Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has agreed to replace Charles Oliveira on short notice to fight lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 294, a rematch from their previous fight earlier this year, with fighters and fans praising the fighters for accepting the challenging match.
Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has accepted the challenge to step in on just 11 days’ notice for Charles Oliveira to face lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 294. This unexpected rematch between the two titleholders will take place on October 21 in Abu Dhabi. Their first meeting occurred less than a year ago, with Makhachev successfully defending his lightweight belt against Volkanovski via unanimous decision at UFC 284.
The MMA world was abuzz with excitement upon hearing the breaking news, with many fighters applauding Volkanovski’s willingness to accept such a difficult fight on such short notice. Even lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov chimed in, expressing his confidence in his teammate Makhachev’s ability to defeat Volkanovski once again. Nurmagomedov emphasized that Makhachev is currently the world champion and that it doesn’t matter who his contender is.
The first fight between Makhachev and Volkanovski was highly competitive, but Makhachev emerged as the winner with a unanimous decision. While Volkanovski’s team may dispute the result, the consensus among fans and experts is that Makhachev rightfully claimed the victory. Now, with the rematch just around the corner, Makhachev is fully prepared and almost on weight for the fight. He and his team have been training hard and are eager to showcase their skills in Abu Dhabi.
The MMA community is buzzing with social media reactions to this unexpected turn of events. Fighters like Michael Bisping have shown massive respect for both Volkanovski and Makhachev for accepting this dangerous stylistic change and stepping up to the challenge. Muhammad Mokaev, another MMA fighter, expressed awe at Volkanovski’s willingness to take on this fight on such short notice. The stage is set for an intense rematch between two talented and determined champions.