UFC 308 is here, with Ilia Topuria taking on Max Holloway in the main event this Saturday in Abu Dhabi. This card is packed with high-stakes fights as some long-time faces return to the Octagon. With all the action this weekend, you won’t miss out on the latest DraftKings deal, with new players earning $200 in bonus credit when you sign up, deposit $10, and make a $5 wager. Follow our link below or promo code “BV20” to jump on this deal!
Ilia Topuria's recent win over Alexander Volkanovski opened the door for Max Holloway to re-enter the title conversation at featherweight. Topuria has been an undefeated force in UFC, moving his record to 15-0 with a plethora of knockout power and slick submissions, proving to be a dangerous opponent for anyone in his way. Coming off an impressive string of fights, including a career-defining win against Justin Gaethje and a knockout against Chan Sung Jung, Holloway looks like one of the most feared featherweights in the UFC.
While statistically, Holloway has a much higher output of significant strikes per minute than Topuria, 7.17 to 4.4, Topuria holds a power advantage. Holloway's durability is the stuff of legend, having never been stopped by strikes, and his takedown defense is elite at 84%, meaning Topuria may struggle to finish him with strikes or submissions. The fight is likely to be a five-round striking contest, with Holloway's ability to wear opponents down clashing with Topuria's knockout potential.
Considering his recent history of inactivity and possible long-term COVID health issues, there are some concerns surrounding Chimaev. He’s competed just twice in the past two years, last defeating Kamaru Usman. While there's still plenty of belief in his dominance, Chimaev's inactivity raises questions about whether he's already reached his athletic peak, especially considering he's just turned 30.
The key to this fight against Robert Whittaker will be whether Chimaev can consistently secure takedowns. His accuracy is decent at 46%, but Whittaker's takedown defense at 83% may make life difficult for Chimaev to take control of the fight on the ground. Whittaker has been taken down only a couple of times in recent years, and even the most capable wrestlers like Yoel Romero-end up struggling to control him. Whittaker is a powerful striker, and Chimaev's chin hasn't been tested enough, so the striking exchange will be critical.
It's a tough fight to predict, as both men could easily finish it, but it's more than likely to go the distance. Given Chimaev's possible decline and a near-even matchup, it is tough to predict a winner with confidence. The over/under is currently set at 2.5 rounds, and considering both fighters will probably feel each other out at the beginning of the fight, the over seems the better bet.
Lerone Murphy looked excellent last time out, overwhelming Edson Barboza for the best win of his career. Dan Ige is coming off that bizarre situation where he replaced Brian Ortega to fight Diego Lopes on fight day. Ige held his own against Lopes, but part of that was down to Lopes having an off night.
When they met, Murphy put on a range-fighting masterclass against Barboza and tagged him with 220 significant strikes, with 78% going to the head. It didn't take long for his relentless left jab, followed by a piston-like right, to take the steam out of Barboza and allow him to cruise to a five-round victory. Murphy was also a beast in the clinch during that fight, too.
If he fights like that against Ige, he will have a lot of success. He could out-range Barboza despite having a two-inch reach disadvantage; he'll have a two-inch advantage over Ige. He is also slightly taller, which could help in the clinch.
Murphy also landed takedowns in the Barboza fight-4-6, in fact used them to punctuate rounds. Ige has good takedown defense but has done his best against Bryce Mitchell and Nate Landwher in that respect. He might struggle to defend against the takedowns of Murphy, who uses them once he has established his striking. Murphy should be able to occupy Ige's mind with evading punches before using that to set up his takedowns.
Magomed Ankalaev enters his about with Aleksandar Rakic as a heavy favorite, fresh from knocking out Johnny Walker with an uppercut. Ankalaev has been strong overall, having entered his strange "No Contest" and drawn with Jan Blachowicz on a nine-fight win streak. His only career loss remains a submission to Paul Craig in his UFC debut. Rakic, on the other hand, is coming off a technical knockout loss to Jiri Prochazka, and he last competed two years ago due to a knee injury. Before the injury, Rakic picked up victories over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith, but he did drop a somewhat controversial split decision to Volkan Oezdemir.
This fight seems like it could be more favorable for Rakic, considering Ankalaev's power and versatility. Ankalaev is dangerous both on the feet and on the ground, while Perhaps having dealt with some big injuries and layoff may find it challenging to match the pace and pressure Ankalaev presents inside the cage. It seems Ankalaev's knockout power should be too much for Rakic to handle, and even if it does go to a decision, Ankalaev looks likely to dominate.
Ultimately, this fight feels straightforward for Ankalaev, with either a technical knockout or a clear decision victory on the cards. The point spread bet is attractive, with Ankalaev looking capable of winning convincingly.
In August, Magomedov took his undefeated record to 14-0 against Michel Oleksiejczuk with a solid but unspectacular win. He fought at range most of the time, which proved ample opportunity to show off his flashy yet measured striking against an opponent who only wanted to stand and trade. Magomedov will also have a similar matchup in his upcoming fight against Armen Petrosyan. Firstly, Petrosyan is primarily a striker, and very few takedowns have been attempted, making him another ideal opponent for Magomedov's skill set.
However, Petrosyan is by no means a slouch on the defensive side of things, either. Coming off a first-round submission loss to Rodolfo Vieira, Petrosyan has proved durable on the feet, absorbing just 2.90 significant strikes per minute at a 56% strike defense. He also did solid work in prior fights, holding Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues to less than 60 significant strikes.
That might seem like another showcase fight for Magomedov, but a finish might take a lot of work to come by with how well Petrosyan defends. This also means the point spread could be a popular bet, given that this fight might go the distance, with Petrosyan stealing some momentum.