UFC 308: B/R Main Card Staff Predictions

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Opponents Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway face offChris Unger/Zuffa LLC

The UFC is back in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, and it's brought an excellent card to commemorate the occasion.

The main event will pit featherweight champ Ilia Topuria against former champ Max Holloway. It's one of the best matchups in MMA right now, and an incredibly difficult fight to pick.

The co-main event is just as good, with former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker taking on surging contender Khamzat Chimaev.

The rest of the main card is similarly solid. Dan Ige will meet Lerone Murphy at featherweight, Shara Magomedov will meet Armen Petrosyan at middleweight, and Magomed Ankalaev will meet Aleksandar Rakic in what should be a No. 1 contender fight at 205 pounds.

It's a massive night of fights. Here's how the B/R combat sports squad sees it shaking out.

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Haris Kruskic: This should be fireworks. At just 27 years old, Ilia Topuria is the youngest UFC champion and boasts a resume nothing short of dominant. He faces the biggest test of his career against a surging Max Holloway who looks to reclaim non-BMF gold for the first time in five years.

It wasn't long ago that Holloway was in Topuria's shoes as the young champ looking to prove himself against the UFC's most established stars. Topuria has one of the highest ceilings in the world, but is he ready for the chaos that is a Max Holloway fight?

I think so. Ilia solidifies a changing of the guard at featherweight by taking a page out of Alex Volkanovski's guide on how to beat Holloway. Get in close, avoid the reach of the former champ, and pick your spots.

Prediction: Topuria by unanimous decision

Lyle Fitzsimmons: I want Max to win. I'll pull for Max to win. And I'm not at suggesting it's a ridiculous suggestion that he can win. But I don't think he will. I already believed Topuria was very good based on what he did to win the title, and when I chatted him up the other day he had this cool, calm confidence — not talking loud, not banging his chest, just matter of fact — that told me this is a guy at the top of his game.

Prediction: Topuria by TKO, Rd. 3

Tom Taylor: What an incredible fight this is. Holloway and Topuria are two of the best boxers in the UFC right now, and they can both do a lot more than that. This is going to be extremely high level fighting.

As for the result?

I like Topuria a lot, but I'll be rooting for Holloway, not just because I'm a huge fan of his, but because his reclaiming the featherweight title at this stage of his career would cement him as one of the greatest fighters of all time. Unfortunately, I agree with my peers. I see Topuria being a few steps ahead of the former champ in this one, particularly if he gets to work with his wrestling and jiu jitsu.

Then again, I thought Justin Gaethje would dominate Max Holloway. I've been wrong before.

Prediction: Topuria by unanimous decision

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Haris Kruskic: The talk around this fight reminds me of the narrative that surrounded Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis. Everyone knew the longer the fight lasted, the better Whittaker's odds would be. Unfortunately for him, Du Plessis had plenty in his gas tank to knock the former champ out.

If Khamzat Chimaev can impose his will in the first round like he always does, this could be a quick fight. Luckily for Whittaker, this is a five-round fight. We've never even seen Chimaev get to a fourth round before. In fact, he looked exhausted getting to a third round against Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns.

The issue is getting Chimaev to those late rounds. He may just be too ferocious of a fighter for Whittaker to keep at bay for long enough. Look for Khamzat to finally cement his title shot.

Prediction: Chimaev by TKO, Rd. 2

Lyle Fitzsimmons: I'm not ashamed to say I love this fight. And I'm equally unashamed to say I've been on the Chimaev train since he emerged during the pandemic. Is it possible that his chronic inactivity can hamstring him against a guy on Whittaker's level? Sure. The Kiwi veteran is that good and probably that motivated by the idea that many think he's about to get beat. I don't think it's going to matter, though. Chimaev at this point is just better.

Prediction: Chimaev by unanimous decision

Tom Taylor: I'm happy to be the dissenting party on this one.

Unlike Lyle, I am not sold on Khamzat Chimaev at all. He's clearly quite good — he wouldn't have beaten Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns if he wasn't — but I think he's overrated. He might be the best wrestler in the UFC right now, but his cardio is of increasing concern, and I think there's some big gaps in his striking game too. Sooner or later, he's going to get exposed, and I think Robert Whittaker will be the one do it.

The former champ may have a tough time in the first couple of rounds, but I think this defense and fight IQ are good enough that he will survive through the second, at which point Chimaev's endurance will begin to fade, and he will take total control of the fight.

I wouldn't be surprised if Whittaker wins a decision, but I actually see him dropping and stopping an exhausted Chimaev late in the fight.

Prediction: Robert Whittaker by TKO, Rd. 5

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Haris Kruskic: Dan Ige's coming off a valiant loss to Diego Lopes after accepting the fight on a few hours' notice. His reward is Lerone Murphy, another rising contender who's undefeated in seven UFC fights. Ige's lost five of his last eight, so I'll ride the hot hand with Murphy.

Prediction: Murphy by unanimous decision

Lyle Fitzsimmons: There's no mistaking Dan Ige is a real fighter. Taking the UFC 303 co-main with what seemed like 20 minutes notice proves that in perpetuity. But while he is that guy, he's also a guy who's lost five of his last eight and six of his last 10. Murphy hasn't been in with the level of guys that Ige has, but winning six straight in the UFC is an accomplishment regardless (almost) of the opponent. It says here his stock rises on Saturday.

Prediction: Murphy by unanimous decision

Tom Taylor: I expected Dan Ige to get some kind of reward for stepping in against Diego Lopes at UFC 303. This fight with Murphy is not a reward.

Not only is Murphy not a big name, he's also very, very good. No disrespect to the Brit, but I think it's fair to call him a high risk low, low reward fight for Ige.

I actually see him beating Ige pretty clearly over three rounds.

Prediction: Murphy by unanimous decision

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Haris Kruskic: Magomed Ankalaev doesn't seem to be in the UFC's good graces when it comes to a title shot despite being undefeated in his last 12 fights. He needs to leave no doubt who the rightful next challenger to Alex Pereira is.

Aleksandar Rakić lost to Jiří Procházka earlier this year after a two-year layoff due to an ACL tear. Being almost four years removed from his last win doesn't feel like a recipe for success against a surging Ankalaev.

Prediction: Ankalaev by TKO, Rd. 2

Lyle Fitzsimmons: Rakic is a 6'4", 206-pound man who's capable of stopping, or at least putting into peril, every man he hits. But Magomed Ankalaev is on another level here. And lest anyone forget he's not actually lost a fight in the UFC in more than six years, while beating a higher grade of opponent than the guys who Rakic has lost to. I may be missing something, but rhis seems easy unless something crazy happens.

Prediction: Ankalaev by TKO, Round 1

Tom Taylor: As Haris suggested, Magomed Ankalaev probably already deserves a crack at Alex Pereira. Unfortunately, the UFC doesn't seem sold on him.

He needs a truly impressive win to make himself undeniable, and I think he knows this. As such, I expect him to be a little more aggressive than usual, which does not bode well for Rakic.

It'll be all takedowns and ground-and-pound from Ankalaev, and while Rakic might tough it out for a round or so, he will only be able to withstand so much.

Prediction: Ankalaev by TKO, Rd. 1

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Haris Kruskic: I'm not a Shara Magomedov believer, but I also don't really believe Armen Petrosyan has the skills necessary to beat him. This will be an unofficial kickboxing match and that's where Magomedov can thrive the most.

Prediction: Magomedov by unanimous decision

Lyle Fitzsimmons: Apparently, Magamedov doesn't like to be characterized as pedestrian. He wasn't too memorable in his first two octagonal appearances but brought his A game to beat Michal Oleksiejczuk on a Fight Night show in August and looks like a guy who should handle the likes of Petrosyan, who's certainly credible but has been submitted and (nearly) shut out in two of his last four fights. Gimme the lumberjack/leprechaun over 15 minutes.

Prediction: Magomedov by unanimous decision

Tom Taylor: At this point, I think we've all got Magomedov figured out. He's a very good striker and a very bad grappler who will probably only keep winning if he's given favorable matchups.

Lucky for him, it will be another favorable matchup in Abu Dhabi. Armen Petrosyan — not to be confused with Giorgio Petrosyan's brother — is a Muay Thai specialist himself, and is unlikely to be shooting for takedowns in this fight.

It's like Haris said: this will be a kickboxing match contested under MMA rules. Under those terms, Magomedov wins.

Prediction: Magomedov by unanimous decision