Undefeated Khamzat Chimaev delivered another stunning performance as he submitted former champion Robert Whittaker in the first round of their middleweight clash during UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, setting himself up for a shot at the title.
Chimaev wasted no time taking his opponent down, making the most of his wrestling skills to overpower Whittaker before latching on to a face crank that ended up dislocating his jaw. Whittaker was forced into a first-round submission just 3:34 into the fight.
It was a sensational result for the Chechen-born fighter who returned to the octagon for the first time in a year; Chimaev was forced to pull out of his bout with former middleweight champion Whittaker at the inaugural UFC Saudi Arabia event in June due to illness.
With the result on Saturday, Chimaev extended his undefeated record which now stands at 14 victories, with no draws or losses.
“I’m going for the belt!” Chimaev said after his dominating win.
“That guy, thanks, Rob. I love you, my brother. You legend, I respect you took the fight with me, no one wants to fight with me. All the champions are running from me.
“I'm always trusting God. I do my best in the training. I push myself, and my wife, my family, they know how hard I work. I can do the best that I can do and then trust God. He shows me the way, so he's on my side."
Chimaev was asked whether he knew about Whittaker's jaw injury.
"They show [a picture of Whittaker's injury] to me. I felt something was wrong with his chin when I push it. So, feel bad for that, didn't mean to break somebody's chin. But this is my work, you know. Make somebody pain," Chimaev said.
Chimaev thus became the first middleweight to submit Whittaker, who entered the fight as the division's top contender. Next on Chimaev's radar are South African champion Dricus Du Plessis and former champion Sean Strickland.
"Dana (White), what's wrong with the UFC, man?" Chimaev said, calling out UFC's CEO during his post-fight interview. "Give me my belt."
“It doesn’t matter Sean or Dricus, just going for the gold. We’ll see what happens next. I’m ready."
If not a title shot, Chimaev said he is ready to fight former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
“For me, Adesanya would be a good money fight because he has a big name. Sean Strickland, we’ve been in the gym. We have some stuff not done yet, so that would be good history as well.”
It was Whittaker's first loss in over a year, ending his title shot bid for now. The Australian native held the belt from July 2017 to October 2019, defending it once.
The main event of the evening, Ilia Topuria successfully defended his featherweight title with a third-round TKO against Max Holloway.
In a contest between two stalwarts of the division, Topuria landed a flurry of punches to end the challenge of Holloway, who had earned a title shot with a stunning fifth-round KO against Justin Gaethje in April.
Topuria thus became the first fighter to knockout Holloway, who has competed for the UFC for more than a decade.
"All the praise to Max Holloway," Topuria said.
"With that right hand, I felt it. I just saw it with him, in his face, he started making some steps back, and you don't see that often with Max," Topuria said, paying tribute to his opponent as Holloway suffered the first knockout loss in UFC.
"I hope I'm going to be a small portion of the example he has been for me, for the new generation."
In other events at UFC 308, top-ranked light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev defeated Aleksandar Rakic by unanimous decision after three rounds.
In an action-packed three-round featherweight match, Lerone Murphy beat Dan Ige by unanimous decision. Also, Shara Magomedov defeated Armen Petrosyan by TKO in the second round of their middleweight bout.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The years Ramadan fell in May
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
FIGHT%20CARD
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
