Athletes
Fighters On The Rise | UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway
Identifying Three Emerging Talents To Track This Weekend At Etihad Arena
The UFC’s annual October venture to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi has consistently produced breakout performances and big efforts that have solidified the standing of ascending contenders across various divisions.
In 2020, Shavkat Rakhmonov made his promotional debut, submitting Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira in the opening round. Four years later, he remains undefeated and is set to challenge for the welterweight title at UFC 310 in December. The man he’ll face for that belt, newly minted champion Belal Muhammad, enjoyed his breakout effort two years later at UFC 280 when he bounced Sean Brady from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Lightweight champ Islam Makhachev cemented his bona fides, won the belt, and successfully defended his place atop the 155-pound ranks over the last three October pay-per-view events in Abu Dhabi; Sean O’Malley solidified his contender status by beating Petr Yan at UFC 280, and a couple athletes slated to compete this weekend — Khamzat Chimaev, Magomed Ankalaev, and Shara Magomedov — have all garnered critical wins inside the Octagon at this time of year.
This weekend, the three fighters below will make the walk in hopes of having a standout effort of their own that adds their names to the lore of October pay-per-views in Abu Dhabi being a star-making venture.
Here’s a closer look at those competitors in the latest edition of Fighters on the Rise.
Lerone Murphy
Murphy has an extensive history competing in Abu Dhabi, having made each of his first four UFC appearances there, including his initial breakout win over Makwan Amirkhani at UFC 267.
Lerone Murphy Fight Week Interview | UFC 308
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Lerone Murphy Fight Week Interview | UFC 308
/
Since then, the 33-year-old Manchester man has posted three additional wins to push his UFC winning streak to six, his record inside the Octagon to 6-0-1, and his overall record to 14-0-1. Last time out, Murphy out-worked Brazilian veteran Edson Barboza in his first main event assignment, answering any questions that existed about his ability to work at a steady clip for five rounds, and doing it against one of the most experienced fighters on the roster didn’t hurt either.
It will feel reductive to some to point to similarities between Murphy and former welterweight Leon Edwards, but it extends well beyond the pair being talented competitors that hail from the same country.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
Murphy is in the midst of an extended run of success, much like Edwards was during his climb to the top of the 170-pound weight class, but like “Rocky,” his forward progress seems to be coming in half-steps and not full strides. He struggled somewhat against Gabriel Santos at UFC 286, looked good, but not great, against Joshua Culibao the next time out, and though he swept the scorecards against Barboza, few came away from that fight proclaiming Murphy to be destined for the Top 5.
But that was the same treatment Edwards received on his way up the ladder, and like his countryman, Murphy has the athleticism and assortment of skills needed to make that kind of run. He simply needs to show it all, in full, and this weekend’s pairing with Dan Ige should provide him with that opportunity.
Coming off his incredible “couch-to-cage” appearance at UFC 303 in June, Ige stands as another step up in competition for the Manchester man and the kind of durable, dangerous veteran that can punish him for every misstep or coming in ready to give anything less than 100 percent. While he landed on the wrong side of the cards in his impromptu bout with Diego Lopes during International Fight Week, the respected Hawaiian won the final round and gave the streaking Brazilian contender his toughest fight during his current run of success.
If Murphy is going to make a serious run towards the top of the featherweight division, this is an opportunity to take a big step in that direction. Beating Ige could potentially set up a date with a Top 10 opponent, and from there, another win or two, plus a couple things break your way, and next thing you know, you’re on the doorstep of a championship opportunity.
Murphy has the talent; now it’s time to see if he can put it all together.
Myktybek Orolbai
Through his first two UFC appearances, Orolbai has established himself as a genuine person of interest in the lightweight division.
Debuting last November on short-notice, the 26-year-old from Kyrgyzstan rolled into the Octagon for a welterweight assignment against Uros Medic and promptly dominated “The Doctor,” eventually forcing him to tap to a neck crank in the late stages of the second round. As an encore, he dropped to the 155-pound ranks and out-worked Elves Brener at UFC 301, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards, while losing a point in the third for grabbing the fence.
Currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, Orolbai gets another step up in competition this weekend in the form of Mateusz Rebecki, a powerful grappler from Poland whose attempts to charge into the Top 15 were thwarted by veteran Diego Ferreira last time out.
Though he’s earned 11 of his 13 career wins inside the distance, Orolbai profiles as more of a grinder at this level, with the ability to capitalize on openings and break opponents down over time. He was relentless in his win over Medic, and though he slowed and had moments where he struggled against Brener, the combination of it being his first cut to lightweight in a few years and doing so in Rio de Janeiro earn him a little slack.
How To Watch UFC 308 In Your Region | Main Card At A Special Time: 2pm ET / 11am PT
Saturday’s pairing with Rebecki will be an excellent measuring stick moment to see where he truly stands in the division, as the Dana White’s Contender Series grad is a bull in the early stages and has been steadily improving his hands since landing in the UFC. He won the first round against Ferreira on all three scorecards back in May, and is the kind of aggressive, powerful foe that can break an opponent’s spirit in the early stages.
Should Orolbai get through this one, he’ll have worked his way into the “Second 15” in the lightweight division and positioned himself for another stern test next time out. The division is flush with talent but features some older names that could be transitioning out of contention in the next couple years, which could give promising, young talents like Orolbai an opportunity to emerge.
Farid Basharat
Having celebrated the two-year anniversary of his contract-winning appearance on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series last month, Basharat stands as yet another intriguing name to track in the ultra-competitive bantamweight division.
Farid Basharat, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Farid Basharat, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
/
The 27-year-old has gone 3-0 to begin his UFC tenure, sandwiching a submission win over Kleydson Rodrigues between unanimous decision victories over Da’Mon Blackshear and Taylor Lapilus that are bigger victories than most casual observers tend to recognize, especially the win over Lapilus. Basharat completely out-hustled the French veteran in January, earning 30-27 scores across the board and halting his six-fight winning streak. Since then, Lapilus has gotten right back in the win column with consecutive decision wins over Cody Stamann and Vince Morales to re-affirm his level.
Like his older brother Javid, Farid is a well-rounded, technically sharp talent who is comfortable fighting in any phase. Everything is balanced with Basharat — he maintains an even tempo at all times, in all realms, and it will be interesting to see what several months training at American Top Team has done to elevate his game as he finally makes his second start of the year this weekend against Victor Hugo.
RELATED: Basharat UFC 308 Interview
The Brazilian is a fellow DWCS alum, having punched his ticket to the UFC stage last season, and enters on a 14-fight winning streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over short-notice opponent Pedro Falcao in his promotional debut earlier this year. He looked dominant in claiming a roster spot last October, and while there were moments where he struggled against Falcao, you don’t win 14 consecutive fights by fluke, regardless of the level of competition, and his ability to continually find ways to win makes him an interesting test for Basharat here.
Expectations have been high for Basharat since he touched down in the Octagon, and he holds himself to a lofty standard as well, which could factor in to some feeling like he’s yet to validate the hype despite winning each of his first three starts. The skills are undeniably there for the Afghan bantamweight, and he’s won each of his first dozen pro fights, so that’s saying something as well.
Don’t be surprised if this weekend turns into his breakout.
UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
