UFC News: Dana White Announces 4 Massive UFC 308 Fights

Just hours before UFC Abu Dhabi began Saturday afternoon, UFC CEO Dana White announced four major fights to take center stage at UFC 308 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26.

#UFC308 October 26th from Fight Island, Abu Dhabi!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/v7FdlGXQzl
— danawhite (@danawhite) August 3, 2024

The main event sees the return of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who will make his first defense of his newly-minted title when he faces former featherweight champion Max Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC). Holloway is fresh off a buzzer-beater KO at UFC 300 in April, stunning Justin Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) to win the "BMF" title.

Topuria won the featherweight strap by upsetting the consensus GOAT at 145 pounds, Alexander Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC), in February with a second-round KO, which was the Australian's third UFC loss dating back to Feb. 2023.

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#UFC308 is STACKED 🔥

It all goes down on October 26th #InAbuDhabi 👏@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/dxbM7vTMuA
— UFC (@ufc) August 3, 2024

The co-main event is a re-booking of a cancelled UFC Saudi Arabia main event from June, as former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-7 MMA, 17-5 UFC) will attempt to face Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), as he was "violently ill" ahead of the June 22 date, forcing him to withdraw on short notice.

Other announced bouts on the card include an all-too-important light heavyweight bout between Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1, 1 NC UFC) and Aleksandar Rakić (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC), with the winner remaining in the mix for a shot at Alex Pereira for (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and light heavyweight gold.

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov TV Channel, Full Card & Betting Odds

Finally, at heavyweight, former interim champion Ciryl Gane (12-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) rematches Alexander Volkov (38-10 MMA, 12-4 UFC) to remain a potential title contender and a backup to the backup for the potential Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic UFC 309 main event in November.

MMAKO will keep you up-to-date with all the latest developments leading up to UFC 308.

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