Last minute of Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway, live today: UFC 308
Ilia Topuria retains the featherweight title after a spectacular KO over Max Holloway. The fight aimed to be one of the best of the year and it did not disappoint. The Hispanic-Georgian promised to knock out the American and he has fulfilled it.
The fight began with Ilia Topuria fulfilling her threat: challenging Max Holloway in the center of the octagon to an exchange of blows.. However, the fighter of Hawaiian origin rejected the proposal. And there the combat began. Both fighters completed a very serious first round, with Max Holloway slightly ahead in the blows landed, so the judges’ scorecards most likely favored Max.
Already in the second round, Ilia continued with the fight plan: keep connecting “leg kicks” and try to finish by shortening the distances. And he got it. The second round went to Topuria, who was more successful in the exchanges. But the best was missing.
The third round began with the same dynamic. Both fighters wanting to continue the fight standing. Bad idea for Max. Topuria once again showed why he is the best fighter in the division (and probably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC) and He managed to knock out Max Holloway after a minute and a half of the third round.