UFC 308 Weigh-Ins: Chimaev Makes Weight, Holloway vs. Topuria Set for Showdown

The anticipation is building for UFC 308, with the highly anticipated clash between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway just a day away. While all 26 fighters successfully made weight for Saturday’s event in Abu Dhabi, the weigh-ins were not without their share of drama, particularly surrounding Khamzat Chimaev.

Chimaev’s Late Arrival

Chimaev, returning to the octagon for the first time since September 2022, kept fans on edge as he was the last fighter to step on the scale. Having experienced multiple bout cancellations due to illness and other issues, there were concerns about whether he would even make it to weigh-in. However, Chimaev eventually arrived, apologizing to fans, and successfully weighed in at 186 pounds for his fight against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who weighed in at 185.5 pounds.

Other Notable Weigh-In Moments

The weigh-ins also featured a couple of other intriguing developments. Mateusz Rebecki and Myktybek Orolbai will now compete in a 160-pound catchweight bout, while Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo was moved up to the 145-pound limit. This change caused confusion as Hugo weighed in first at 145.5 pounds, followed by Basharat coming in at 137 pounds. Both fighters had previously competed at bantamweight. The reasons for these changes were not announced.

UFC 308: Main Card and Prelims

UFC 308 promises an exciting night of fights, with the main card headlined by the highly anticipated showdown between Topuria and Holloway. The prelims also feature a stacked lineup of talented fighters.

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

Ilia Topuria (145) vs. Max Holloway (145)

Backup fighter: Diego Lopes (145)

Robert Whittaker (185.5) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (186)

Magomed Ankalaev (204.5) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (206)

Lerone Murphy (145.5) vs. Dan Ige (146)

Shara Magomedov (185) vs. Armen Petrosyan (186)

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

Ibo Aslan (205) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (203)

Geoff Neal (171) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (171)

Mateusz Rebecki (160) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (159)

Abus Magomedov (185) vs. Brunno Ferreira (185.5)

Kennedy Nzechukwu (241) vs. Chris Barnett (264)

Farid Basharat (137) vs. Victor Hugo (145.5)

Ismail Naurdiev (185) vs. Bruno Silva (186)

Rinat Fakhretdinov (171) vs. Carlos Leal (169.5)

Don’t miss UFC 308, a night filled with thrilling fights and unexpected twists. Tune in on Saturday!