Ilia Topuria makes good on his promise, becomes first man to stop Max Holloway at UFC 308

Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria vowed to go nan first man to sound retired Max Holloway.

He made bully connected his committedness astatine UFC 308 successful Abu Dhabi connected Saturday.

Using a immense correct manus to daze Holloway, Topuria (16-0) followed up moments later pinch a powerful near hook that dropped nan 32-year-old. Topuria pounced connected Holloway instantly for a ground-and-pound decorativeness earlier referee Mark Goddard stopped nan bout astatine nan 1:34 people of nan 3rd round.

“To hit a fable for illustration Max Holloway, I don’t cognize what to say,” Topuria said. “He’s been a awesome illustration for nan generation. ... I dream I’m gonna beryllium a mini illustration he has been for maine for nan caller generation.”

Topuria said he knew instantly pinch his first powerfulness punch that nan triumph was wrong his grasp.

“I drawback him pinch ... nan correct hand, I felt it,” Topuria said. “I saw it successful his face. You don’t spot that often successful Max Holloway.”

Topuria opened nan lucifer pinch Holloway’s accepted motion of pointing to nan halfway of nan ring, indicating he wanted to propulsion down pinch immediacy. Holloway, instead, pointed to wherever he was standing.

The 2 mixed it up successful nan first round, Topuria doing early harm pinch limb kicks to Holloway’s lead leg. Both fighters’ boxing skills were connected show successful nan 2nd round, pinch Holloway landing respective large shots. But it was Topuria’s limb kicks that seemingly continued to weaken Holloway.

Then came his 2 large punches successful nan third.

“He conscionable landed a changeable and I conjecture it wounded overmuch much than I thought it did,” said Holloway, who fell to 26-8. “I felt awesome until he did it. No excuses. I felt great, I had a awesome camp, nary injuries. I went retired there, did my thing. He was conscionable a amended man tonight.”

It was Topuria’s first title defense since capturing nan loop pinch a second-round method knockout of Alexander Volkanovski astatine UFC 298 connected Feb. 17.

Topuria’s back-to-back victories complete Holloway and Volkanovski make a lawsuit for Fighter of nan Year.

Volkanovski was successful attendance Saturday, and Topuria said he would grant him pinch a rematch.

“You merit that, you’re nan man,” Topuria told Volkanovski, who entered nan octagon aft nan match.

In nan co-main event, No. 13 Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) stopped No. 3 Robert Whitaker (27-8) pinch a first-round submission conscionable 3:34 into nan fight, aft taking him down and administering a wicked look crank.

“I’m going for nan belt!” Chimaev exclaimed aft his dominating win.

“I emotion you brother, you’re a legend,” nan Russian told Whitaker during his post-fight interview.

Additionally from nan main card:

Top-ranked ray heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev defeated No. 5 Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous determination aft 3 rounds.

In an action-packed three-round featherweight match, Lerone Murphy hit Dan Ige by unanimous decision.

Shara Magomedov (15-0-0) defeated Armen Petrosyan (9-4-0) by TKO astatine nan 4:52 people of nan 2nd information of their middleweight bout.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports