Fighters to Watch at UFC 308 (And Their Cards to Collect)

Top UFC 308 Fighters

UFC 308 just feels different. Every event has the potential for a changing of the guard, but few events in the last few years have had so many established surefire hall-of-fame-level fighters and former champions taking on the next generation of Octagon superstars. In fact, there are at least four fights on UFC 308 that can shape divisions for years to come, and with those fights come plenty of questions:

• Does Max Holloway, certified BMF, still have what it takes to wrap gold around his waist?
  
• Will middleweight ironman and former champ Robert Whittaker be able to stop the momentum of Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated man who has made every fight he’s been in look easy?
  
• And what about former champ Rafael dos Anjos? Can the elder statesman of the Octagon keep going as he hits his 40s?
  
• Where does the light heavyweight division go if No. 1 ranked Magomed Ankalaev wins? Does champ Alex Pereira defend his title, or will he go for the triple crown and move up to heavyweight?

Amidst the drama of UFC 308, there is one constant: Topps UFC will have cards that will memorialize the moment, and these are just a few of the cards you can collect, with selections from Topps Midnight UFC, Topps Chrome UFC 2024, and of course, the newly-released Topps Knockout UFC 2024.

Top UFC 308 Fighter Cards

Ilia Topuria – Featherweight Champion

With a 15-0 record and wins over former featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski and the scary-tough Josh Emmett, along with five of his seven UFC wins coming via stoppage, 27-year-old champ Ilia Topuria is peaking. Since he’s entered the Octagon, he’s been in control of his opponents and showed he can end the fight anywhere – standing up or on the mat. But he’s never fought an opponent quite as big, skilled, or experienced as Max Holloway, the former featherweight king and current BMF champion. Some fans put an asterisk next to Topuria’s win over Volk, considering the former champ was a late replacement on ten days’ notice. Hence, all eyes are on him to establish his dominance in the division and put all questions to rest with an impressive win over Holloway.

2024 Topps Midnight UFC #82 Ilia Topuria Daybreak /5

Rafael dos Anjos – Welterweight

Former lightweight champion and one of the longest-tenured fighters in the UFC, RDA will turn 40 years old just days before his 36th fight inside the Octagon. There was a time when dos Anjos was one of the most feared men at 155 or below, tearing through the likes of a prime Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Benson Henderson, and Donald Cerrone with ease, but time defeats all men, and RDA has lost three out of his last four fights. Taking on fellow veteran Geoff Neal (who is also on a two-fight losing streak) at UFC 308, this is the ultimate “will he be able to turn back the clock” question for the surefire future UFC Hall of Fame fighter.

2024 Topps Chrome® UFC Chrome Veteran Autographs #CVA-RDA Rafael Dos Anjos

Robert Whittaker – Middleweight

For Robert Whittaker, UFC 308’s co-main event slot is a testament to his longevity and ability to adapt to almost every fighter who has stepped in front of him. In the last ten and a half years, Whittaker has only three losses – and they are only to current and former middleweight champions. Two losses to Israel Adesanya and a TKO loss to current champ Dricus du Plessis at UFC 290 in July 2023. Since then, he’s racked up two more good wins over top competition and now gets another extremely challenging opponent in Khamzet Chimaev. Whittaker is undoubtedly his most formidable opponent yet and has the tools needed to nullify Chimaev’s overwhelming wrestling, and he’s still only 34 years old. Does he have what it takes to remain atop the division and earn yet another title shot?

2024 Topps Chrome® UFC AKA #AKA-7 Robert Whittaker AKA “The Reaper” Refractor

Khamzat Chimaev – Middleweight

Before unfortunate illnesses derailed his momentum over the last two years, Khamzat Chimaev looked like the scariest fighter in the UFC. Most fighters say they’ll take on anyone, anytime, but Chimaev embodied that, winning three fights in just 66 days – all in impressive fashion. Now firmly entrenched in the middleweight division after a series of difficult weight cuts to 170, and with a win over former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman (at middleweight) in 2023, Chimaev looks to put his troubles behind him and plant himself firmly atop the division with a win over former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker, who has consistently proved to be just about everyone’s toughest fight. If Chimaev wins, does he get a title shot against the winner of Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya? Will he jump over Sean Strickland‘s bid for the next middleweight title shot?

2024 Topps Chrome® UFC Supergiant #SUG-7 Khamzat Chimaev Black Refractor /10

Magomed Ankalaev – Light Heavyweight

There’s no one knocking on light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira’s door louder than Magomed Ankalaev. With his lone loss coming in his debut UFC fight with only one second remaining on the clock, Ankalaev has since gone on the second-longest winning streak in UFC light heavyweight history – only behind Jon Jones. That’s the most elite possible company to keep. And let’s not forget the controversial split-draw Ankalaev lost to Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title in 2022 – nearly every media member had him winning the fight. If he can put in an impressive performance over Aleksandar Rakić, he could be in line for another shot at the title.

2024 Topps UFC Knockout Momentous Materials #MM-MA Magomed Ankalaev Relic

Max Holloway – Featherweight

Win or lose, former featherweight champ and former interim-featherweight champ Max Holloway will go down as one of the most beloved fighters in UFC history. That’s the easy declaration of Hawaii’s own as he heads into his tenth UFC championship bout (not including his BMF title fight against Justin Gaethje). He’s won three fights in a row, with his last two wins being spectacular knockouts of the Korean Zombie Chan Sung Jung and perennial top-five-ranked Justin Gaethje, but here comes the hard question:

After 12 years and 21 wars in the Octagon, does the man who holds nearly every meaningful featherweight division record still have what it takes to hold a championship and remain atop the division?

2024 Topps UFC Knockout Craftmasters #CRM-19 Max Holloway Blue /50

More Topps UFC Cards

• Israel Adesanya Cards to Collect
• Behind the Design of Topps Midnight UFC
• Top UFC Fights of 2012