Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway - Odds, Tips & Predictions for UFC 308

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will defend his belt against #8-ranked Max Holloway in the main event at UFC 308. The five-round title fight will take place on Saturday, October 26, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Topuria (15-0-0) knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February to win the featherweight championship. The unbeaten champion has finished five of his seven UFC fights in the second round or earlier.

Holloway (26-7-0) notched his third straight win at UFC 300 in April with a fifth-round knockout against Justin Gaethje. The challenger has not lost to anyone not named Volkanovski or Dustin Poirier since 2013.

In the co-main event, former UFC champion and #3-ranked Robert Whittaker (27-7-0) will clash with unbeaten #12-ranked Khamzat Chimaev (13-0-0) in a highly anticipated middleweight encounter.

#1-ranked Magomed Ankalaev and #5-ranked Aleksander Rakic will tangle in an interesting light heavyweight matchup. Ankalaev is a huge -400 favorite over Rakic (+300), who is riding a two-fight losing skid. 

Ankalaev (19-1-1) is a standout wrestler who also possesses powerful strikes. Although Rakic (14-4-0) is known for his big, high kicks, the Russian should have the opportunity to deliver a knockout punch.

Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will take on Geoff Neal in an entertaining welterweight matchup. Dos Anjos (21-14-0) is coming off back-to-back losses against Mateusz Gamrot and Vicente Luque, and is just 3-3 in his previous six fights. 

Neal (7-4-0) is a powerful puncher with nine knockouts in 21 professional fights. However, the American has also dropped his last two fights.

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Odds

Topuria (-275) is the favorite to retain his featherweight title against Holloway (+210), per BetMGM sportsbook. The champion, undefeated in 15 professional fights, is a skilled striker and grappler. Holloway possesses heavy hands and has racked up 12 career knockouts, but has dropped his previous three championship matchups.

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Betting Predictions

Topuria is a versatile mixed martial artist with stellar striking and grappling skills. The Spanish-Georgian has finished 57% of his fights with submissions, 36% via knockouts, and seven percent by a decision.

The 27-year-old lands 4.4 significant strikes per minute with a 46% striking accuracy. The Climent Club fighter averages 1.92 takedowns per 15 minutes with a 56% takedown accuracy. Topuria also boasts an incredible 92% takedown defense.

El Matador is a certified tactician inside the Octagon and utilizes laser-like jabs, lethal hooks, and powerful leg kicks to keep opponents off-balance. Topuria is also adept at using a combination of Muay Thai kicks and boxing techniques to set up his wrestling attacks.

Holloway is a dynamic striker known for his relentless pressure and high-volume output. The American has finished 48% of his fights with knockouts, 44% by decisions, and eight percent via submissions.

The 32-year-old lands an eye-opening 7.7 significant strikes per minute with a 48% striking accuracy. The Gracie Technics fighter averages 0.25 takedowns per 15 minutes with a 53% takedown accuracy, and thwarts 84% of attempted takedowns.

Blessed is a high-volume pressure fighter with a devastating jab and potent flying knee strikes. Holloway has also connected on more significant strikes than any other fighter in UFC history. Leading UFC sportsbooks reflect this matchup as highly competitive, with both fighters boasting elite skills across multiple disciplines.

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor continued his war of words with Topuria while promoting his BFK event recently in Marbella, Spain.

"F*ck him. F*ck him. This isn't (Topuria's) home country," McGregor said in an interview with Jamal Niaz. "This is my home country, baby. Marbella, Spain, where is he at? This ain't his home country. He knows where his home country is, and it's not Espana. So good luck, Max Holloway. F*ck him up!"

Another former UFC champion, Robert Whittaker, believes the American challenger will walk out of the Octagon with the featherweight belt.

"I would have to say I'm leaning towards Holloway," Whittaker said during an episode of MMArcade. "But in saying that, I wanna see Topuria run his story. His skill level is so high. I think it's super underrated right now. Maybe that's because of exposure, and he hasn't been in as many headlines as Holloway has because he hasn't done the work on paper as of just yet.

"But, gun to my head, I would have to lean towards Holloway. But wait and see. I was leaning towards Volk before the last one."

Betting Pick: Topuria

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Betting Tips

Betting odds for this featherweight title clash are live on popular New York sportsbooks, including BetMGM, which has listed Topuria as the favorite. The most common bet type for this UFC fight is the moneyline, a wager on who will win the fight outright.

Considering how the champion has not tasted defeat in 15 professional fights, "El Matador" is the favorite to successfully defend his belt. Although Holloway has not won a title fight since 2019, the challenger is a dangerous fighter who has tallied wins over Justin Gaethje, The Korean Zombie, and Jose Aldo. However, Topuria is our pick to win the fight, and a $100 wager on the champion at odds of -275 would net a total payout of $136.36.

The Over/Under bet is another popular type, where you wager on the number of rounds the fight will last. Given that nine of Holloway's last 10 fights have gone the distance, we do not expect the fight to end early. Thus, betting Over 3.5 rounds could be a winning pick.

When and Where is the Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Fight?

The five-round featherweight championship fight will take place on Saturday, October 26, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. UFC fans in New York can watch the fight live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.