UFC 308, live coverage, news and results: Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway with Alex Volkanovski

Max Holloway is enjoying a late career resurgence, and Aussie Alex Volkanovski has had a huge part to play in it. Find out why ahead of his bout with Ilia Topuria, which you follow live here on Sunday morning.

Brendan Bradford

@1bbradfo

3 min read

October 26, 2024 - 10:57PM

News Sport Network

Max Holloway is enjoying a late career resurgence, and Aussie Alex Volkanovski has had a huge part to play in it.

In July 2022, Holloway copped a one-sided beating in the third and most decisive fight of their trilogy.

He was written off, with many experts calling him to retire.

Since then though, he scored a unanimous decision win over Arnold Allen, and sent The Korean Zombie, Jung Chan-sung into retirement.

His crowning achievement since the third of his three losses to Volkanovski was an iconic last second knockout of Justin Gaethje at lightweight to claim the ‘BMF’ title in April.

UFC 308: TOPURIA VS HOLLOWAY plus Australia’s Rob Whittaker taking on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev | SUN 27 OCT 5AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.

Joe Rogan interviews Max Holloway at UFC 300. Picture: Getty Images

And he can thank that third loss to Volkanovski for finally forcing him to evolve his approach to the sport.

“Max’s defence was always volume,” Volkanovski told this masthead ahead of Holloway’s featherweight title fight against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. “It was like, ‘I don’t care if I get hit, I’m gonna hit you more’.

“That’s what it was like when I fought him – he was all volume. But then he realised he needed to change that.

“Now, it’s, ‘I’m gonna hit you, but you’re not gonna hit me’.

“He’s using knees, kicks, longer ranges and more in and out stuff. A lot more footwork.”

Volkanovski and Holloway shared a warm greeting when they crossed paths at the fighter hotel earlier in the week.

Alexander Volkanovski lost to Ilia Topuria by knockout at UFC 298. Picture: Getty Images

It was the first time they’d seen each other face-to-face since February, and Holloway confirms there was never any bad blood between them.

In fact, he agrees that Volkanovski helped him make the adjustments he needed to.

“We live on opposite sides of the world, so I hardly ever see him, but we’re cool, bro,” Holloway told this masthead. “Alex is a great guy, we’re just both competitors.

“I had to change my training. Mixed Martial Arts is forever growing, so I had to change and now it’s finally falling into place.”

Volkanovski even seems happy that Holloway is now fighting for the belt he lost to Topuria just eight months ago.

“Even just before our third fight (in wins over Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez), he was just walking through guys,” the Aussie said. “But I fought a really good fight that night, and threw him off.

“I executed perfectly and was too much.

“A lot of people thought he was done after that fight and people started counting him out, which was surprising.

“Because he was always that same guy. He just had that game plan that wasn’t working for him, and that’s just how it is sometimes.

“But I knew he was still that guy, and that it was just me on the night.”

Ilia Topuria has a chance to add Max Holloway to his list of victims. Picture: Getty Images

Volkanovski says something similar about his own loss to Topuria in Anaheim.

“I just didn’t make very good adjustments during the fight and I didn’t change my patterns,” he said.

“I’m not taking anything away from him – he was stoic and stuck to his game plan even when things weren’t going well for him. He stuck to it and eventually found it.

“I knew I didn’t want to get caught by any big shots, but you still need to fight your fight.

“I just don’t believe I did that, so a lot of that was on me.”

Volk on what Topuria does well

He’s powerful and he’s got nice, tidy boxing. If you get caught in the wrong position, or sitting in the wrong spot for too long, he can really fix you up.