Ilia Topuria was born as a star by defeating Max Holloway, Khamzat Chimaev resurrected himself as a fighter by submitting Robert Whittaker. The stakes were high at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. The winners won big, and above all in style. Topuria is now a headliner in world MMA while Chimaev has revived his career.
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He did it. The sentence is laconic, but sums up Ilia Topuria’s evening well. After two very difficult rounds, even dominated by Max Holloway, juggernaut and uncrowned king of the -66 kilo category in the UFC, the Spaniard cut the electricity in Abu Dhabi. In the third round, with a terrible rear arm, he made Holloway wobble for the first time. Then, smelling the smell of blood, he accelerated until he placed a final left hook to put his opponent down.
The Hawaiian, who is the man who has suffered the most blows in UFC history, had never been knocked out. Ilia Topuria did it. By defending his UFC heavyweight championship belt, the “Matador”, as he calls himself, went from future great in the sport to world star of MMA.
All it took was one strike from the champion to turn this fight around. Who was, until this third round, between the weights of Holloway who had played his game. Well-polished boxing and intelligent distance management. But among the feathers, no one hits harder than the Spaniard, who has lightning in his fists.
In the process, at the UFC microphone, he agreed to a rematch against Alexander Volkanovski, the former champion of the division, rather than going up against other contenders from the depths of the rankings. A choice worthy of a great champion, sure of his strength, who will be extremely difficult to dethrone.
Chimaev completely revives
After only four minutes of combat, shock: the very experienced Robert Whittaker gave up under the submission by strangulation attempted by Khamzat Chimaev. Shock because it was difficult to imagine that such a fighter could lose so quickly, even if his opponent was called Chimaev. Also, because the Australian gave up very quickly under the effect of a choke that seemed poorly placed, with his opponent’s arm on the bottom of his chin rather than on his throat. Suggesting that his jaw broke under the pressure put by the Chechen.
Still, Chimaev, by doing Chimaev, showed once again that he is one of the bosses at middleweight. And this, after a year of casting doubt on his ability to be at the weight for his fights, or to maintain good health during his training camps despite a relatively fragile constitution. A year after his last victory against Kamaru Usman in a fight which did not convince many people, to the cheers of a room in Abu Dhabi committed to his cause, he silenced many critical voices. Without changing anything in his style: a takedown from the first seconds then an absolutely unbearable pressure work on the ground and against the cage.
Still undefeated, “Borz” Chimaev is now among the contenders for the title. Like all those who, before him, defeated Whittaker. In a category where the Frenchman Nassourdine Imavov is also waiting for his chance, to snatch the champion belt from the South African Dricus Du Plessis. The next events at the top of the rankings in the -83 kilos of the UFC will be decisive.