''UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2'' was a

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...

event produced by the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

that took place on October 21, 2023, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Background

The event marked the promotion's 18th visit to Abu Dhabi and first since

UFC 280 ''UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 22, 2022, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Background A UFC Lightweight Champions ...

in October 2022. A

UFC Lightweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

rematch between current champion

Islam Makhachev Islam Ramazanovich Makhachev (russian: Исла́м Рамаза́нович Маха́чев; born 27 October 1991) is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and former Sambo competitor. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in ...

and former champion

Charles Oliveira Charles Oliveira da Silvahttp://boxing.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/boxingnvgov/content/results/2014_Results/12-12-14MMA.pdf (born October 17, 1989) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. He currently com ...

was expected to headline the event. The pair previously met at

one year prior, where Makhachev captured the vacant title by second round submission. However, Oliveira withdrew due to injury and was replaced by

UFC Featherweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

Alexander Volkanovski Alexander Volkanovski (born 29 September 1988) is an Australian mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Featherweight Champion. He is al ...

. This marked the first time that champions in different divisions rematch for the same title and the ninth time overall that champions in different divisions fought for the same title, following

UFC 94 ''UFC 94: St-Pierre vs. Penn 2'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-view event promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on January 31, 2009. The card featured five televised MMA bouts, as well as five un-aired preliminary bouts. I ...

UFC 205 ''UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor'' was a mixed martial arts event promoted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on November 12, 2016, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In what was described by UFC president Dana White as t ...

UFC 226 ''UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on July 7, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area. Background The event took p ...

UFC 232 ''UFC 232: Jones vs. Gustafsson 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on December 29, 2018 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Background A UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout b ...

, UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw,

UFC 259 ''UFC 259: Błachowicz vs. Adesanya '' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 6, 2021 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United ...

UFC 277 ''UFC 277: Peña vs. Nunes 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 30, 2022, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, United States. Background A UFC Women's Bantamweight Cha ...

and UFC 284, the latter event in which Makhachev defeated Volkanovski by unanimous decision. If successful, Volkanovski would have become the fourth man to be champion in two divisions simultaneously and fifth fighter overall (after

Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor ( ga, Conchúr Antóin Mac Gréagóir; born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight and lightweight double-champion. He is the first ...

at UFC 205,

Daniel Cormier Daniel Ryan Cormier (; born March 20, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist, amateur wrestler, and current commentator for the UFC. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Ch ...

at UFC 226,

Amanda Nunes Amanda Lourenço Nunes (born May 30, 1988) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. She competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current UFC Women's Featherweight Champion and two-time UFC Women's Bantamw ...

at UFC 232 and UFC 277, and

Henry Cejudo Henry Cejudo (born February 9, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight Champion and Bantamweight Champion. He is the fourth UFC fighter to h ...

at UFC 238), as well as the eighth person overall to win a title in different divisions. Former KSW Featherweight and Lightweight Champion

Mateusz Gamrot Mateusz Gamrot (born December 11, 1990) is a Polish professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gamrot is a former KSW Featherweight Champion and KSW Lightwei ...

served as backup and potential replacement for this fight. A middleweight bout between Ikram Aliskerov and

Nassourdine Imavov Nasourdin Abdoulazimovitch Imavov (born March 1, 1995) is a French mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of April 11, 2023, he is #12 in the UFC middleweight rankings. Backgro ...

was expected to take place at the event. However, Imavov withdrew due to visa issues and was replaced by The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 middleweight winner

Warlley Alves Warlley Alves Andrade (born 4 January 1991), is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2011, Warlley made a name for himself fightin ...

. A middleweight bout between former

UFC Middleweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

challenger

Paulo Costa Paulo Henrique Costa (born 21 April 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of August 1, 2022, he is #6 in the UFC middleweight ...

and

Khamzat Chimaev Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev ( ce, Хизаран Хамзат; russian: Хамзат Хизарович Чимаев; born 1 May 1994), is a Swedish professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who competes in the Welterweight div ...

was expected to take place at the event. However, Costa withdrew after he underwent surgery on his elbow and was replaced by former

UFC Welterweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

Kamaru Usman Kamarudeen Usman (born May 11, 1987) is a Nigerian and American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and retired folkstyle wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Champions ...

. At the weigh-ins, Victoria Dudakova weighed in at 116.6 pounds, 0.6 pounds over the strawweight non-title fight limit. Mike Breeden weighed in at 159.5 pounds, three and a half pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. Both of their bouts proceeded at catchweight with Dudakova being fined 20% of her purse and Breeden 30%, which went to their opponents former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion

Jinh Yu Frey Jinh Hie Yu Frey (born May 20, 1985) is a Korean-American mixed martial artist and currently competes in the strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Background Frey was ...

and Road to UFC Season 1 lightweight tournament winner

Anshul Jubli Anshul Jubli (born 13 January 1995), is an Indian professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Lightweight division of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Jubli became the second person from India, to get a UFC contract, as ...

, respectively.

Results

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses. *Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded. *Performance of the Night: Islam Makhachev, Ikram Aliskerov, Said Nurmagomedov, and Muhammad Mokaev

References

{{2023 in mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship flagship events 2023 in mixed martial arts 2023 in Emirati sport Mixed martial arts in the United Arab Emirates Sports competitions in Abu Dhabi October 2023 sports events in the United Arab Emirates 21st century in Abu Dhabi

Background

Results

Bonus awards

See also

References