FC CEO Dana White announced a change for the main event at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will step in against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev after Charles Oliveira was forced to pull out of their scheduled rematch. The main event between Makhachev and Volkanovski is a rematch of their epic duel from February at UFC 284 in Perth, Australia, where Makhachev bested “The Great” via unanimous decision.
The previous bout between Makhachev and Volkanovski was a back-and-forth affair in front of an electric Australian crowd, who were in full voice supporting their fellow countryman at UFC’s first event in Australia since October 2019. Makhachev successfully defended his title, but some believed Volkanovski did enough to earn double-champ status that night. After the fight, the two champions shared pleasantries, and Volkanovski started pining for a rematch – even saying he was keen to fight Makhachev in Abu Dhabi.
A few months later, Volkanovski returned to the featherweight division to defend his 145-pound belt against interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at the end of International Fight Week at UFC 290. Makhachev, on the other hand, has not competed since their initial bout. Headlining UFC’s pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi for a second consecutive year, Makhachev hoped to also repeat his performance at UFC 280 when he submitted Oliveira in the second round to win the lightweight title his mentor and close friend Khabib Nurmagomedov once held.
The disappointment for Oliveira, meanwhile, is understandably high. “Do Bronx” was adamant that he was too caught up in the intensity of the first fight with Makhachev, particularly after Oliveira was forced to vacate the title when he missed weight before knocking out Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in Arizona, and thusly underperformed.
Oliveira, never a stranger to bouncing back from adversity, showed he was still one of the best lightweights in the world when he ran through Beneil Dariush at UFC 289, snapping Dariush’s 8-fight win streak.
While one can assume the winner in Abu Dhabi will face Oliveira next, it does get a bit more complicated should Volkanovski win a second belt. That opens the door to a trilogy, a Volkanovski-Oliveira fight or even a situation involving Justin Gaethje, whom many believed earned a title shot with his epic knockout win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 for the BMF title.
All that said, the Abu Dhabi fans are in for a treat with UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2 on October 21.
Don't miss a moment of UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2, live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Prelims start at special time of 10am ET/7am PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 2pm ET/11am PT.
Due to an injury, Charles Oliveira will not compete for the UFC 294 lightweight championship against Islam Makhachev. Alexander Volkanovski will take his place.
Volkanovski, the current UFC featherweight champion, is switching weight classes to compete for a second championship. He has a 12-fight winning run and is one of the UFC's most dominating champions.
One of the UFC's most promising young fighters is Makhachev. He is regarded as one of the top grapplers in the world, and he is currently riding a 10-fight winning run.
One of the biggest fights of the year is expected to be the one between Volkanovski and Makhachev.
One of the biggest fights of the year is expected to be between Volkanovski and Makhachev. It's a battle between two of the top UFC competitors, and the outcome might have significant ramifications for the lightweight division.
On October 21, 2023, the match will take played at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates' Etihad Arena. It will be UFC 294's main event.
Here is an original answer to your question:
At UFC 294, the lightweight and featherweight champions will square off, with Alexander Volkanovski stepping up to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight crown.
One of the UFC's most dominant champions, Volkanovski is the current featherweight title. He now has a 12-fight winning run and has a perfect UFC record.
One of the UFC's most promising young fighters is Makhachev. He is regarded as one of the top grapplers in the world, and he is currently riding a 10-fight winning run.
This contest between two of the top UFC fighters has the potential to have significant ramifications for the lightweight division.
Although Volkanovski is the underdog in this battle, he is a highly competent and seasoned competitor. Additionally, he has a great capacity for style adaptation.
Although Makhachev is the favorite in this battle, he has never come up against a competitor like Volkanovski. Volkanovski has an excellent attacking game and is incredibly fast and nimble.
It's too early to call this match. This bout between two of the top UFC fighters has the potential to go any way.
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