The early betting lines for UFC 308, are displaying that in combat sports, time is no one’s ally. Max Holloway and Robert Whittaker are two longtime UFC combatants, veteran warriors of the promotion. They are each fighting in one of the headline bouts at UFC 308, and neither is being favored to enjoy a favorable outcome.
In the main event, former UFC world featherweight champion Holloway will be seeking to regain the belt he once wore with such pride. However, it’s current champ Ilia Topuria who is set as the solid -250 odds-on favorite to win the bout.
On the undercard of the main event, ex-UFC world middleweight champ Whittaker is tangling with Khamzat Chimaev. It’s Chimaev who’s set as the -195 chalk in this bout.
| UFC 308 Odds | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilia Topuria vs Max Holloway | Topuria | -250 | -225 | -250 |
| Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev | Whittaker | +165 | +165 | +154 |
In this article, SBS will be going over each fighter, offering a predicted winner in both matchups, and also providing some additional notes and information regarding UFC 308 betting.
Fighter Spotlight: Ilia Topuria
Alexander Volkanovski won the UFC world featherweight title from Holloway and then successfully defended it in their rematch. When Volkanovski sought to defend his belt against Topuria, he was met with a crushing knockout defeat.
The first Spanish fighter to hold a UFC world title belt, Topuria rates fourth in the promotion’s pound for pound rankings. He’s a perfect 15-0 in the cage. In Topuria’s last six fights, he’s won four by knockout and one via submission.
Fighter Spotlight: Max Holloway
Holloway captured the UFC world featherweight belt in 2016 and successfully defended his title four times. At the age of 32, Holloway (26-7) is still carrying a sterling reputation in UFC circles. He’s the No. 2-ranked contender in the featherweight division. As well, he’s No. 11 in UFC pound for pound ratings.
However, those numbers are in stark contrast to the data complied by Holloway in his last 10 battles inside the octagon. He’s just 6-4 over his last 10 fights. On the other hand, the Hawaiian fighter has won his last three bouts to earn his latest title shot.
Prediction: Holloway has lost four of his last five title fights, including the last three in a row. There’s a legit concern whether he’s still got what it takes to throw down with the best of the best.
Topuria is about as sound a fundamental fighter as there is in UFC today. And Holloway doesn’t have the kind of punching power to take out the Spaniard with one punch. This should be a closer bout than what the betting line is suggesting. Still, betting against Topuria would seem to be a foolhardy exercise.
Fighter Spotlight: Robert Whittaker
Whittaker (26-7) knocked out Ikram Aliskerov just 1:49 into their fight in his last bout for his second straight victory. The Kiwi fighter was 1-2 in his three previous bouts, so that decisive win went a long way to dissaude talk of Whittaker’s impending demise.
Chimaev is certainly a beast of an opponent, but Whittaker’s been in the cage with some of the best in the business, names like Israel Adesanya, Yoel Romero, Dricus du Plessis, Joel Cannonier, Derek Brunson and Kevin Gastelum. He won’t be fazed by the challenge in front of him.
Fighter Spotlight: Khamzat Chimaev
A champion wrestler who made the move into MMA, Russian Chimaev is ranked 12th among UFC middleweight contenders. He’s an unbeaten 13-0 in the octagon.
Recent signature wins by him include victories over Gilbert Burns and former UFC welterweight world champ Kamaru Usman.
Prediction: Chimaev is at his best when he’s stalking opponents. He needs to pressure Whittaker from the get-go and utilize his wrestling skills to score takedowns. The Russian tends to tire the longer bouts go on and his defensive skills aren’t exactly stellar.
For Whittaker, it’s all about survival. Don’t let Chimaev gain an early edge . The New Zealander must force this bout to go beyond three rounds. That’s when the pendulum swings Whittaker’s way.
Once you have settled on the wagers you will be making with each of your UFC 308 bets, you’ll want to be sure to have a look at the massive amounts of data available to you only at SBS. For more insightful analysis into all of the bouts on the card covered here, be certain to have a look at the UFC betting sites guide. These guides are providing the latest assessments for all of the betting lines the oddsmakers are setting on the sport. This information will aid you in assembling some solid UFC 308 picks.
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About the Author
Theo is our NFL guy. He is the go-to man for all things football and has proven himself to be one of the most expansive writers here, with a broad knowledge of North American sports. He's a veteran journalist based in Ontario, and has covered the gambling and sports betting industry since 2016. He has written more than two dozen books and covered the NFL since the early 1990s.
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