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Max Holloway knocked out for first time in UFC 308 main event

Ilia Topuria handed Max Holloway the first knockout loss in 30 fights in his UFC career when he floored Holloway in the third round to retain the UFC featherweight title in the main event of UFC 308 today at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Topuria landed a right hand that stunned Holloway and then put him on the mat with a left hook. He followed up with a few punches on the canvas but Holloway was already out and the fight was over via TKO at 1 minutes, 34 seconds.

Topuria (16-0, 8-0 UFC) was pushed into the third round for only the third time in his UFC career.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser scored the fight 20-18 in favor of Holloway through the first two rounds. Topuria landed the stronger punches but Holloway was busier and had landed more strikes before he was knocked out. Two judges had Topuria ahead 20-18 and the third had it 19-19 after two.

“I don’t know what to say. Beating a legend like Max Holloway, I don’t believe it,” Topuria said in his postfight interview inside of the Octagon. “He inspired me so much my whole career.”

Holloway dropped to 26-8 overall and 22-8 in the UFC. It’s his fourth consecutive loss in a featherweight title fight. He fought for more than 11 minutes against Topuria, bringing his career total of fight time in the UFC to more than eight hours.

“I got ready for everything and he just landed a shot. I felt great until he did it,” Holloway said in his postfight interview. “That’s this sport. No excuses. I felt great, I had a great camp, no injuries. He was just the better man tonight.”

In the second fight of the main card, Kahuku alum Dan Ige lost a unanimous decision to Lerone Murphy in a featherweight bout.

Ige (18-9, 10-8) won the first round on all three judges scorecards after scoring a knockdown, but Murphy (15-0-1, 7-0-1) remained undefeated by coming back to win the last two.

Murphy entered the fight ranked No. 12 at 145 pounds while Ige was 14th.


Max Holloway knocked out for first time in UFC 308 main event


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