This news is an absolute nightmare for Dana White and the sports fans, as it reveals that seen as ‘Fight of the Year’ Islam Makhachev vs Charles Oliveira has been called off just 11 days before UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. However, the latest update is that the Brazilian pulled out, and the former rival of Islam, Alexander Volkanovski, has stepped in to save the day. Let’s dive in to find the details.
Islam Makhachev vs Charles Oliveira Fight Canceled- Here’s Why
Dana White confirmed that Oliveira is out, and in his replacement Volkanovski is in for UFC 294’s main event against Islam Makhachev. Despite Oliveira being scheduled to fly to Abu Dhabi today, due to the severe eyebrow laceration he sustained during the fifth round of sparring yesterday, he had to miss out on this event.
As per White, he expressed disappointment with Oliveira’s camp while he commended Volkanovski for immediately accepting the fight in a single phone call. The UFC head honcho stated that he wanted to announce it hours ago, but he had to wait for Abu Dhabi to wake up and be informed first.
Volkanovski steps in on 11 days’ notice to face Islam. If he beats Volk, he’ll take his revenge against Islam after losing to him at UFC 284 in Australia earlier this year. Indeed, if the Australian manages to defeat Islam, he’ll be hailed as the king of the octagon, having pummeled everyone he came across.
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Losing the fight between Oliveira and Islam is a heartbreak for fans, who have eagerly anticipated this dream bout for a long time. Pulling out from the fight will be more painful for Oliveira than his injury, considering he has been training rigorously and aiming to reclaim the lightweight title he lost to Islam at UFC 280.
Meanwhile, fans will eagerly watch the Volkanovski vs. Islam fight to see if the Australian fighter can seek his vengeance. If he succeeds, it will be interesting to see how things unfold in the lightweight division.
