A stacked fight card takes place in Abu Dhabi this weekend, as UFC 308 produces a featherweight title fight and a No 1 contender’s bout at middleweight.

In the main event, Ilia Topuria defends the 145lb title against Max Holloway in one of the most-anticipated fights of the year – with both men entering the Etihad Arena on the back of stunning knockouts.

Topuria stayed unbeaten with his title win in February, as he brutally knocked out Alexander Volkanovski in round two. Then, in April, ex-champion Holloway scored an all-time great KO of Justin Gaethje – dominating the American for the best part of five rounds, then faceplanting him in the very last second.

And in Saturday’s co-main event, Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev square off at last. Whittaker, a former middleweight champion, was due to face the unbeaten Russian in June, but Chimaev withdrew due to illness – in the latest setback in his stop-start career.

Still, Chimaev has been a force to be reckoned with whenever he has entered the cage, and a win here would finally secure him a title shot. But he faces a stern test in the well-rounded, experienced Whittaker. Here’s all you need to know.

When is UFC 308?

The event is due to take place on Saturday 26 October at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The prelims are due to begin at 3pm BST (7am PT, 9am CT, 10am ET), with the main card following at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET).

How to watch the fights

The card will air live on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK at a cost of £19.99, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. Discovery+ will also air the action in the UK. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the event live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.

If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Odds

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Topuria – 1/3; Holloway – 9/4

Whittaker – 13/8; Chimaev – 1/2

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Full card (subject to change)

Main card

Ilia Topuria (C) vs Max Holloway (featherweight title)

Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev (middleweight)

Lerone Murphy vs Dan Ige (featherweight)

Magomed Ankalaev vs Aleksandar Rakic (light-heavyweight)

Shara Magomedov vs Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)

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Prelims

Ibo Aslan vs Rafael Cerqueira (light-heavyweight)

Geoff Neal vs Rafael dos Anjos (welterweight)

Mateusz Rebecki vs Myktybek Orolbai (lightweight)

Abus Magomedov vs Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Chris Barnett (heavyweight)

Faris Basharat vs Victor Hugo (bantamweight)

Ismail Naurdiev vs Bruno Silva (middleweight)

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs Carlos Leal (welterweight)

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