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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Coming off arguably the greatest knockout in UFC history, Max Holloway will try to regain his featherweight championship when he challenges Ilia Topuria in October.
A featherweight title fight between the undefeated Topuria (15-0) and Holloway (26-7) will headline UFC 308 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi. UFC CEO Dana White announced the main event, as well as several other matchups for the event, on Saturday.
Topuria, of Spain, won the 145-pound championship in spectacular fashion, when he knocked out Alex Volkanovski in February. He is 7-0 overall in the UFC, with five finishes. Initially, he said he would not face Holloway unless Holloway’s “BMF” title was also on the line, but White made no mention of that on Saturday.
#UFC308 October 26th from Fight Island, Abu Dhabi!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/v7FdlGXQzl
— danawhite (@danawhite) August 3, 2024
Holloway’s stock has never been higher. He moved up in weight and knocked out Justin Gaethje at 155 pounds to win the BMF belt in April. Holloway held the featherweight belt from 2017 to 2019. Since 2014, he has not lost as a featherweight except three times to his old rival, Volkanovski.
In the co-main event, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-7) will face Khamzat Chimaev (13-0). The fight will be five rounds. The UFC tried to make this matchup in June, but Chimaev was forced to pull out due to health issues. Whittaker stayed on the card in a short notice fight against up-and-comer Ikram Aliskerov. Whittaker won by first-round knockout.
White also announced a heavyweight bout between Ciryl Gane (12-2) and Alexander Volkov (38-10), as well as a light heavyweight matchup featuring Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1) and Aleksandar Rakic (14-4).