ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC 294 fighter weigh-ins.
The early weigh-ins took place at the UFC host hotel in Abu Dhabi and preceded the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 9 a.m. ET at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The same venue hosts Saturday’s event, which has a main card on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+.
Among those weighing in were lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) and short-notice challenger Alexander Volkanovski (26-2 MMA, 13-1 UFC), the UFC’s featherweight champ. Volkanovski will attempt to become a two-division champ for the second time. He lost to Makhachev in February. He took the rematch on just 10 days’ notice when Charles Oliveira pulled out.
Alexander Volkanovski had a message after making weight on short notice for his #UFC294 champ-vs-champ rematch with Islam Makhachev. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/FDzjou42o1
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 20, 2023
Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev are officially middleweights after making weight for their #UFC294 co-main event title eliminator. pic.twitter.com/51kvSFtDpb
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 20, 2023
In addition, the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC), who took the fight on short notice after Paulo Costa pulled out, meet at middleweight.
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The full UFC 294 weigh-in results included:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 2 p.m. ET)
- Champ Islam Makhachev (155) vs. Alexander Volkanovski (154.5) – for lightweight title
- Khamzat Chimaev (185.5) vs. Kamaru Usman (184.5)
- Magomed Ankalaev (206) vs. Johnny Walker (205)
- Ikram Aliskerov (186) vs. Warlley Alves (185.5)
- Muin Gafurov (135.5) vs. Said Nurmagomedov (136)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 10 a.m. ET)
- Tim Elliott (126) vs. Muhammad Mokaev (126)
- Trevor Peek (155.5) vs. Mohammad Yahya (156)
- Javid Basharat (136) vs. Victor Henry (136)
- Abu Azaitar (186) vs. Sedriques Dumas (186)
- Mike Breeden (159.5)* vs. Anshul Jubli (155.5)
- Muhammad Naimov (145.5) vs. Nathaniel Wood (146)
- Victoria Dudakova (116.6)** vs. Jinh Yu Frey (116)
- Shara Magomedov (186) vs. Bruno Silva (186)
*Breeden was 3.5 pounds over the lightweight limit. He will be fined a percentage of his purse.
**Dudakova was 0.6 pounds over the strawweight limit. She will be fined 20 percent of her purse.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.