Tag: UFC 294

Khamzat Chimaev returns at UFC 294 to face Paulo Costa

It’ll be 13 months in between fights for Khamzat Chimaev.

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] is finally back and his most high-profile middleweight challenge is in front of him.

At UFC 294, Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) returns for his first fight since September 2022 when he takes on [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC 294, Dana White announced Wednesday.The event takes place Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Chimaev, 29, missed weight in his most recent appearance, a quick submission win over Kevin Holland at UFC 279. In the weeks that followed the fight, Chimaev and his representatives discussed which weight would be best for him going forward. The parties ultimately settled on middleweight.

Since he burst into the international spotlight in the UFC in 2020, Chimaev has dominated all comers – with the exception of Gilbert Burns, who he still defeated by unanimous decision in an electrifying bout.

Costa, 32, was expected to face Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 291 on July 29 in Salt Lake City. With Costa now facing Chimaev, Aliskerov (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will instead fight Nassourdine Imavov (12-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at UFC 294. It is unclear why the initial matchmaking never materialized.

Should Costa win, it’ll be his second victory in a row. He most recently competed at UFC 278 in August 2022 when he defeated Luke Rockhold by unanimous decision. The win came after consecutive losses to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori.

With the addition, the UFC 294 lineup now includes:

  • Champion Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira – for lightweight title
  • Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa
  • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Nassourdine Imavov

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.

UFC 294 gets Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 as main event

According to Dana White, a title rematch between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliviera will in fact take place at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.

The rematch between [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] and [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] is set, according to UFC president Dana White.

Wednesday, White announced Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) vs. Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) 2 will headlined UFC 294, which takes place Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The bout will be for the UFC lightweight championship that Makhachev currently holds.

Makhachev and Oliveira first fought at UFC 280 in October 2022. Then-champion Oliveira was defeated by first-time challenger Makhachev by second-round submission. Neither fighter has lost since that bout, as Makhachev successfully defended his title against Alexander Volkanovski.

Oliveira bounced back from the loss at UFC 289 in June against Beneil Dariush. The bout, which was pegged as a likely title eliminator, saw Oliveira finish Dariush with strikes in Round 1. In early July, Oliveira told MMA Junkie it was unlikely he’d be ready in time to take the October bout. During his title reign, Oliveira successfully defended his title against Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier.

The current UFC 294 lineup includes:

  • Champion Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira – for lightweight title
  • Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa
  • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Nassourdine Imavov

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.

Coach Javier Mendez backs Islam Makhachev’s callout of Leon Edwards for UFC 294: ‘He likes challenges’

UFC champ Islam Makhachev’s coach supports a callout of Leon Edwards if Charles Oliveira or Alexander Volkanovski can’t fight.

UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] seemingly has a number of options for his next fight, yet nothing seems to be a lock.

Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) hasn’t competed since February, when he earned a unanimous decision win over featherweight titleholder [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] at UFC 284 in Australia. He’s expected to return to action Oct. 21 at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, but no opponent has been confirmed at this time.

Just a few weeks ago, the obvious choice appeared to be a rematch with [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag], whom Makhachev took the 155-pound belt from by submission at UFC 280 last October. “Do Bronx” put himself in position to run it back with a brilliant finish of Beneil Dariush in June, but then Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) recently revealed he would not be ready to fight Makhachev three months from now.

That opened the door for Volkanovski (26-2 MMA, 13-1 UFC) to make his case for a rematch, and he did just that earlier this month when he returned to 145 pounds for a dominant defense over Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. Volkanovski underwent elbow surgery this week to repair a lingering issue but has made it clear he will be healthy and prepared for his shot at revenge against Makhachev at UFC 294, if given the opportunity.

[lawrence-related id=2659526,2659444]

In terms of other lightweight contenders, the UFC’s next major event, UFC 291 on July 29 in Salt Lake City, is headlined by a “BMF” title fight between former interim UFC champions Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. The winner of that fight will have a solid case for a title shot, but with expectations of a grueling contest, a quick turnaround for Abu Dhabi could be unreasonable.

With uncertainty around all potential pairings for a title defense, Makhachev took matters into his own hands Tuesday when he issued a callout to UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]. Dual-champ status is something Makhachev has vocalized pursuing at some point, but he felt he needed to establish his position as champion before doing so. However, given the situation, the callout of Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) shows he’s keen to expedite the timeline.

MMA Junkie spoke with one of Makhachev’s coaches, Javier Mendez of American Kickboxing Academy, on behalf of SafeBettingSites.com to get his reaction to the callout of Edwards, the potential options for Makhachev in Abu Dhabi and how he would like to see everything unfold.

* * * *

Daniel Cormier: ‘People are going to be very disappointed’ with Islam Makhachev’s next fight

Daniel Cormier isn’t sure who’s next for UFC champ Islam Makhachev but expects it to surprise people.

[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] isn’t sure who’s next for UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], but he expects it to surprise people.

Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) is slated to make his next title defense Oct. 21 at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. With the top lightweight contenders either booked up or unable to make that date, Cormier thinks Makhachev could end up fighting someone unexpected.

Charles Oliveira knocked off streaking contender Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 but said he won’t be ready for UFC 294. Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje will rematch for the “BMF” title in the UFC 291 headliner on July 29, but after a Fight of the Year in their first bout in 2018, Cormier doubts they will come out unscathed.

“I think Islam Makhachev will next fight against someone that is not even necessarily on our radar,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “DC & RC.” “It’s supposed to be the winner of Gaethje vs. Poirier, but I do not believe that those guys will come out of that fight clean and be healthy enough to put a title fight right that soon.

“I also know that Charles Oliveira has already told the UFC he’s not fighting in October. We’re going to have to go down the lightweight rankings and find some other guy, and people are going to be very disappointed. It’ll be the No. 4, 5, or 6 ranked guy that’s going to get a title shot because there just will be no one else.”

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski underwent elbow surgery but expects just six weeks of rehab. Volkanovski was edged out by Makhachev at UFC 284 and has been eager for a rematch.

With seemingly no fighter 100 percent ready to go for UFC 294, Makhachev turned his attention to welterweight champion Leon Edwards, but Cormier doubts the UFC will entertain that fight.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu3T8WysVMf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

“I don’t know who he’s going to fight, but someone’s about to get a blessing because there will be no one else,” Cormier said. “He will not fight Leon Edwards. I don’t think the UFC is going to allow him to be in two title superfights without having to defend the championship one time yet (against a lightweight).”

[lawrence-related id=2659184,2658901,2655367,2652148]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.

Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev materializes with UFC 294 booking

After weeks of publicly advocating for it, Tim Elliott and Muhammad Mokaev have a fight on the books at UFC 294.

After weeks of public advocation, [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag] and [autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag] have what they asked for.

With the promotion finally officially on board, Elliott (19-12-1 MMA, 8-10 UFC) and Mokaev (9-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) are set to compete at UFC 294, which takes place Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. No other fights have been announced for the event at this time.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup Friday informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Eurosport NL first reported the booking.

Elliott, 36, rides a two-fight winning streak into the matchup including victories over Tagir Ulanbekov and Victor Altamirano. He is 4-1 in his most recent four.

Mokaev, 22, has struggled to find opponents since he joined the UFC in early 2022. After wins over Cody Durden, Charles Johnson, Malcolm Gordon, and Jafel Filho, Mokaev angled for a fight at UFC 292 in August. However, he will have to wait until October to return to action.

Khamzat Chimaev zeros in on Kamaru Usman, says UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi targeted: ‘I’m gonna fight this guy’

Khamzat Chimaev has relocated to Dubai in anticipation of a fight with Kamaru Usman that he expects the UFC to book in nearby Abu Dhabi.

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] has relocated to Dubai with his team where he’s practicing patience.

“UFC told us we’re gonna fight in Abu Dhabi,” Chimaev said in a video posted to his YouTube channel on Tuesday, “so that’s what I’m waiting for.”

Chimaev has been raring to get back in the octagon since his last fight, a first-round submission win over Kevin Holland. That was back in September of last year at UFC 279, and it came together after the weigh-ins following Chimaev’s massive miss on the scale for his originally scheduled welterweight headliner with Nate Diaz.

Ever since then, Chimaev’s future has remained in question, with UFC president Dana White stating that he wants the rising UFC star to move up to middleweight. Chimaev has called out a slew of potential opponents, including former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag], current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, and No. 1 welterweight contender Colby Covington.

Bottom line: Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is now living in Dubai after spending time in Sweden and Thailand. He’s “just waiting for the opponent and for the contract” to fight at UFC 294 on October 21 in nearby Abu Dhabi. And it sounds like he expects to meet Usman, a matchup White has said the UFC would be willing to book if it took place at 185 pounds.

“Usman wants to fight. I make his last fight. He wants money. He knows where is the money, you know? Everyone knows the money,” Chimaev said. “I’m gonna fight this guy, Abu Dhabi, smash his face, finish him, then they have to give me that title shot. There’s not money fights anymore. It’s only me.”

After winning his first six UFC fights, Chimaev is talking the talk and wants to walk the walk by securing a title shot he believes he’s already earned. To him, the division is irrelevant.

“I want to fight for the title. So, for me, it doesn’t matter which weight class,” Chimaev said. “… Give me just title shot. I’m ready for both (divisions). I’m ready for Usman, I’m ready for Leon, I’m ready for Israel, doesn’t matter. I’m ready for everybody.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=420030788]

Leon Edwards reveals he won’t fight in London, targets UFC 294 October card in Abu Dhabi instead

Leon Edwards doesn’t plan on competing in London this summer against Colby Covington for the next defense of his UFC welterweight title.

[autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] doesn’t plan on competing in London for his next fight.

The UFC is rumored to return to London in July, but welterweight champion Edwards says it’s too quick of a turnaround for him to make after he retained his title against Kamaru Usman in their trilogy bout at UFC 286 in March.

Instead, Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) is eyeing the UFC 294 card Oct. 22 in Abu Dhabi.

“Unless it comes with some stupid money, then I might consider (London),” Edwards told Sky Sports. “The bag always talks. Come with some stupid money, and I might consider it. I fought under a month ago, so I’ve still got stuff I’ve got to do first. Literally next week, I would have to be back in camp. August to March, I did that already. Now they’re saying March to July (camp for the next one). I don’t think it makes sense.

“In the last year or so, I’ve fought three times I think. I’d love to fight now towards the end of the year. The Abu Dhabi card card would be great. That would be the perfect timing. You’ve got a massive British population in the Emirates on that side of the world, so I feel like there’ll be a lot of fans coming out to see me, as well. That would be for me ideal.”

Dana White declared Colby Covington the No. 1 contender, but Edwards’ stance on Covington not deserving it still stands.

“At the moment in the division, there’s no clear No 1 contender,” Edwards said. “Colby is coming off two losses and one win. Gilbert (Burns is) similar. I had to go earn like 10 fights in a row to fight for the world title. These guys are winning one fight, losing one fight, and then fighting for a world title.

“Colby has been uninjured, sitting on the sidelines, turning down fights for over a year. Nobody else has done that and earned a title shot from doing that. If you believe you’re a champion, you should fight all the guys offered to you – the Burns, the Khamzat (Chimaevs).”

[lawrence-related id=2628638,2628312,2626543]

However, that doesn’t mean Edwards is shying away from the challenge. If it’s Covington the UFC insists on, “Rocky” isn’t concerned with the matchup.

“I think Colby Covington is like a BTEC (community college) Usman – there’s nothing there,” Edwards said. “If that’s what they want, I’ll give them that. The opponent doesn’t bother me, it’s just more the date. … I remember when I was going through the pandemic, he was like, ‘Who’s Leon Edwards?’ and now look: He’s like begging me for the title shot. How times have changed. Now I’m king of the hill and I’ll sit back and let him beg some more and I’ll consider it. I’ve earned it.

“He hasn’t earned his position. You can’t sit down uninjured for over a year, turn down fights and be like, ‘OK, I want a title shot now.’ Now I’m champion. I decide. Colby isn’t a champion, so doesn’t decide anything. That’s the difference. If it is Colby, then it is Colby. They’re all similar fights anyway. … There’s nothing fearful about Colby.”

UFC returns to Abu Dhabi on Oct. 21 with UFC 294

The UFC has announced a return to the Middle East for what has become a regular mid-fall stop. Take a look at the history of events there.

The UFC has announced a return to the Middle East for what has become a regular mid-fall stop.

UFC 294 will take place Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, the promotion announced early Thursday. No matchups have been announced for the card, but historically the UFC has plenty of fighters from that side of the world hoping for a spot on the show in the United Arab Emirates.

UFC 294 will be the UFC’s 18th event in Abu Dhabi, though a dozen of them, from July 2020 through January 2021 were part of pandemic-era shows the company set up on “Fight Island” in a bubble capacity due to COVID-19.

The UFC did three shows in eight days at Etihad Arena in January 2021 in front of a limited number of fans. Then in October 2021, UFC 267 touched down at the venue with a light heavyweight title fight and Glover Teixeira’s submission of Jan Blachowicz to win the belt.

That card also featured Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev. Makhachev returned for UFC 280 this past October and won the lightweight title with a submission of Charles Oliveira.

Below, check out the UFC’s history of events in Abu Dhabi.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.