The UFC is back on Fight Island. UFC 308 goes down on Saturday from Abu Dhabi, and if you’re wondering how big of a card it is, consider this: An Australian reporter asked Dana White for his big pitch to viewers ahead of UFC 308. White said, “If I have to pitch you on this card, you shouldn’t be watching it.”
I must agree.
While it may not be as stacked with names as UFC 300, the main card fights and the main and co-main events are arguably the best matchups anyone could put together in the sport.
If you need someone to pitch you on why you should watch Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway or Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev, then you probably have no business watching mixed martial arts.
Here’s everything you need to know about the event.
- Date: Saturday, October 26
- Time: 10 am ET (Prelims), 2 pm ET (Main Card)
- TV/Stream: ESPN+ for Prelims, ESPN+ PPV for Main Card
Main Card – 2 pm ET
- (c) Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway – UFC Featherweight Championship
- Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic
- Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige
- Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan
Prelims – 10 AM ET
- Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos
- Myktybek Orolbai vs. Mateusz Rebecki
- Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Chris Barnett
- Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo
- Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Carlos Leal
- Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva
- Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
UFC 308 By the Numbers
10 – Number of champions on ranked opponents in action in Abu Dhabi.
9 – Number of Contender Series alums on the card. If there is any doubt that the Contender Series is now the best way to find a spot in the UFC, consider that more than a third of the fighters on this card all got their start with the promotion on the Tuesday night show. At some point, we’ll likely see a card that the entire card is made up of Contender Series alums.
2 – Number of potential title eliminator fights on the card. Ankalaev is the No. 1 contender. If he wins against Rakic, he should get the next shot at Alex Pereira. The same goes for Rakic, even though Jiri Prozchazka stopped him at UFC 300. Whittaker will likely earn a shot at the winner of Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland if he beats Chimaev. Much to the chagrin of some, Chimaev will probably get a title shot if he wins. There is a lot on the line once the main card starts.
2- Number of late replacements on the card. Chris Barnett and Carlos Leal have stepped into Justin Tafa and Nursulton Ruziboev, respectively. Barnett faces Kennedy Nzechukwu, and Leal tangles with Rinat Fakhretdinov during the prelims.
0 – Number of fighters on the card from UAE. While the UFC has fighters from the region like Mohamed Yahya on their roster. None of the local fighters will be in action on Saturday.
