Good card with some special moments.
Bonuses
Fight Of The Night: Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai
Mateusz Rebecki and
Myktybek Orolbai put on a brutal show in their intense 160-pound catchweight fight, with Rebecki ultimately securing a split decision victory at the Etihad Arena. Now 20-2, Rebecki fought through a gritty, back-and-forth clash, knocking down Orolbai in the third round but not without fierce opposition throughout. Despite a swollen eye, Orolbai, now 13-2-1, showcased his toughness as he narrowly missed victory in a tough battle.
Performance: Illia Topuria
Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria made good on his promise, defending his title in Abu Dhabi with a third-round knockout of former champ Max Holloway in the UFC 308 main event. After claiming the title by finishing Alexander Volkanovski in February, Topuria’s flawless 16-0 record now includes another top-tier opponent. Both fighters traded at a distance early on, with Topuria applying pressure and landing heavy strikes. In the third, a powerful right shook Holloway, setting up a final left that ended the fight.
Performance: Shara Magomedov
Undefeated middleweight
Shara Magomedov reminded everyone of his danger with a statement second-round knockout over
Armen Petrosyan in the main card opener. Despite a strong start from Petrosyan, Magomedov quickly found his rhythm, keeping everyone on their toes. In round two, he pulled ahead and finished the fight with a stunning double backfist that dropped Petrosyan, prompting an immediate stoppage at 4:52. Magomedov’s record now stands at 15-0.
Performance: Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev made a big return after a year, submitting former middleweight champion
Robert Whittaker in under four minutes. Chimaev quickly secured a takedown, regained control after a brief scramble, and locked in an intense face crank for the tap at 3:34 of the first round. Chimaev, ranked No. 13, remains undefeated at 14-0, while Whittaker, ranked No. 3, now holds a 27-8 record.
Unfortunately for me, the night went to shit quickly after a 5-1 start. Two knee injuries, bad scoring, not to mention plainly bad picks all contributed as I really fell of the table. ⬇
UFC 308: TOPURIA VS HOLLOWAY
ABU DHABI, DHUBAI
Prelims:
3/1.50 Rinat Fakhretdinov -200
3/1.44 Leal/Fakhretdinov o2½ -209
3/1.82 Ismail Naurdiev -165
2/2.34 Silva/Naurdiev o2½ +117
1/5.70 Chris Barnett +570
3/2.80 Barnett/Nzechukwu u1½ -107
3/4.17 BRUNNO FERREIRA +139
2.22/2 MAGOMEDOV/FERREIRA) u1½ -111
4/1.38 Myktybek Orolbai -290
4/1.92 dos Anjos/Neal o2½ -215
2/2.00 Ibo Aslan +100
Main card:
3/4.50 Armen Petrosyan +150
3/1.40 Petrosyan/Magomedov Over 2½ -214
4/1.32 Lerone Murphy -302
3/8.10 Aleksandar Rakic +270
3/6.18 ROBERT WHITTAKER +206
3/2.70 Chimaev/Whittaker o2½ -111
3/6.60 Max Holloway +220
[7-11 -19.0u]
Still up on the year, but my cushion in shinking.