Alexander Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion, is stepping in to save the day and exact revenge for his lone UFC defeat. After Charles Oliveira had to withdraw from the main event of UFC 294 due to injuries, Volkanovski accepted to face UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
The second meeting between Makhachev and Volkanovski will take place on Saturday, October 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Super bouts between two champions, which are uncommon enough, will take place in this two-fight series for the first time.
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Islam Makhachev vs. Alex Volkanovski 2 Fight Card, Date, Odds, Location
With only about ten days to prepare for a title fight up a weight class, Volkanovski confronts a difficult task. In their first encounter, Makhachev won by unanimous decision, but Volkanovski’s standing increased after giving Makhachev his most difficult test in recent memory. While Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight championship against Yair Rodriguez in July, Makhachev hasn’t competed since February.
Mateusz Gamrot, a lightweight candidate, also looms large. He was selected by UFC president Dana White to serve as the backup fighter for Makhachev vs. Oliveira 2, a position created to handle the situation where a scheduled opponent fails to make weight or withdraws from a match. Unfortunately for Gamrot, the UFC changed its attention to a fight that will almost surely garner greater attention.
Oliveira was forced to withdraw from UFC 294 due to a horrific eyebrow cut he sustained in training, but there are more injuries that might have a significant impact on the pay-per-view. Four weeks prior to the fight, middleweight contender Paulo Costa underwent elbow surgery. Costa claims that he will participate in his scheduled co-main event matchup with Khamzat Chimaev, but the UFC is looking into possible replacements. The victor of Costa vs. Chimaev may have a compelling case to challenge Sean Strickland, the middleweight champion of the UFC.
UFC 294 fight card, odds
- Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski, lightweight championship
- Khamzat Chimaev -380 vs. Paulo Costa +300, middleweights
- Magomed Ankalaev -340 vs. Johnny Walker +270, light heavyweights
- Ikram Aliskerov -120 vs. Nassourdine Imavov +100, middleweights
- Said Nurmagomedov -195 vs. Muin Gafurov +165, bantamweights
- Muhammad Mokaev -500 vs. Tim Elliot +380, flyweights
- Mohammad Yahya -135 vs. Trevor Peek +115, lightweights
- Javid Basharat -420 vs. Victor Henry +330, bantamweights
- Sedriques Dumas -165 vs. Abu Azaitar +140, middleweights
- Anshul Jubli -420 vs. Mike Breeden +320, lightweights
- Nathaniel Wood -320 vs. Muhammad Naimov +250, featherweights
- Viktoriia Dudakova -360 vs. Jinh Yu Frey +280, women’s strawweights
- Shara Magomedov -195 vs. Bruno Silva +165, middleweights
UFC 294 info
- Date: Oct. 21
- Location: Etihad Arena — Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
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