time, the judges get it right (not that it was a hard one (then again, neither was the previous fight...)).
UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva
Round two
Silva swings and misses with a low kick. Naurdiev goes next, landing a hook to the body.
He then reacts quickly to get an ankle pick as Silva throws a leg kick – while Naurdiev was trying an overhand actually, so the Austrian did well to turn that into a kind of shove, aiding the ankle pick.
Again Naurdiev has Silva tied up against the fence and on the mat. Spiteful elbows from Naurdiev, but Silva shrimps free and stands.
Back into the open, and Naurdiev catches a standing guillotine... Silva stays calm and shucks him off, though.
Another very well-timed takedown by Naurdiev, again catching a kick and turning the defence into an ankle pick. Once more, he has Silva pinned against the fence.
Now Naurdiev is dragging him about. Credit to Silva, however: he’s able to escape and stand yet again. Still, he’s been largely listless tonight.
UFC 308 LIVE: Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva
Next up, it’s middleweight action. Ismail Naurdiev faces Bruno Silva.
Round one
Naurdiev stands orthodox; Silva is southpaw. Two hard low kicks from Naurdiev, ouch – the smacks on those.
Silva retaliates with a low kick of his own, then he sees a front kick parried. Now Naurdiev clinches Silva and drives him to the fence.
Silva throws a lazy low kick and spins 360, and Naurdiev pounces! Wise move, lashing a body kick at Silva, whose complacency is punished.
Now Naurdiev grapples Silva against the fence again. He takes him down and laces up Silva’s legs. Silva is able to twist and stand, but he gives up the back in the process!
Naurdiev is off the ground, on Silva’s back, trying a rear naked choke... but no joy before the buzzer!
UFC 308 LIVE: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal
Round three
Third and final round. Leal is sporting some redness around his nose, but his chin has held up to Rinat’s best offence in the striking.
Rinat is able to control Leal briefly, against the fence, but as in the previous two rounds, Leal eventually gets free.
Now it’s Leal with a takedown! He rolls under a hook and times it to perfection. Rinat gets to the fence and back to his feet, and the pair move back to the centre of the ring.
There, Leal eats three straight punches in a row, but he’s undeterred, landing a one-two in return.
Good sprawl now from Leal, resisting a takedown yet again. Rinat lands a few more good punches in the final seconds, and we’ll go to the scorecards.
A really fun opener.
Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Carlos Leal via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
No two ways about it: horrid scoring. Those scores should all have gone the other way. If you’re a Robert Whittaker fan and think he goes the distance against Khamzat Chimaev tonight, worry about a Russian getting such a lucky decision in this first fight of the night.
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