Fight fans had been anticipating UFC 308 for months and the action did not disappoint.
Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway fought for the undisputed featherweight championship in the main event and Khamzat Chimaev returning after a year to face former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Below are the official results from UFC 308:
MAIN CARD
Ilia Topuria def. Max Holloway by knockout in Round 1
Topuria became the first fighter to knock out Holloway, doing so in the third round of a classic fight to defend the featherweight title.
Khamzat Chimaev def. Robert Whittaker by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:34 of Round 1
Chimaev stayed unbeaten with a dominant first-round submission of the former champion. Whittaker said he felt his jaw dislocate during the submission hold.
Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira likely kept a close eye on this 205-pound matchup since the winner could be next in line to challenge for the title. It was a tactical, tightly contested bout like most pundits predicted despite Ankalaev being a heavy betting favourite prior to the fight. The fight required 15 minutes and Ankalaev got his hand raised after extending his unbeaten streak to 13.
Lerone Murphy def. Dan Ige by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
The ranked featherweights engaged in a competitive three-rounder. Ige rocked Murphy early but the Brit regained his composure. Ige’s veteran savvy showed in the third but Murphy never backed down and remained undefeated.
Sharabutdin Magomedov def. Armen Petrosyan by knockout at 4:52 of Round 2
The talented middleweight strikers put their skills on display and late in the second round Magomedov landed an incredible double spinning backfist that ended the fight. It is a Knockout of the Year contender.
PRELIMINARY CARD
Ibo Aslan def. Raffael Cerqueira by technical knockout at 0:51 of Round 1
Aslan made a statement in the featured prelim, overwhelming his opponent with a flurry of unanswered punches and getting an early stoppage.
Geoff Neal def. Rafael dos Anjosby technical knockout (injury) at 1:30 of Round 1
This one didn’t last long and ended when the former lightweight champion sustained what appeared to be a significant left knee injury…on his 40th birthday no less. Before that, Neal had dropped his fellow southpaw and was in clear control of the fight.
Mateusz Rebecki def. Myktybek Orolbai by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Orolbai and Rebecki went back and forth for 15 bloody minutes. It is the leader in the clubhouse for Fight of the Night.
Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira by submission (arm-triangle) at 3:14 of Round 3
Magomedov overcame getting rocked in the second round and capped off a well-rounded performance with a final-round submission.
Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Chris Barnett by technical knockout at 4:27 of Round 1
During the first round, or even during his introduction, Barnett injured his left leg and Nzechukwu eventually took advantage by peppering his immobile opponent with strikes until the referee stepped in.
Farid Basharat def. Victor Hugo by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Basharat improved to 13-0 as a pro thanks to superior technique and timing. This fight took place in the featherweight division despite both men being contracted for a bantamweight contest because Hugo missed weight by more than nine pounds.
Ismail Naurdiev def. Bruno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Naurdiev used a mixed of crisp striking and takedowns to sweep the scorecards.
Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Carlos Leal by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Leal gave a great account of himself in his UFC debut yet he was on the wrong end of some puzzling scorecards. The 30-27 Fakhretdinov scorecard in particular was highly suspect.