Probably the two best lightweight fighters in the UFC roster will square of this upcoming October – former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and Russia’s Islam Makhachev.
The fight will be for the lightweight belt and it will take place on October 22 in Abu Dhabi at the “Fight Island” when UFC 280 will be held. The fight, of course, will serve as a main event.
Oliveira, of Brazil, won the title in 2021 with a knockout over Michael Chandler. He successfully defended the belt against Dustin Poirier in December but then surrendered it in May when he was unable to make weight for a scheduled defense against Justin Gaethje.
Makhachev (22-1) is widely viewed as the biggest threat to Oliveira’s dominance. A longtime teammate of retired former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has won 10 in a row in the UFC. He has finished his past four opponents, including back-to-back finishes in the first round.