UFC 308 – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Jamahal Hill rips Magomed Ankalaev’s ‘pretty boring’ win at UFC 308

Jamahal Hill doesn’t think Magomed Ankalaev strengthened his case for a title fight after UFC 308.

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] doesn’t think [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] strengthened his case for a title shot after UFC 308.

Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) defeated Aleksandar Rakic (14-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) by unanimous decision at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev’s 13-fight UFC unbeaten streak at 205 pounds is the second-longest in divisional history behind Jon Jones at 18.

Former champion Hill was not impressed with Ankalaev’s performance.

“Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic: Holy sh*t, what a pretty boring fight,” Hill said on his YouTube channel. “Pretty boring, fellas. I’m going to be real. I’m always going to be real whenever it comes to talking about fights, and this fight was boring. It showed a lack of weapons.

“I’m not going to say on Rakic’s side. Because Rakic kind of got into his bag a little bit and kind of showed some of the weapons he has. It showed a lack of weapons on Magomed’s end. I’ll get into that later. It seems like we’re probably going to be on a collision course, so I’ll elaborate on that on another time. But Rakic showed a lack of fight IQ.”

Ankalaev called for a title shot against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, and UFC CEO Dana White appeared on board. However, Hill doesn’t see it as a guarantee after UFC 308.

“Magomed is wholeheartedly a counter fighter,” Hill said. “That’s what I mean by lack of tools. Lack of tools is being able to come forward and enter, things that actually get you forward and enter into range. That’s not something that he’s good at doing, which against Alex and I, is going to be a problem.

“Assuming he gets the title shot now, giving somebody a title shot off a performance like that – I mean, obviously he’s got the resume and deserves the title shot, but that performance sucked, and I know they (UFC) don’t like him. So, you never know.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Daniel Cormier makes case for Ilia Topuria as Fighter of the Year over Alex Pereira

Daniel Cormier argues that Ilia Topuria’s 2024 was more impressive than Alex Pereira’s. Is he wrong?

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] argues that Ilia Topuria’s 2024 was more impressive than [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]’s.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight title at UFC 298 in February. He then retained his belt at Saturday’s UFC 308 main event by becoming the first to knock out Max Holloway. Light heavyweight champion Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) fought three times in the span of six months – scoring knockouts of Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and most recently Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.

Based on the level of competition, Cormier gives the nod to Topuria for Fighter of the Year over Pereira.

“The Fighter of the Year conversation felt like it was over,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Like, Alex Pereira was the guy that was the Fighter of the Year, no questions asked. That’s not the case. I think that these two wins singularly are as good as any two wins anybody can have, no disrespect to Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree. (Topuria) just beat the two best fighters of the generation prior, but they’re still in this generation, because they’re both very, very young. He just beat two of the greatest featherweights of all time.

“There’s only three, and he beat two of them in a calendar year. Ilia Topuria is the Fighter of the Year. He is the Fighter of the Year, and in my opinion, there is no questions to be asked. That result makes it true. Paul Felder told me it would be like Alex fighting Jon (Jones) and I in our prime and knocking us both out in the same calendar year, and if I’m being completely honest, I don’t know that he could have done that. Ilia just did it. Beat those guys in their prime. It was very, very impressive.”

When asked for his pick during the UFC 308 post-fight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White was on the fence.

“I don’t know, that’s a tough one,” White said. “I’d have to look at more numbers and stats, but you know, you can’t take it away from either one of them, what they’ve done this year. I mean, Alex, when you look at Alex, he’s on vacation in Australia.

“We call him, and packs up, and heads home, and comes into the fight. I mean, he’s built different that guy. It’s like he doesn’t even care about a full camp. He doesn’t care if he’s hurt. He didn’t care about anything. He’ll get in there and fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Daniel Cormier: Khamzat Chimaev earned title shot at UFC 308, Sean Strickland should be worried

After UFC 308, Daniel Cormier believes Khamzat Chimaev likely leapfrogged Sean Strickland as No. 1 middleweight contender.

After UFC 308, [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] likely has leapfrogged [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] as No. 1 middleweight contender.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) ran through former champion Robert Whittaker (27-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) for a first-round submission in Saturday’s co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) was expected to be next in line for a title-fight rematch with champion Dricus Du Plessis, but Cormier isn’t so sure after Chimaev made quick work of Whittaker.

“Khamzat Chimaev earned himself a title shot, or at least he should have,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “He submitted Robert Whittaker in the first round – first round! Went across the octagon, double-legged him, took him down, choked him, and broke his jaw – broke his jaw! With a squeeze from a rear-naked choke. It was nuts to see him do that to a guy that was the generation before him, was one of the guys. Robert Whittaker for a long time has been one of the guys. When he wasn’t the champion, he was ranked No. 1, or No. 2. Chimaev is ranked No. 12 right now.

“He went and beat him in the first round. And if you’re Sean Strickland, that result worries you. Why? Because Mick Maynard is sitting next to me and jumps up and runs to Dana, and they start talking with Hunter (Campbell). Dana immediately runs over to follow Chimaev to talk to him. That’s scary to a guy that’s considered the No. 1 contender because that tells you things are happening. Khamzat Chimaev, to me, solidified himself as the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds. His wrestling, his top control, his mentality, his approach, it’s not like many things we have seen.”

Since losing his middleweight title in a split decision loss to Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January, Strickland rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. He previously stated that he refuses to take another fight unless it’s for the title and is still confident that he’s next for Du Plessis.

“Understand one thing…. I am next in line….. Its been said, its been written… January/February me and @dricusduplessis are scrapping Go back to Chechnya and wait a few months….. wait.. sorry UAE… you’re not allowed in Chechnya…But hey crypto scams while you wait.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBpQPTZRJ3q/?igsh=MXNnMWtkcHd5a2pweQ%3D%3D&img_index=1

“Khamzat Chimaev should be fighting for the belt next,” Cormier added. “He really should. I don’t know what the UFC is going to do, but if they say, ‘Hey, you’re next,’ I don’t know that Sean has much in terms of reasons how he can complain to the organization about how they’re wrong.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Sean O’Malley dubs Ilia Topuria ‘a little f*cking Alex Pereira’ after knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308

Sean O’Malley was in awe of Ilia Topuria’s power at UFC 308.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] was in awe of [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]’s power at UFC 308.

Featherweight champion Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) became the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) in Saturday’s main event in Abu Dhabi. During a watch-along on his YouTube channel, O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) gave a live reaction to Topuria’s devastating knockout.

“God, Ilia’s a f*cking finisher though, huh? He’ll jump on you,” O’Malley said. “I think Ilia might have took that Round (1) just because he took his back at the end, but that was a super close round. … Ilia’s so dangerous until the last bell.”

O’Malley scored Round 2 for Holloway, but after Topuria tagged him with a left hook to finish the fight in Round 3, he couldn’t help but praise “El Matador,” whom he was previously angling to fight. O’Malley compared Topuria’s finishing abilities to UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag], who has knocked out his past four opponents in a row.

“Ilia just hurt Max bad,” O’Malley reacted. “Ilia lands a bomb, and Max is still stunned. He’s playing it off good. Oh, left hook! Ilia finishes Max Holloway with a left hook in Round 3. Holy sh*t, Ilia is that guy. Wow.

“Who, at 145, wants to fight Ilia right now? Ilia’s just so dangerous the whole fight. He’s a like a little f*cking Alex Pereira. You can’t tell me Islam (Makhachev) vs. f*cking Ilia isn’t a fight you would want to see.”

O’Malley lost his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September. He underwent hip surgery after the fight and is targeting a return in the first half of 2025.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Video: Should Khamzat Chimaev leapfrog Sean Strickland for a title shot after UFC 308?

Khamzat Chimaev entered the chat in a big way at UFC 308. Is he up next for a title shot? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

The UFC middleweight title picture just got more interesting with [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s latest win.

This past Saturday, Chimaev crushed former champion Robert Whittaker by first-round submission in the co-main event of UFC 308. Chimaev not only kept his undefeated record, but he also re-established himself as a top contender in the division.

However, even though champion Dricus Du Plessis has yet to be booked for his second title defense, UFC CEO Dana White has publicly said that Sean Strickland is up next for a crack at the belt. But will he end up getting the shot following Chimaev’s latest impressive win?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom, Danny Segura, and host “Gorgeous” George discuss Chimaev’s big win over Whittaker and whether it was enough to leapfrog Strickland.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/h6-QMNMPZ9A

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Paddy Pimblett reacts to Ilia Topuria’s UFC 308 knockout of Max Holloway: ‘I still think I beat him’

Paddy Pimblett still has his sights set on featherweight champion Ilia Topuria after UFC 308.

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] still has his sights set on UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag].

Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) have been beefing for a while, including an altercation in London in March 2022, as well as a confrontation during the UFC 282 press conference.

Both have since found success, but Topuria’s career has reached another level. “El Matador” retained his featherweight title when he became the first man to knock out Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 308 main event in Abu Dhabi. Pimblett admits he didn’t think Topuria could take out Holloway in that fashion, but he remains confident that he would beat him if they ever crossed paths.

“Heavy, hand sanitizer boy with the win,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel. “Heavy. Well done, Ilia. Give you your due, lad, 16-0 hand sanitizer boy. I can’t wait for him to come back up to lightweight. I still think I’d beat him, I really do. I still think I beat him, lad.

“Whether he just beat Max Holloway or not, I still think I’d beat him by kicking him on the feet or taking him down and submitting him, but I genuinely think I’d beat him. Congrats, Ilia Topuria. Well done, son. Congratulations, lad.”

Former champion Alexander Volkanovski will likely get his rematch with Topuria next, but if not, Pimblett welcomes Topuria at lightweight. “The Baddy” is coming off his biggest win to date, a first-round submission of King Green at UFC 304 this past July.

“Obviously hand sanitizer boy knocked Holloway out,” Pimblett said. “Didn’t see that coming, but give him his due, good finish. Max was the better boxer, but Ilia’s the better swinger, isn’t he? He ended up catching him with them big shots on the button, so congrats, fella. Can’t wait for Volk to come back and beat you up and if he doesn’t, I’m willing to anytime.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Overreaction Time: Ilia Topuria era upon us, Khamzat Chimaev the boogeyman, Dana White goes too far, more!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” as host Simon Samano and Nolan King cover the fallout from UFC 308 and much more.

The time for overreacting is here!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie reporter Nolan King debate these “overreactions” on the following topics in mixed martial arts:

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] will STILL be UFC featherweight champion at the end of 2025.
[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] is unstoppable and therefore his UFC title reign is inevitable.
Forget about [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] ever reclaiming UFC titles.
[autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is COMPLETELY out of bounds and full of sh*t when it comes to [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag].
The antitrust settlement approval feels like a bigger win for the UFC than the fighters.
Monday’s headline will read: ‘[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag], [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] primed for UFC title shots’

Watch the full episode in the video above.

MMA Junkie Radio #3509: UFC 308 reaction on Ilia Topuria, Khamzat Chimaev, more

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,509, the fellas unpack UFC 308, where Ilia Topuria was the first fighter to knock out Max Holloway, Khamzat Chimaev made Robert Whittaker submit, and more. Tune in!

Video: Did Ilia Topuria steal Fighter of the Year from Alex Pereira with UFC 308 KO of Max Holloway?

It felt like Alex Pereira had Fighter of the Year in the bag until Ilia Topuria’s incredible knockout of Max Holloway at UFC 308. We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] has had quite the year in 2024.

Not only did the undefeated featherweight become UFC champion and complete a successful title defense, but he did so by cleanly taking out two of the greatest featherweights of all time in Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski.

Topuria’s feat at Saturday’s UFC 308 is not the only great run of 2024. UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Alex Pereria[/autotag] has completed three title defenses, stopping Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr – all under relative short-notice or unideal circumstances.

So this leaves the question: Did Topuria do enough this past Saturday to surpass Pereira in the Fighter of the Year discussion for 2024?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom, Danny Segura, and host “Gorgeous” George discuss Topuria’s big win, along with his standing on Fighter of the Year.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

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https://youtube.com/live/h6-QMNMPZ9A

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After UFC 308 win, Abus Magomedov admits Sean Strickland loss was too early – but now …

Abus Magomedov has back-to-back wins after a two-fight skid in 2023 to Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho.

ABU DHABI – Abus Magomedov beat Brunno Ferreira with a third-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 308 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Take a look inside the fight with Magomedov, who now has back-to-back wins after a two-fight skid in 2023 to Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho.

Abus Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira

Result: Abus Magomedov def. Brunno Ferreira via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 3, 3:14
Updated records: Magomedov (27-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Ferreira (12-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Key stats: Magomedov landed four takedowns on the way to his first submission in nearly five years.

Magomedov on the fight’s key moment

“From the beginning, I knew I win or I die. There were no other options there. I know he’s a tough guy, and he was trying to finish the fight. In my head, I know I’m a much better fighter. I have more skills than him I just needed time to show it.”

Magomedov on his June 2023 loss to Sean Strickland

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: (R-L) Abus Magomedov of Russia punches Sean Strickland in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on July 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“I think it was a little bit too early for me to (fight Strickland). His skills are not better than mine, but there is a lot of pressure here, and I was not ready for this. I think if I go step by step, I will show all the guys that I can smash all them. I have all the skills. I just need time.”

Magomedov on what he wants next

“We’ll go step by step. Maybe a top 15 guy. There are a lot of guys. I think next one should be a top 15 guy.”

To hear more from Magomedov, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

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