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UFC

UFC 280: Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev

One of the most anticipated fights of the year pits Charles Oliveira against Islam Makhachev. The crème of the lightweight crop squares up for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship, both on a double-digit victory run. The bout will take place during the UFC’s return to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on October 22.

The main event is a lightweight title battle between former champion Charles Oliveira, who was stripped of the belt in May after failing to make weight, and Islam Makhachev (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC), who has won 10 straight bouts and hasn’t lost in over seven years.

Oliveira captured the championship for the first time in his 28th UFC fight, the most in organisation history. Oliveira’s 11-fight UFC victory run at lightweight is the division’s longest active streak. Oliveira has received the most Performance of the Night incentives as well with 12 bonuses. Oliveira has the most submission victories in UFC history with 16 victories.

Makhachev’s 10-fight victory run in the UFC ranks third among current fighters. Makhachev is one of 21 UFC fighters to have won fights using four separate submission techniques. Makhachev’s nine-fight UFC winning run at lightweight is the division’s second-longest current streak.

Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev have never been adversaries. However, implying that all is fine between the Brazilian and Russian would be deceptive.

Oliveira noted during his discussion on Makhachev:

“He plays a really sophisticated game. He has, however, been surfing a wave that is not his, but Khabib’s. That is correct. This bout exists because Khabib made it so. Not on the strength of Islam alone. Because he should be fighting a ‘Top Five’ competitor, in my opinion. Who was the ranking opponent against whom Islam fought? No one.”

Oliveira feels the bout will be called off after the first round, but given Makhachev’s conditioning and endurance, this can prove to be false. charlesWrestling is an important part of Makhachev’s combat technique. It might potentially be the deciding factor between the two candidates, as Oliveira is a talented grappler.

Islam Makhachev hopes to carry on the tradition of his boyhood buddy Khabib Nurmagomedov by delivering the UFC lightweight championship to Dagestan.

UFC 280 Fights :

  • Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira, vacant lightweight title
  • Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. TJ Dillashaw, bantamweight title
  • Petr Yan vs. Sean O’Malley, bantamweights
  • Matuesz Gamrot vs. Beneil Dariush, lightweights
  • Manon Fiorot vs. Katlyn Chookagian, women’s flyweights
  • Sean Brady vs. Belal Muhammad, welterweights
  • Caio Borralho vs. Makhmud Muradov, middleweights
  • Nikita Krylov vs. Volkan Oezdemir, light heavyweights
  • Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lucas Almeida, featherweights
  • Magomed Mustafaev vs. Yamato Nishikawa, lightweights
  • Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev, welterweights
  • Armen Petrosyan vs. A.J. Dobson, middleweights
  • Muhammad Mokaev vs. Malcolm Gordon, flyweights
  • Karol Rosa vs. Lina Lansberg, women’s bantamweights
Priyadarshan G

Priyadarshan G

priyadarshan

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