Watch UFC 294 Countdown video for a deep dive into the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi on Saturday. The occasion is headlined by a light-weight title rematch between champ Islam Makhachev and featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
Volkanovski, the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, steps up on 11 days’ discover to rematch Makhachev, who’s No. 2 on the pound-for-pound record.
Makhachev initially was set to face ex-champ Charles Oliveira on Saturday at Etihad Arena, however a deep reduce to Oliveira dominated him out of the struggle, prompting the UFC to scramble for a alternative. Volkanovski, who most just lately unified the featherweight title at UFC 290, answered the decision to take the rematch he’d coveted since shedding a unanimous resolution to Makhachev of their first assembly at UFC 284 in February.
The co-main occasion of Saturday’s struggle card options one other short-notice reserving, this one within the middleweight division. Former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman steps up on brief discover to make his 185-pound debut alongside Khamzat Chimaev, who was set to face Paulo Costa earlier than the Brazilian withdrew because of a extreme staph an infection.
Check out the total UFC 294 Countdown video above.
More Stories
‘There’s No Respect For Our Country’
Dana White scoffs at Logan Paul vs. Dillon Danis reported PPV buys: ‘They’re lying motherf*****’
UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland points gun at trespasser on his property