UFC Betting Preview: Ilia Topuria Seeks Legacy Win Over Max Holloway

Combat sports are a funny thing. Max Holloway actually probably owes his opponent for UFC 308 this weekend, Ilia Topuria, a thank you card and maybe a small gift. If Topuria hadn’t knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the UFC featherweight title earlier this year, Holloway might still be an elite gatekeeper.

Instead, Holloway’s spectacular win at UFC 300, where he knocked out Justin Gaethje with one second remaining, coupled with Topuria’s win, allowed Holloway to reinsert himself back into the championship picture. When it comes to MMA breaking news, people didn’t expect Holloway to fight for the belt again unless Volkanovksi, who beat Holloway three times already, dropped the title.

But Holloway’s fortune may not result in him grabbing the belt back. Holloway has a legendary chin and has never been knocked out in 32 professional fights. However, Holloway is now 32 and has a lot of miles on his tires.

There is no doubt Holloway is an exceptional striker and one of the most durable fighters in the promotion’s history. Topuria may have the dynamite in his hands to test Holloway’s chin. Topuria, who is 15-0 in his career, has finished 13 of his wins.

But Holloway has been in the octagon with a number of strong punchers and may be able to utilize his boxing to stay off the canvas. Topuria will win this one, but I like this to go deep into the fight.

Bets to consider: Over 3.5 rounds, Topuria -250

Can You Trust Chimaev?

It’s hard to know what to think about Khamzat Chimaev’s career. He debuted like a lightning bolt in 2020, winning three fights in two months. But MMAfighting latest news shows that Chimaev’s career since then has been mostly a disappointment.

Chimaev hasn’t lost a fight, but he hasn’t been active either. After fighting three times in two months, Chimaev has only fought four times in the past four years. Some of Chimaev’s issues have been with illness. But there’s no denying his talent, and he will get another crack at a big win when he takes on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker this weekend. Whittaker put to rest any rumors he was washed up when he knocked out highly-touted prospect Ikram Aliskerov last June.

Whittaker has more than a puncher’s chance in this one. But Chimaev will put the pressure on Whittaker in all areas.

Bets to consider: Fight to end inside the distance, Chimaev ML

Ankalaev Has Legitimate Beef with the UFC

Aleksandar Rakić may be on the wrong end of some pent-up aggression from Magomed Ankalaev this weekend. Ankalaev believes he should be fighting for the light heavyweight bout with Alex Pereira. However, the UFC hasn’t granted Ankalaev the opportunity since he fought to a split draw with Jan Błachowicz for the belt at UFC 282.

But there is no denying Ankalaev’s effectiveness as a fighter. Ankalaev hasn’t lost a fight since 2018. He is on an 11-fight unbeaten streak. Rakić is not in a good run of form. He has been knocked out in consecutive fights.

Bets to consider: Ankalaev by KO/TKO/DQ, Under 2.5 rounds

Murphy Looking to Climb the Ladder

Lerone Murphy has made 14 walks to the cage during his career. When he went back to the locker room following each fight, Murphy did so after having his hand raised. The question for Murphy now is, what does he need to do in order to improve on his No. 12 ranking?

The best MMA news site shows that beating Dan Ige may earn him a different level of prestige. Ige is always willing to fight, but is starting to rack up the mileage during his career. Ige is 18-8 in his career and is coming off a short-notice loss to Diego Lopes.

Ige is an excellent striker who has earned a lot of bonuses thanks to his power. However, Murphy also excels in the same area. This should be a fun fight between two strikers. Ige is always a fighter who is pursuing a bonus check.

Bets to consider: Murphy by decision, Over 2.5 rounds

Magomedov Ready for Tougher Opponent

Sharabutdin Magomedov hasn’t produced many spectacular results during his first three UFC fights. While battling lower-level competition, Magomedov has picked up three easy wins. However, Magomedov has only collected one knockout.

The UFC has felt some pressure from fans to produce more knockouts. Magomedov has the pedigree and a wild striking style that can keep opponents off-kilter. However, it is harder to hit opponents with flashy KOs once you fight more experienced competition. Armen Petrosyan is coming off a submission loss and will be a solid test for Magomedov.

Bets to consider: Magomedov ML, Over 1.5 rounds

Dos Anjos Continues Fighting

Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will be fighting twice in a year for the first time since 2022. Dos Anjos is still a solid fighter who isn’t easy to put away. He will be fighting a younger fighter who is desperate for a win.

Geoff Neal is coming off two difficult fights. Last time out, Neal lost a split decision to Ian Garry. Before that, Neal was submitted by Shavkhat Rakhmonov in the fifth round. Neal is a strong striker and should be able to outduel dos Anjos on the feet. This will be a fun fight between a veteran fighter and a solid contender.

Bets to consider: Neal ML, Under 2.5 rounds

Here’s the odds for the rest of the card not mentioned above:

Lightweight, Mateusz Rębecki (+260) vs Myktybek Orolbai (-325)

Middleweight, Abus Magomedov (-135) vs Brunno Ferreira (+114)

Heavyweight, Kennedy Nzechukwu (-650) vs Chris Barnett (+470)

Middleweight, Ismail Naurdiev (-155) vs Bruno Silva (+130)

Welterweight, Rinat Fakhretdinov (-218) vs Carlos Leal (+180)

Light Heavyweight, Ibo Aslan (-102) vs Rafael Cerqueira (-118)

Bantamweight, Farid Basharat (-700) vs Victor Hugo (+500)

Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.

By Dean McHugh.