Islam Makhachev

What's ahead for the new lightweight champion? How about the top of the bantamweight division? Brett Okamoto plays matchmaker after UFC 280.

[Geoff Neal](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3111997/geoff-neal) vs. [Shavkat Rakhmonov](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) on Jan. [Leon Edwards](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3152929/leon-edwards) vs. [Kamaru Usman](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3088812/kamaru-usman) III next. If all of the names ahead of Muhammad are booked, don't be surprised if the UFC asks Muhammad to stay active and accept a fight against one of these two. Makhachev entered the fight on a 10-fight winning streak and was set to finalize the plan of his coach and longtime teammate [Khabib Nurmagomedov](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2611557/khabib-nurmagomedov), the former UFC lightweight champion: To win the belt. It's a Fight-of-the-Night candidate on paper, and the obvious next move for both, depending how Dillashaw's health is coming off what appeared to be yet another shoulder injury. The difference between two massive wins and two stinging losses comes down to fine details. O'Malley is instantly the biggest fight for him, and the rankings justify it. Whether you agree with the scoring of O'Malley's split decision over Yan or not, there's no doubting he proved himself to be elite. Dariush is so, so, so deserving of a title fight, but even he seems to know it isn't in the cards -- yet. And Volkanovski gets a shot at a second title -- in his home country of Australia.

A super-fight between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski could be bound for Australia. Immediately after defeating Charles Oliveira to claim the UFC ...

[served as the alternate](https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-news-rumors-alexander-volkanovski-will-serve-as-backup-for-lightweight-title-fight-in-abu-dhabi/) for Oliveira vs. Volkanovski has repeatedly expressed his desire to challenge for the lightweight crown as he awaits a clear contender in the featherweight division. Nurmagomedov argued that Makhachev is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport and should usurp Oliveira's No. Makhachev overwhelmed Oliveira at UFC 280. Volkanovski is currently the No. A super-fight between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski could be bound for Australia.

With a tremendous performance, Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira in two episodes to win the UFC lightweight title in Abu Dhabi.

Makhachev was on top, but Oliveira defended well, then Islam escaped a triangle. Makhachev came out furious from the opening bell, Islam started with a flurry of punches on Oliveira, who immediately went to the clinch. Oliverira started the second round with elbows, Makhachev responded with boxing, Islam tried to take the fight to the ground, but Charles defended well, but only for a time.

Islam Makhachev had been building to this moment. With the help of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev now wears the UFC gold at 155 pounds.

[Alexander Volkanovski](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3949584/alexander-volkanovski), who happened to be sitting cageside at Etihad Arena. He wanted to pick a fight, a massive fight, for his friend. "Last couple of years, I told you guys Islam Makhachev is the best fighter," Nurmagomedov said. He has been a dominant force since he entered the UFC in 2015, winning 10 fights in a row going into Saturday. But Makhachev has a well-rounded skill set that sets him apart from all others in his division. [Dustin Poirier](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2506549/dustin-poirier). After beating up [Davi Ramos](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3114625/davi-ramos) to run his record to 18-1, Makhachev was sitting at the postfight dais explaining to reporters how he'd gotten it done. Khabib had repeatedly shown that he could do it all inside the cage. Back in their native Dagestan, the elder Nurmagomedov had coached not just his son but also Makhachev, and the new champ wanted to honor his longtime coach with a touching gesture for Khabib, who now serves as his coach and cornerman. And while the title was vacant going into this fight because Oliveira had been stripped after missing weight before his May bout with Gaethje, pretty much the whole MMA world considered the Brazilian the de facto champ. From the start, he did not hesitate to attack Oliveira, who was coming off consecutive finishes of This moment and all that led up to it signified the brotherhood between these two fighters.

Makhachev capped his ascent to the lightweight throne with a brilliant win by arm triangle choke against Brazilian Oliveira, the holder of the UFC record ...

"I probably popped it out about 20 times in training camp... Makhachev capped his ascent to the lightweight throne with a brilliant win by arm triangle choke against Brazilian Oliveira, the holder of the UFC record for submission wins with 16. His 11th submission win moves the 31-year-old Makhachev on to a record of 23 wins and one loss as a pro.

The action in Abu Dhabi did not disappoint with a pair of title fights and an incredible bout at bantamweight.

The fight was as dramatic as it was fun to watch as O'Malley weathered the storm of Yan's six takedowns and constant physical pressure to bloody and drop his opponent with a flying knee in Round 3. [O'Malley received the benefit of the doubt](https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-280-results-highlights-sean-omalley-takes-split-decision-over-petr-yan-to-earn-likely-title-shot/) from the judges in a split decision win over former champion Petr Yan. O'Malley was lucky to receive the nod and twice during his postfight interview admitted that he wasn't sure he even won and would need to rewatch the tape before commenting on whether he's ready for a title shot. But pushing forward with a fight he was physically unfit to win, even with the courage he showed, makes it that much harder to reward him with a big payday for acting "heroically." [entered the Octagon following Makhachev's victory](https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-280-alexander-volkanovski-accepts-islam-makhachevs-challenge-for-lightweight-title-fight-in-australia/) for a staredown meant to hype a potential fight between the two in Australia next year for the 155-pound title. And while it's clear from his apology that he wasn't interested in holding up the sport's deepest division any longer, nobody wins in a scenario such as this. Dillashaw deserved enormous credit for surviving the opening round while Sterling, a ground specialist with suffocatingly long limbs, had his way with him on top and repeatedly took his back. The former two-time bantamweight champion, who was hoping to make history at 36 by challenging Aljamain Sterling, was mysteriously absent during UFC Embedded filming and didn't take part in the public workout. Makhachev cut Oliveira early with a left cross and was never in trouble against a fighter who owns the UFC record for submission and stoppage wins. An early injury to TJ Dillashaw also brought an abrupt end to Aljamain Sterling's second defense of his bantamweight title in the co-main event. Given the ease at which he finished Oliveira, it also isn't out of the question that the larger Makhachev would enter as the betting favorite. Not only did Makhachev step up his striking in a big way against Oliveira, his ability to dominate on the ground and create an opening for an immediate finish was nothing short of Khabib-like.

There was a poignant moment inside the Octagon on Saturday night where Islam Makhachev handed Khabib Nurmagomedov the UFC title he had just won.He def.

“I mean, to beat Oliveira is one thing, to beat him the way he beat him is another. The big question tonight was how is he going to deal with the pressure. I told you he’s the best in the world.’

Heading back to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the UFC recently held its UFC...

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Ever since Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts two years ago as an undefeated champion, Islam Makhachev's ...

He dropped Oliveira with a short counter right hand and then immediately followed him to the floor -- something very few of Oliveira's previous opponents were willing to do, because of his submission threat. He has a similar style to his legendary teammate and mentor, Nurmagomedov. He converted two of three takedown attempts and accumulated more than five minutes of control time in a fight that lasted only 8:16. Volkanovski (25-1) is coming off his fourth title defense in July and has announced his intent to move up in weight. Nurmagomedov's late father, Abdulmanap, who passed away in 2020 due to complications of COVID-19, always envisioned that Nurmagomedov would retire as champion and Makhachev would pick up where he left off. "I just want to say, this is my belt for coach Abdulmanap," Makhachev said.

By becoming UFC lightweight champion Saturday, Islam Makhachev fulfilled a prophecy. Maybe it was really just a lifelong friend expressing faith and brotherhood, but when Khabib Nurmagomedov briefly interrupted a Makhachev news conference three years ...

[Alexander Volkanovski](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3949584/alexander-volkanovski), who happened to be sitting cageside at Etihad Arena. "Last couple of years, I told you guys Islam Makhachev is the best fighter," Nurmagomedov said. [Dustin Poirier](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2506549/dustin-poirier). He has been a dominant force since he entered the UFC in 2015, winning 10 fights in a row going into Saturday. But Makhachev has a well-rounded skill set that sets him apart from all others in his division. After beating up [Davi Ramos](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3114625/davi-ramos) to run his record to 18-1, Makhachev was sitting at the postfight dais explaining to reporters how he'd gotten it done. Khabib had repeatedly shown that he could do it all inside the cage. And while the title was vacant going into this fight because Oliveira had been stripped after missing weight before his May bout with Gaethje, pretty much the whole MMA world considered the Brazilian the de facto champ. From the start, he did not hesitate to attack Oliveira, who was coming off consecutive finishes of Back in their native Dagestan, the elder Nurmagomedov had coached not just his son but also Makhachev, and the new champ wanted to honor his longtime coach with a touching gesture for Khabib, who now serves as his coach and cornerman. This moment and all that led up to it signified the brotherhood between these two fighters. "Many years ago, he told me, 'Just train hard and you going to be champion.' And I want to give [Khabib] this belt.

Islam Makhachev, lightweight champion (defeated Charles Oliveira to win the vacant lightweight title). New crowned UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, top, has won 11 consecutive fights. Chris Unger/Zuffa ...

[Geoff Neal](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3111997/geoff-neal) vs. [Shavkat Rakhmonov](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4020699/shavkat-rakhmonov) on Jan. [Leon Edwards](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3152929/leon-edwards) vs. [Kamaru Usman](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3088812/kamaru-usman) III next. If all of the names ahead of Muhammad are booked, don't be surprised if the UFC asks Muhammad to stay active and accept a fight against one of these two. Makhachev entered the fight on a 10-fight winning streak and was set to finalize the plan of his coach and longtime teammate [Khabib Nurmagomedov](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2611557/khabib-nurmagomedov), the former UFC lightweight champion: To win the belt. It's a Fight-of-the-Night candidate on paper, and the obvious next move for both, depending how Dillashaw's health is coming off what appeared to be yet another shoulder injury. The difference between two massive wins and two stinging losses comes down to fine details. O'Malley is instantly the biggest fight for him, and the rankings justify it. Whether you agree with the scoring of O'Malley's split decision over Yan or not, there's no doubting he proved himself to be elite. Dariush is so, so, so deserving of a title fight, but even he seems to know it isn't in the cards -- yet. And Volkanovski gets a shot at a second title -- in his home country of Australia.

Islam Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira via second-round head-and-arm choke to claim the lightweight belt on Saturday at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi.

It popped out early in the matchup and he was in clear pain throughout. After the fight, he said he “completely blew his shoulder out” in April and dislocated it often during his training camp for the fight. That’s exactly what happened in the main event as he took Oliveira down at will throughout the two rounds.

UFC featherweight champion Volkanovski weighed in as a backup, and was called out by Makhachev post-fight in the octagon for a showdown. With Volkanovski ...

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Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Charles Oliveira by submission for the 155-pound championship at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

He dropped Oliveira with a short counter right hand and then immediately followed him to the floor -- something very few of Oliveira's previous opponents were willing to do, because of his submission threat. He has a similar style to his legendary teammate and mentor, Nurmagomedov. He converted two of three takedown attempts and accumulated more than five minutes of control time in a fight that lasted only 8:16. Volkanovski (25-1) is coming off his fourth title defense in July and has announced his intent to move up in weight. Nurmagomedov's late father, Abdulmanap, who passed away in 2020 due to complications of COVID-19, always envisioned that Nurmagomedov would retire as champion and Makhachev would pick up where he left off. "I just want to say, this is my belt for coach Abdulmanap," Makhachev said.

Makhachev vs. Volkanovski, Aljamain Sterling vs. O'Malley are among the best fights to make after UFC 280.

If Dillashaw will be out for a while, it is best to wait and see how the bantamweight division settles in the coming months. The most important thing for Dillashaw is to get consistent reps in the Octagon. Volkanovski appears to be the next direction for the lightweight title. What is undeniable is that O'Malley proved he belonged despite what many predicted to be too much, too soon for the "Suga" Show. Unfortunately, in the shadow of Makhachev vs. Beneil Dariush: There may be no more exciting fight in the totality of what mixed martial arts is than Oliveira vs. As a consequence, he should not fall too far down the ladder. Makhachev and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski have already set the groundwork for a lightweight super-fight in Australia. The They are willing to stake the UFC lightweight title to make it happen. Makhachev and his coach, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, want to usurp Volkanovski as the UFC's No. In a rare move: the defending champion called out a challenger.

Charles Oliveira promises to one day be UFC champion again following his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.

So we’re just going to wait a little bit. There’s days that they’re going to be better than you. We’re going to be home and negotiate it from there.” So what we’re going to do is go back home, see my family, talk to my managers, assess the matters, butt heads a little bit with the UFC. There’s days that you’re going to be better than other people. “No one is ever going to hit me as hard as life has hit me,” Oliveira told reporters at the UFC 280 post-fight press conference.

Islam Makhachev became the new lightweight champion on Saturday night, while Aljamain Sterling defended his bantamweight title against former champ T.J. ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). [Yan](/topic/yan), it is likely that Sean could get a title shot against Aljo. The night's biggest winners were [Islam Makhachev](/topic/islam-makhachev), [Aljamain Sterling](/topic/aljamain-sterling), and [Sean](/topic/sean)O’Malley. [Ultimate Fighting Championship](/topic/ultimate-fighting-championship)(UFC) Lightweight Champion. During the interview, Islam singled out Volkanovski and made it clear to whom he wanted to defend his belt. On the other hand, Sugar Sean won a split decision against former champ Petr Yan.

Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira yesterday at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi to win the vacant lightweight championship, cementing himself as one of the top pound-for ...

“I mean, to beat Oliveira is one thing, to beat him the way he beat him is another. The big question tonight was how is he going to deal with the pressure. I told you he’s the best in the world.’ After the fight, he was confronted by Volkanovski, with both fighters agreeing to a champ vs. And when I went up in the octagon after, Khabib said, ‘I told you. champ showdown to determine the #1 P4P fighter in the world.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC 280: Islam Makhachev is amazing, but his reign might be short lived. Read full article. 9. Mike. Sun, October 23, 2022 at 10:30 AM ·6 min read. What mattered most at UFC 280 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi?

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