Ilia Topuria made a powerful statement on Saturday night, becoming the first fighter in history to finish Max Holloway as he defeated the future Hall of Famer in the main event of UFC 308.
Holloway came into the fight with momentum, fresh off a knockout victory over Justin Gaethje that earned him the BMF (Baddest Motherf*cker) title. However, there’s now a new, unofficial champion in town.
Unofficial Champion Crowned
Although the BMF belt wasn’t officially up for grabs, that hasn’t stopped Topuria from claiming the title for himself.
“I never understood why they didn’t put the BMF title on the line,” Topuria told reporters at the UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “It should have been on the line from day one. But if they don’t want to make it official, I’ll make it official myself. Now, I’m the new ‘Baddest Motherf*cker’ world champion.”
With this victory, Topuria extended his undefeated streak to 16-0. He previously became the featherweight king in February at UFC 298 with a knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski.
