UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is set to defend his title against ex-champion Charles Oliveira in a rematch, among three other matchups announced for UFC 294, which will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, is set to defend his title against former champion Charles Oliveira in a rematch, a matchup scheduled for the Oct. 21 main event of UFC 294. This bout is one of the three announced by UFC president Dana White for UFC 294; the other two matchups feature middleweight fights between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa, and Nassourdine Imavov and Ikram Aliskerov. However, White confirmed that a previously hinted at fight between Costa and Aliskerov slated for July 29 at UFC 291 has been removed from the lineup. UFC 294 is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
With a record of 24 wins and 1 loss, Makhachev is ranked as the No. 2 male pound-for-pound fighter globally. The 31-year-old lightweight champion secured the title in October 2022 with a dominant second-round stoppage of Oliveira at UFC 280. Makhachev’s first title defense saw him become the first person under the UFC umbrella to defeat Alexander Volkanovski, sending the featherweight champ back down to 145 pounds after a decision win at UFC 284. Makhachev’s name is associated with a winning streak, with 12 consecutive UFC bouts under his belt.
Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira shows a record of 34 victories, 9 losses, and 1 NC; and is ranked as the No.2 lightweight. He bounced back from his title loss to Makhachev by scoring a powerful first-round stoppage over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289. The showdown between unbeaten Chimaev (12-0) and Costa (14-2) has been teased repeatedly for the Oct. 21 card. Chimaev is 6-0 in the UFC, with his most recent victory against Kevin Holland in September 2022. Imavov (12-4, 1 NC), on the other hand, is still chasing his first UFC victory of 2023 after a January loss to Sean Strickland and a no-contest decision in June when he clashed heads with Chris Curtis. He will face Aliskerov (14-1), who delivered an impressive knockout punch against Phil Hawes in May in his only UFC appearance.