UFC 308 Tips
Lerone Murphy v Dan Ige – Murphy by decision
Magomed Ankalaev v Aleksandar Rakic – Ankalaev to win
Shara Magomedov v Armen Petrosyan – Magomedov by KO
Kennedy Nzechukwu v Justin Tafa – Nzechukwu by decision
UFC 308
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
TV: TNT Sports
Overnight Saturday October 26th-Sunday October 27th
The UFC’s Octagon is heading to Abu Dhabi on October 26, when the Etihad Arena will play host to the latest UFC pay-per-view event of 2024, UFC 308.
The event will feature a battle for the undisputed UFC featherweight title in the main event, while a shot at the middleweight title could be up for grabs in the co-main, as former champ Robert Whittaker takes on Khamzat Chimaev.
We’ll focus on those two matchups as fight night draws nearer, but right here, right now, let’s get the ball rolling with a look at four undercard fights that could offer some betting value ahead of fight night.
Lerone Murphy v Dan Ige – Murphy by decision
This one should be a fascinating clash. England’s Lerone Murphy is undefeated and still hasn’t found his ceiling in the UFC yet, while Dan Ige is as seasoned as they come, has been in and around the UFC’s featherweight elite for years, and has the sort of punch power that can turn a fight, and his opponent, on their head.
Murphy impressed hugely in his victory over noted striker Edson Barboza last time out. The Englishman has the skills, and the measurables, to take the win in this one.
Ige may have the edge in terms of proven knockout power, but Murphy is younger, has fewer miles on the clock, and heads into the bout with a height and reach advantage.
That, coupled with some smart takedown defence, should be enough to keep the fight standing, where he can stick and move his way to a decision win. If he can get the job done inside the distance, even better, but the decision win looks like the best route to victory here.
Magomed Ankalaev v Aleksandar Rakic
This one might not grab the lion’s share of attention ahead of fight night, but I think it has the potential to deliver one of the most significant finishes of the event.
Magomed Ankalaev is a serious problem at 205 pounds, and his shot at the 205-pound title at UFC 282 ended in a split draw in December 2022.
Since then, his fight against Johnny Walker at UFC 294 was ruled a no contest, so he rematched the Brazilian and knocked him out in the second round in January to get his momentum back. Now he’ll be looking for another stoppage win to make his case for another title shot undeniable.
Standing in his way is Austrian striking ace Aleksandar Rakic, whose willingness to trust his power has seen him produce some memorable fights, though the results haven’t always gone his way. That’s most notable in his recent form, with each of his last two fights ending in TKO losses to Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka.
Those defeats probably explain why Ankalaev is such a big favourite, and Rakic is such a big underdog. I tend to think Rakic is a better shot than his price suggests, but I wouldn’t risk an undercard acca on it. Ankalaev is the pick, but the odds are a touch stingy.
Shara Magomedov v Armen Petrosyan
As the comic books told us, Superman was “faster than a speeding bullet.” But can the UFC’s “Superman” stop a charging “Bullet” at UFC 308?
That’s what we’re going to find out as Russia’s undefeated Shara “Bullet” Magomedov takes on Armen “Superman” Petrosyan in a middleweight clash.
Petrosyan’s form has been a touch patchy, but he’s shown that if he sticks to a smart gameplan he can shut down a dangerous striker. He did exactly that against England’s Christian Leroy Duncan last summer, and against Brazil’s Gregory Rodrigues back in 2022. But he’s been outworked by Caio Borralho, and submitted by Rodolfo Vieira.
Against Magomedov, Petrosyan would be well advised to repeat the approach that saw him defeat Duncan, because if he doesn’t close the distance to Magomedov, “Bullet” might just shoot him down with strikes. The former boxer and Muay Thai fighters is unbeaten in MMA with a 14-0 record that includes 11 knockouts.
Petrosyan will likely look to grind out a decision with clinch work and takedowns, but Magomedov is in form, and about to fight for the third time in the UFC in four months.
He’s undefeated, he has the sort of punch power to end the night early, and he’s fighting in a place he calls his second home. And if his takedown defence holds up, Magomedov should have enough ammo to get the job done, most likely with a late stoppage.
Kennedy Nzechukwu v Justin Tafa
After experiencing mixed fortunes in the UFC’s light heavyweight decision, Kennedy Nzechukwu has taken the decision to wave goodbye to weight cuts and has moved up to heavyweight.
The six-foot-five “African Savage” will make his UFC heavyweight debut at UFC 308 against noted knockout artist Justin Tafa in a fight that will show us whether heavyweight is the right division for him, or whether he’s best off moving back to 205 pounds.
Former rugby player-turned-MMA fighter Tafa hits hard, just ask all seven of the men he’s defeated under MMA rules. He knocked them all out.
Where he does struggle is against more technical fighters who are able to operate on the outside, and with Nzechukwu standing five inches taller, with a nine-inch reach advantage, that could be bad news for the Aussie.
Nzechukwu will need to mind his P’s and Q’s and not get too comfortable at close range, as Tafa’s power can put his lights out in the blink of an eye. But Nzechukwu knows how to use his size and range to his advantage. If he boxes clever, he should win this one on the scorecards, if not earlier.
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