UFC 308 fight rankings: Does any matchup top Topuria vs. Holloway? - ESPN

Newer followers of mixed martial arts often need a history lesson to fully appreciate why hardcore fans are so pumped about a particular upcoming fight.

There's a rivalry going back a decade. A lengthy title reign in peril. A compelling comeback story. A long-standing record on the verge of being shattered.

However, in the case of the UFC 308 main event, the sales pitch for the featherweight championship clash between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway can stick to recent events. It can begin and end in early 2024. One fight apiece — the most recent for each of them — is all we need to know about to be sold on Saturday's matchup in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (ESPN+ PPV at 2 p.m. ET, prelims on ESPN+ at 10 a.m.).

For Topuria, that one persuasive fight occurred in February, when he snatched away the belt with a knockout that abruptly ended Alexander Volkanovski's four-year reign. As for Holloway, his hard sell came two months later, when he authored perhaps the greatest KO in MMA history by sending Justin Gaethje face-first to the canvas with just one second remaining in their fifth round of violence.

That's enough to get us excited for Topuria vs. Holloway. However, a deeper dive into their pasts reveals that both participants have done much more to stand apart from all others who grace the Octagon. For instance, there are 11 UFC champions, but Topuria (15-0) is the only one who's undefeated. Holloway (26-7) is the all-time leader among UFC featherweights in practically every statistic that matters — wins (20), finishes (11), KOs (9), significant strikes (2,892) and total strikes (3,096).

Bring it on, fellas.

How does the rest of UFC 308 stack up against the main event? Here's a ranking of the top attractions.

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