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Though he had a strong performance against Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway’s efforts were not enough. He was knocked out for the first time in his professional career as Ilia Topuria retained the featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 308.

Holloway appeared to be performing well, getting into his groove late in the first round and trying to keep distance to land counterstrikes and combinations. But the former champ was caught in the third round, eating a flurry and being dropped by a right hand.

“It is what it is, I felt good,” Holloway said during his UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “Showing off my hands, I was landing, I was being fast, I think I had him surprised in there. Like I said, I was doing good until I wasn’t.

“Game of inches. He landed something that I found myself looking up from the ground.”

Max Holloway Mulling Over Potential Full-Time Move To Lightweight After UFC 308 Setback

Holloway originally became undisputed featherweight champion with a TKO of José Aldo at UFC 212. He retained the title against the Brazilian legend, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar before losing to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245.

Since then, Holloway has rematched Volkanovski for the title twice, losing both times. UFC 308 marked the third time “Blessed” has unsuccessfully attempted to win back the 145-pound UFC gold. However, those are his only losses at the weight class since becoming the champion.

So what could be next for Holloway? He isn’t ruling out, and is even thinking hard about, a potential move up in weight class given the potential fights that could happen there. But the Hawaiian said he’s not looking to fight again until the middle of 2025, and so there is time to think things over in full.

“We’ll sit down with the team, relax, there’s nothing needed to be rushing back right now,” Holloway said. “[I’ll] probably try to come back summer, big July card in Vegas, do something, see what happens. [Lightweight] looks really good right now.

“I had a couple of times to reclaim [the featherweight title], new guys coming up, that would be fun, but I think ’55 looks more fun…”

Holloway earned the title shot against Topuria through his famed knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 earlier this year, which gave him the BMF belt.

“Blessed” fought at lightweight in the UFC just once prior to that, losing an interim title fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 236.

• Read More: Ilia Topuria Declares Himself The New ‘BMF’ Champ After Max Holloway Win

Continue Reading Max Holloway Addresses His Future After Suffering First Knockout At UFC 308 at MMA News.

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Ilia Topuria faced an unexpected moment in his fight with Max Holloway on Saturday night. Topuria made history at UFC 308, becoming the first fighter ever to finish Holloway, cementing his place as a top featherweight contender.

This victory extended Topuria’s undefeated record to 16-0, building on his previous win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, where he claimed the featherweight title by knockout.

Surprising Moment

Before the fight, Topuria had expressed his intent to engage Holloway in a slugfest, planning to point to the ground and call for a toe-to-toe battle. Holloway had initially doubted that Topuria would follow through, yet when the moment came, it was Holloway who didn’t engage.

“That surprised me,” Topuria admitted. “I pointed to the ground, and he didn’t stop in the middle of the octagon. He started with some bullsh*t like that. You called yourself the bull, and you said, ‘I’m the bull, and ‘The Matador’ is running from me.’ But you never see a bull doing this. It surprised me a little, so I had to adjust the game plan. But at the end of the day, I got the knockout.”

Continue Reading Ilia Topuria Reveals The One Thing That Surprised him About Max Holloway Fight at MMA News.

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Khamzat Chimaev scored a major victory on Saturday night at UFC 308, submitting Robert Whittaker in the first round of their co-main event fight. Dricus Du Plessis, watching alongside fans worldwide, is eager for a chance to end Chimaev’s undefeated streak.

Following the fight, Chimaev clarified that he wants a title shot next. If the promotion decides to schedule a rematch between Du Plessis and Sean Strickland, he would likely need to wait for that to happen.

UFC CEO Dana White discussed potential matchups post-fight, leaving all options open. Meanwhile, Du Plessis took to social media to call his shot, expressing both respect for Whittaker and his desire to put the first loss on Chimaev’s record.

“Feel really sorry for Rob; he looked super ready, but this is the fight game. Well done on a good performance, Khamzat. That being said, I can’t wait to take your 0,” Du Plessis tweeted.

With this win, Chimaev made a strong statement and solidified his position as a top midweight title contender.

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis Warns Khamzat Chimaev After UFC 308 at MMA News.

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The MMA world was taken aback with how easily Khamzat Chimaev defeated Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 308, namely pointing to how quick the former champion tapped as Chimaev was locking in a face crank.

The commentary team suggested that the Australian may have suffered a dislocated jaw — and the results from the crank ended up being as damaging as some have feared.

During the commentary team’s wrap-up segment, Cormier showed a picture on his phone that showed Whittaker’s front teeth crushed. He also confirmed that Whittaker’s jaw was indeed fractured by Chimaev’s submission hold.

Robert Whittaker’s Teeth Crushed, Jaw Fractured As A Result Of Khamzat Chimaev’s Face Crank

Chimaev was easily able to take down his opponent mere seconds into their fight, having complete control in the exchanges on the ground and dominant grappling position up to the submission.

“Borz” improved to 14-0 after a year-long layoff, with an 8-0 UFC record since his promotional debut in 2020. His fight with the Aussie was originally supposed to take place at the inaugural UFC card in Saudi Arabia this past June before Chimaev fell violently ill.

The Chechen-born UAE resident also became just the third man to defeat (and finish) Whittaker since “The Reaper” moved up to 185 pounds about a decade ago. The only two other men to accomplish that is current UFC Middleweight hampion Dricus Du Plessis and former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya.

Chimaev’s performance gives speculation as to if he will now be next to challenge “Stillknocks.”

• Read More: UFC 308 Results & Highlights: Ilia Topuria KOs Max Holloway

Continue Reading PHOTO: Robert Whittaker Shows Gruesome Injury From Khamzat Chimaev Face Crank At UFC 308 (GRAPHIC) at MMA News.

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Francis Ngannou has responded to Dana White’s comments regarding his departure from the UFC after 2023. Ngannou, who vacated his heavyweight title to explore free agency, went on to secure highly lucrative matchups against boxing icons Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

In his return to MMA, the former UFC heavyweight champion achieved a decisive finish over Renan Ferreira at PFL: Battle of the Giants. Earlier this week, White suggested that financial incentives drove Ngannou’s recent career choices. White shared that he even considered releasing Ngannou after he suffered back-to-back losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in 2018.

In a recent interview, Ngannou addressed White’s remarks, expressing confusion over why White continues to criticize him. “Regardless of everything that happened, I’m not about him,” Ngannou said in an interview with Sirius XM Fight Nation. “I went out there, did a fight, had a good fight for my son’s memory, but the guy can’t stand— I don’t know what his problem is. He can make everything up as he wants. That’s his problem. I think he needs to make peace with himself.”

Ngannou elaborated on his perspective, adding, “(He) could’ve just said, ‘We didn’t find an agreement. We couldn’t come to a deal, but good luck to him.’ That’s it, you know? Good for him, and we continue our lives. What’s the problem here? I think the problem is he can’t handle this loss.”

White’s Intentions

Ngannou believes White struggles to accept how things played out and even questions whether White wishes to see him fail in the new chapter of his career. For his part, Ngannou is committed to focusing on his own path forward.

“Dana has lost in this situation, and the only thing is that he cannot stand it,” Ngannou stated. “Bro, I won everything. Now I have made more money than I would have ever made in the UFC. I’d say maybe twice what I could have made in my entire UFC career if I had continued there. I’m not just saying from the moment that I stopped. Either way, even if I’ve made less, if I’m not making as much as I could’ve in the UFC, that would be my problem. Why is he so pissed about me not making that much money? C’mon, man, live your life.”

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou: Dana White Can’t Stand He Lost, I Won ‘Everything’ at MMA News.

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Dana White remains firm in his stance on Francis Ngannou’s departure from the UFC, even after Ngannou’s recent return to MMA. In his comeback fight, the former UFC heavyweight champion secured a decisive finish over Renan Ferreira at PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Ngannou’s 2023 UFC exit was turbulent, as he vacated his heavyweight title to pursue free agency. Since then, he has taken on boxing giants Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in highly lucrative matchups.

At a Power Slap 9 post-event press conference on Thursday, White was asked to share his thoughts on Ngannou’s recent performance. He suggested that financial incentives were the main driver behind Ngannou’s recent career choices.

White’s Initial Plan to Cut Ngannou in 2018

White shared that he had considered releasing Ngannou after he suffered back-to-back losses to Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis in 2018.

“I was going to cut Francis when he lost two in a row,” White said. “Somebody around here begged me not to do it. It wouldn’t have mattered to me either way. There’s a much deeper story to this whole thing. He would’ve made more money if he’d stayed in the UFC. He didn’t want to fight Jon Jones. That’s a fact, my friend. We’re moving on.”

Continue Reading Dana White: I Was ‘Begged’ Not To Cut Francis Ngannou In 2018 at MMA News.

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Khamzat Chimaev is set to make his highly anticipated return to the Octagon this Saturday, facing Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 308 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This will be Chimaev’s first fight in a year, and he hopes to make an impression strong enough to alter the current middleweight title landscape.

Despite Dana White’s recent confirmation that a rematch with former champion Sean Strickland will be middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis’s next title defense, Chimaev is eager to change White’s mind.

Aiming for a Title Shot

Du Plessis is riding high after a recent submission victory over former champ Israel Adesanya. Strickland, who previously lost to Du Plessis by decision, will reportedly be his next challenger. However, Chimaev is determined to secure a title shot with an impressive performance against Whittaker.

“I hope so, but they said that before, as well,” Chimaev remarked at the UFC 308 media day. “When I beat Gilbert Burns, I didn’t get my chance. After that, it was (Kamaru) Usman, and they said, ‘if he beats Usman, he’s going to fight for the title.’ I haven’t fought (for the title) yet, so we’ll see.”

Chimaev’s last fight was a victory over former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in October at UFC 294, a career pause since caused by health issues. Now, he’s ready to make a statement and position himself as a top contender for the middleweight belt.

Continue Reading Khamzat Chimaev Hopes To Change Dana White’s Mind With UFC 308 Performance at MMA News.

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Merab Dvalishvili is making it clear that he believes Sean O’Malley deserves a rematch with him before Umar Nurmagomedov gets a title shot.

Dvalishvili won the bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over O’Malley at UFC 306, and although Nurmagomedov initially appeared to be next in line after his dominant win over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi, Dvalishvili has other ideas. Recent reports suggest that Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong are in talks for a potential showdown, though MMA Fighting reports the deal has yet to be finalized.

Proving Time

During a fan Q&A at UFC 308, Dvalishvili responded to questions about his intentions, refuting any notion that he’s avoiding a fight with Nurmagomedov in favor of an O’Malley rematch.

“Where is this guy? He’s taking [another] fight. He’s scared. He’s fighting somebody else. Where is [he]? Where is [he]? Tell me. He wants to get knocked out by somebody else, and then he’s going to make excuses. He’s not going to make this fight. I’m not the one making fights; Dana White and Hunter [Campbell] decide who I fight next. I don’t make that decision,” Dvalishvili explained.

He continued, “If Dana White tells me I have to fight Umar, I’m fighting Umar, OK?” Dvalishvili said. “But, you know what? Umar doesn’t deserve to fight me. Sean O’Malley deserves a rematch, and I’m ready to fight him again. After that, Umar will have to prove himself, and I’ll be ready.”

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili: Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Doesn’t Deserve To Fight Me’ at MMA News.

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UFC 308 takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates provides a chance for UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria to further enhance his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

After capturing the gold this past February by brutally knocking out the previously long-reigning Alexander Volkanovski, “El Matador” is next tasked with stalling Max Holloway’s ambitions of a return to the 145-pound mountaintop.

The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker look to secure another shot at regaining the crown by blemishing the currently perfect professional record of Khamzat Chimaev.

Elsewhere on the UFC 308 card, Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakić do battle for a potential shot at Alex Pereira’s light heavyweight title, Dan Ige becomes the latest threat to Lerone Murphy’s ‘O’, and middleweight prospect Shara Magomedov looks to impress once again.

Ahead of the event, all 26 fighters successfully made weight but two bouts did undergo late adjustments. Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 308 ceremonial weigh-ins!

Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 10 a.m. ET.

UFC 308 Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

Continue Reading UFC 308: Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream at MMA News.

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Max Holloway has been through countless wars in his long and successful MMA career. Now, just days away from his highly anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 308, where he will face Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title, Holloway reflects on the toll the sport has taken on him.

While MMA offers highs like fame and fortune, it also has a significant downside—the physical and mental damage fighters endure. As Holloway prepares for another fight, he does so with heavy concerns about his long-term health.

Holloway’s Concerns

Speaking at the UFC 308 media scrum, Holloway opened up about his fears regarding brain damage and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

“Take care of your guys’ brain, and learn about brain health,” Holloway said at UFC 308 media day. “Do the right things. You only get one brain, guys, you only get one brain, and once that thing starts to deteriorate, it’s not like anything else where you can grow it back. So, be smart. Go see specialists, go see doctors, and do research on your own brain health.”

He continued, “Take care of yourself, guys. I don’t want to be a vegetable when I grow older. Everyone keeps talking to me about how many times I’ve gotten hit, like, brother, I take brain health so seriously. People will never know [what I do]. Maybe after my career, I will talk about it and all the stuff we’ve been doing. But take care of your guys’ brains, do your homework, get on it, and be smart.”

Continue Reading Max Holloway On CTE Concerns: ‘I Don’t Want To Be A Vegetable When I’m Older’ at MMA News.

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