UFC fans certainly cannot complain about the sheer quantity and quality of MMA action that they will be treated to heading into the latter stages of the calendar year of 2022.
Some of the biggest fights scheduled for the Autumn and Winter months include the likes of Isreal Adesanya vs Alex Pereira in November that will also include a Women’s Strawweight title fight between champion Carla Esparza and former champion Zhang Weili at UFC 281.
However, perhaps the most hyped UFC event heading into the Autumn period is the eagerly anticipated matchup for the vacant Lightweight title between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev, which is already sighted as being a classic in the making.
Both fighters will square off at the Etihad Arena located on Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates which is estimated to get underway at 7:00pm BST, an earlier showing for all British audiences compared to early hours of the morning times that most fans are accustomed to.
The fight card also includes a stellar listing of other immensely popular fighters including a co-main centred around Aljamain Sterling’s defence of the Bantamweight title against former champions TJ Dillashaw.
Another former Bantamweight champion in the form of Petr Yan will also be in action against one of the UFC’s most hyped young prospects in Sean O’Malley as well as appearances from other notable fighters such as Beneil Dariush, Katlyn Chookagian and Belal Muhammed among many others.
The main draw of the event will certainly come in the main event, as fans are already clamouring an intense showdown between two of the best 155lbs fighters on the planet which will ensure one person will walk away with the Lightweight crown.
Profiling Charles Oliveira:
Heading into UFC 280, the latest Betway UFC odds sight Oliveira at +130 to win the bout with Makhachev ranked as the favourite at -163. Sportsbooks have listed Oliveira s the underdog many times and he has proven them wrong most of those times, so it’s all to play for really.
Despite entering as the underdog, Oliveira has carved out a tremendous resume in the UFC Lightweight division, which culminated in a title win at UFC 262 over Michael Chandler by way of an early second round KO/TKO.
Oliveira would successfully defend the title against a very dangerous Dustin Poirier by way of submission at UFC 269, before he soundly defeated Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 only a few months later.
However, despite the victory over Gaethje, Oliveira was stripped of his title due to him not making weight twice at the weigh-in with Oliveira being 0.5lbs over the required limit meaning his title fight had now become a number one contender bout in a matter of minutes.
It was a tragic moment for Oliveira, but he comfortably saw off the always daunting Gaethje and will now have a chance to reclaim his Lightweight title with a victory over Makhachev at UFC 280.
Despite being stripped of the title, Oliveira now looks to be more focused than ever to reclaim his throne as the king at 155 and has since adopted a greater focus into his striking, which was reflected in his initial title winning bout over Chandler.
Oliveira is also one of the best ground-based fighters in the UFC and has provided fans with a multitude of submission victories, which is often the main aspect of Oliveira’s game and one that Makhachev has to avoid at all costs.
(Oliveira top finishes)
Profiling Islam Makhachev:
Since his rather unexpected defeat at the hands of Adriano Martins way back at UFC 192, Makhachev has been able climb back up the UFC pecking order and is now ranked at number four at Lightweight following on from his main event fight night victory over Bobby Green by way of a first round KO/TKO.
This will be Makhachev’s first ever UFC title shot, and the 30-year-old is now widely regarded as one of the most feared, well-rounded fighters in the sport today.
Makhachev is widely known first and foremost as a deadly wrestler on the mat, as well as being very technical in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu meaning he will be dangerous for any opponent in the clinch and when attempting to go to the ground. However, Oliveira specialises in submitting opponents from extraordinary positions, therefore Makhachev may need to look elsewhere for the win.
Makhachev can still utilise a furry of quick combos before using his powerful legs to kick back opponents, which was seen first-hand in his victory over Bobby Green at the Apex where Islam used his quick hands to deter his opponent before taking him down and finishing the fight on the ground.
It is a challenge to fathom on who will ultimately walk away as the victor in this highly anticipated Lightweight encounter, with Oliveira being someone who priorities his submission game and experience within the Octagon, compared to Makhachev who will look to change the tone and momentum of the fight with his all-around game.
One thing is for certain, this has all the making of being one of the top fights of the entire year and fans across the globe will be tuning into the broadcast to catch a glimpse of who will reign supreme over the current dormant Lightweight division.
