July 20, (THEWILL) – In a thrilling rematch, Islam Makhachev and Charles “Do-Bronx” Oliveira are set to headline UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi on October 21, competing for the lightweight championship.
This showdown marks a sequel to their previous encounter at UFC 280, where Makhachev secured a victory over Oliveira via submission in October 2022, claiming the title. Following his triumph in the UAE, Makhachev went on to successfully defend his championship against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284, a fight that garnered widespread acclaim as one of the most exhilarating bouts of 2023.
Despite Oliveira’s defeat to Makhachev, the former champion quickly rebounded with an impressive first-round knockout victory over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289, a demonstration of his resilience and determination.
Announcing the headline bout on social media, UFC President, Dana White, said: “The card that everyone has been waiting for, we got it done. Abu Dhabi, UFC 294 on Saturday, October 21. In the main event, Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight title in the rematch against Charles Oliveira.
“Makhachev has won 12 in a row, and the former champ Charles Oliveira has won 12 of his last 13, including finishes over Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Michael Chandler, and his one defeat in those 13 fights was to Islam. After that fight, he bounced back with a first-round TKO of Beneil Dariush, extending his UFC record of most finishes to 20.”
Apart from the championship fight, the card features a thrilling matchup between Paulo Costa and rising middleweight star, Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev, fresh from a win against Kevin Holland last September, aims to make a statement against Costa, who previously defeated former champion, Luke Rockhold, at UFC 278.
In addition to the main events, the UFC 294 card will also see an exciting clash between Ikram Aliskerov and the No.13 ranked middleweight, Nassourdine Imavov. Originally scheduled to face Costa at UFC 291, Aliskerov will now prepare for an equally formidable opponent. The event promises to be a night filled with adrenaline-pumping action, as some of the best fighters in the sport square off in an attempt to claim victory and advance their careers in the Octagon.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
