Beaten Holloway is new-gen example for Topuria

Champion Ilia Topuria overcame early adversity to score a thunderous third-round knockout victory over Hawaiian Max Holloway to retain the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight title at UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena on Oct 26.

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The 27-year-old Topuria scored an early takedown but struggled to manage the distance through the first two frames of an intriguing title fight, but once he figured it out, the writing was on the wall for his opponent.

Holloway, who defeated Jose Aldo to become undisputed featherweight champ in June 2017 but lost the belt in December 2019, used his dizzying array of strikes to keep his opponent at bay, but Topuria's piston-like right hand was a threat throughout.

That right hand was what started Holloway's demise, but it was a follow-up short left that sent Holloway crashing to the canvas and the Spain-based Topuria quickly followed him to the ground, raining down blows before referee Marc Goddard jumped in to stop the fight.