Max Holloway nods, Ilia Topuria chatters

ABU DHABI – Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway won’t have to wait much longer to resolve their differences after their final clash at the ceremonial UFC 308 weigh-ins on Friday.

After making weight earlier in the day, Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) were treated to one last look at each other in front of fans, media and the world Watch Saturday’s highly anticipated featherweight championship fight at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN+).

Topuria captured the 145-pound belt in February when he scored a stunning knockout over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. He’s claimed endlessly that he’ll get through Blessed with an early knockout, but Holloway clearly disagrees. The Hawaiian is looking to regain the belt he lost in December 2019 after pulling off the unforgettable knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April.

The stakes are enormous between the two athletes, and the intensity of the moment was evident from Topuria and Holloway in the final staredown, as seen in the video above.

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s UFC 308 event hub.