Ilia Topuria defeated Max Holloway to retain the UFC featherweight title at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, handing the American his first knockout loss.
Topuria (16-0) landed a strong right hand that stunned Holloway, before following up with a powerful left hook, dropping the 32-year-old in the third round.
Topuria immediately capitalized, unleashing a ground-and-pound attack, prompting referee Mark Goddard to stop the fight at 1:34 of the third round.
‘To defeat a legend like Max Holloway, words fail me,’ Topuria expressed.
‘He has been an inspiration to generations. I hope to be a fraction of the example he has been for the new generation.’
Topuria mentioned he knew victory was imminent after landing his initial power punch.
‘I connected with the right hand, and I felt the impact,’ Topuria stated. ‘I saw it in his face. You rarely see that in Max Holloway.’
In the first round, Topuria inflicted early damage with leg kicks to Holloway’s lead leg.
The second round showcased both fighters’ boxing prowess, with Holloway landing significant strikes, but Topuria’s leg kicks appeared to take a toll on Holloway.
Then, the decisive two punches in the third round sealed the victory.
‘He landed a shot, and I suppose it was more impactful than I realized,’ said Holloway, now with a record of 26-8.
‘I felt fantastic until that moment. No excuses. My preparation was excellent, no injuries. I performed to the best of my ability. He simply was the superior fighter.’
This marked Topuria’s first title defense since securing the belt with a second-round TKO against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February.
Topuria’s consecutive wins over Holloway and Volkanovski strengthen his claim for fighter of the year recognition.
Volkanovski was present, and Topuria confirmed he would grant him a rematch.
‘You deserve it, you are the man,’ Topuria acknowledged Volkanovski.
In the co-main event, No. 13 Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) defeated No. 3 Robert Whitaker (27-8) with a first-round submission in just 3:34, securing a dominant victory with a face crank.
‘I’m coming for the belt!’ Chimaev declared following his win.
‘I respect you, brother, you’re a legend,’ Chimaev said to Whitaker in the post-fight interview.
Marcus Bellamy