The UFC 308 fight card, start time is for the UFC pay-per-view Saturday afternoon from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

In the main event, Ilia Topuria will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against former UFC champion Max Holloway. Topuria has won all seven of his UFC fights en route to a 15-0 career record, while Holloway (26-7) has won four of his past five fights.

Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker will square off against Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event.

Check out the UFC 308 fight card below.

Main card (ESPN+ PPV at 2 p.m. ET)

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan

Prelims (ESPN+ at 10 a.m. ET)

Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai

Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Chris Barnett

Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo

Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Carlos Leal

Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira

ABU DHABI – Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway has the MMA world split as to who will leave UFC 308 as champion.

Former interim UFC featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez gave his thoughts and prediction on the highly anticipated championship bout Saturday night at Etihad Arena. Rodriguez (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who’s fought Holloway in the past, believes the Hawaiian will reclaim his belt and take the undefeated status from Topuria.

“It’s going to be an interesting match,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I think Max Holloway has more tools, and he’s a super smart fighter. Also, Topuria is a real power puncher. I just think if Max Holloway is smart enough to keep his distance, he can win the fight. My prediction is Max Holloway.”

Earlier this year, Topuria had plenty to say about Rodriguez and vice versa. Topuria questioned Rodriguez’s skillset, and Rodriguez fired back a few verbal shots his way.

“I don’t have a relationship with him at all,” Rodriguez said. “Yeah, some words have been said, and I hope he’s ready to back them up, because I’m ready.”

Rodriguez hasn’t fought since losing to Brian Ortega in February. He says he’s healthy and ready to return and just waiting on the green light from the promotion. There’s nothing official, but Rodriguez said the UFC has shown interest in having him fight in February in Mexico City.

Jhon Duran has made a habit of coming off the substitutes bench and scoring for Aston Villa this season.

On Tuesday, the Colombia forward made his first start at Villa Park for 11 months and marked it with his side’s second goal against Bologna in the Champions League.

Duran’s celebrations were cut short when he was immediately replaced by Ollie Watkins, and he showed his displeasure by kicking the back of one of the dugout seats in frustration.

Unai Emery is not too upset with Duran’s reaction, however.

Duran now has seven goals in all competitions while Watkins has five – two forwards delivering goals as Villa enjoy one of their best starts to a season for years.

“Duran got a goal again and he’s on fire,” former England defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Villa have great competition for that centre-forward role, with him and Watkins capable of scoring goals.”

Thanks to a fight against Nate Diaz back in 2019, Jorge Masvidal ushered in the “BMF” era after he became the first ever “baddest motherf*cker” champion in UFC history.

At the time, UFC CEO Dana White said the symbolic title that was wrapped around Masvidal’s waist by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was just something fun to heighten the stakes in the fight but he had no plans for the belt to stick around long term. That changed in 2023 when the UFC re-introduced the “BMF” title with Justin Gaethje claiming the belt following a stunning second-round knockout over Dustin Poirier.

Less than a year later, Max Holloway took that belt from Gaethje with arguably one of the greatest finishes in UFC history after he pointed to the canvas and invited the human wrecking machine to stand and trade with him. The final punch from Holloway that landed sent Gaethje crashing face first to the canvas and a new “BMF” champion was crowned.

“I’m the biggest Max fan also,” Masvidal said about Holloway when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I love this guy. I love how he fights. I love his style. I love how he carries himself outside of the ring. One of my favorite all-time fighters.”

While he’s still holding the “BMF” title, Holloway’s next assignment comes in October when he faces reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in the UFC 308 main event.

Immediately after flattening Gaethje at UFC 300, Holloway called for the chance to reclaim the belt he previously held until coming up short in a trilogy of fights against Alexander Volkanovski.

The “BMF” title isn’t going up for grabs but no matter what happens in that matchup, Masvidal loves the idea of putting himself against Holloway in a fight for the ages.

“It would be an honor to get in there with Max,” Masvidal said. “It would be an honor and we could throw down. We’d put on a f*cking epic show. One of those fights for all the generations, all lifetime. I wouldn’t mind that.”

The promotional possibilities for a fight like that are nearly endless, especially considering Masvidal’s standing as the first ever “BMF” champion and Holloway now holding onto that same “BMF” title.

Masvidal isn’t necessarily calling for that fight but he has so much admiration for Holloway that he couldn’t at least entertain that idea if the UFC came calling.

“Me and Max could do some serious shit out there,” Masvidal said. “One of the greatest fights ever. One ‘BMF’ has the quickest knockout ever, the other ‘BMF’ has the latest knockout ever in a fight. It was at 4:59 in round five. So many interesting [parts] to me and Max fighting.

“We’re not going to grapple obviously, We’re just going to stand there and bite down on the mouthpiece and f*cking let the leather go. A f*cking dream match.”

Now if there was one major obstacle preventing that fight from happening it would be the weight class.

Holloway has spent most of his career fighting at 145 pounds but he has traveled up to lightweight a few times in his career including the fight against Gaethje in April.

Meanwhile, Masvidal started his career at 155 pounds but in recent years he’s been competing only at welterweight and he admits there’s very little chance he could ever go back down to his old division again.

That said, Masvidal understands the entire concept behind the “BMF” title is a willingness to throw down against anybody, at any time and doing it anywhere — and he has a feeling Holloway lives by that same code.

“It’s also a lot to ask of Max to come up to 155 or 170,” Masvidal said. “I can’t really fight at 155 anymore. I wouldn’t mind it one bit. Max is a legend and I’d love to get in there and mix it up with him.”

An antitrust settlement between the UFC and a group of its former fighters has been temporarily approved by a U.S. district court judge, according to reports.

On Tuesday, Judge Richard Boulware of Nevada temporarily approved a $375 million settlement agreement for Le vs. Zuffa, multiple attendees of the hearing revealed on X shortly thereafter.

Per sports economist Paul Gift, who was present at Tuesday’s hearing, approximately $240 million to $260 million will be paid out to qualifying fighters (those who competed in at least one UFC bout from December 2010 to June 2017) over the next year.

Former UFC fighter Tom Lawlor was also present at the hearing and confirmed the temporary approval.

The Cung Le antitrust settlement is preliminarily APPROVED. Over the next year the #UFC will pay out approx $240-260 million to Zuffa fighters from Dec 2010 – June 2017.

The net number after fees was $260M in court but lawyer costs were unclear.

— Paul Gift (@MMAanalytics) October 22, 2024

Boulware initially denied a $325 million settlement agreement proposed by the two parties in August. That initial agreement also included plaintiffs from a second lawsuit, Johnson vs. Zuffa. Boulware cited concern with the discrepancy in agreement compensation as compared to the initial claims made.

For the new agreement, the parties removed Johnson vs. Zuffa and added an additional $40 million.

Over 100 former UFC fighters wrote letters in support of the agreement on the basis of needing relief for physical, mental, emotional, and financial struggles post-UFC career.

Veteran combat sports reporter Josh Gross was also on site Tuesday and said Boulware specifically highlighted the letters as a factor in the settlement’s temporary approval.

Fighters will be paid after June 2025, when the last of three payments by Zuffa is put into an escrow account. Boulware said the declarations from fighters played a “quite significant” role in his decision on Tuesday. https://t.co/N3lQOqmxEW

— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) October 22, 2024

While Tuesday’s temporary approval of the agreement is a step in the direction of what the two parties are seeking, final approval will still be needed.

Qualifying members of the Le class will be notified of the decision and asked to voice their support or disapproval of the terms. A hearing for final approval will be held in the coming months.

While Le vs. Zuffa strictly sought compensation, Johnson vs. Zuffa seeks injunctive relief, or potentially permanent changes to UFC contracts and business practices.

Five separate class-action lawsuits between December 2014 and March 2015 were eventually consolidated into one (Le, et. al), with a second separate lawsuit filed in 2021 (Johnson, et. al).

The lawsuits centered around alleged violations of the Sherman Act. Class-action lawsuits allow for treble damages, meaning the court could’ve tripled the amount it required the UFC to pay.

The group of former fighters claimed the UFC contract structure and business practices suppressed fighters’ abilities to negotiate and explore other promotional options, creating a monopsony. The efforts were headed by former fighters, including Cung Le, Kyle Kingsbury, Kajan Johnson, Jon Fitch, and Brandon Vera.

CUNG LE VS ZUFFA IS OVER🚨

LIVE FROM THE COURTHOUSE

Judge Boulware grants preliminary approval in the HISTORIC $375 million Le v ZUFFA antitrust lawsuit

BIG TIME BLOW LANDED BY UFC VETS
👊🏼#ufc #mma pic.twitter.com/rROqcAN1hK

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— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (@FilthyTomLawlor) October 22, 2024

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