UFC 280 Preview
The UFC is invading the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday October 22 for UFC 280. The main event will be for the lightweight title between former champion Charles Oliveira and #4 Islam Machachev.
Oliveira is coming off a first-round submission of Justin Gaethje in May at UFC 274. Oliveira was set to defend the lightweight title but was stripped before the fight due to missing weight. He was automatically and undeniably granted an immediate shot at the title with the win over Gaethje. The Brazilian defended the belt successfully one time while being champion, and he has won 11 straight fights.
What does the Oliveira think about his opponent? “I think Islam deserves all the respect in the world,” Oliveira said. “But I think he should’ve fought somebody maybe in the top-5 like I did, not just surf on someone else’s wave and skip the line like he did,” said Oliveira.
By riding the wave he is referring to Machachev’s relationship with former pound for pound great Khabib Nurmagomedov. “This fight is only happening because of him.”
“It’s for the history and everything he’s done,” Oliveira said. “If it was any other guy, [Makhachev] would have to walk the walk that I had to walk, knocking on people’s doors, trying to get to a top-5. The reason why this fight is happening is because of him, that’s the real.”
During his win streak aside from Gaethje, Oliveira has key victories over Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Kevin Lee, Jim Miller and Clay Guida. The 33-year-old has been fighting in the UFC since 2010 but has most definitely seen the most success during his current run and he has shown that he has evolved into a fighter that stalks his opponents whereas he used to be the one that was run down by the opposition.
Oliveira started his UFC career at featherweight and there have been talks of featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski moving up to 155 pounds to challenge for a second belt. Oliveira responded to the idea. “First of all, we’re gonna focus on what happens [at UFC 280],” Oliveira said.
“My timing is to actually fight in Brazil afterwards. If we’re gonna make this happen with Volkanovski, we’re gonna fight in two weight divisions. I can fight [in Australia] in February but for his belt. I have a great team to get down to 145.”
While Oliveira did have slight weight issues before his last fight and has had weight issues in the past, the idea of him challenging for a second belt in his home country is a grand idea. However, him defending his belt in Volkanovski’s home country is also an idea that would garner much intrigue. So should the two fight next, it is a win-win situation regardless of at which weight.
Machachev’s lone loss came in 2015 and since then he has won 10 straight fights. He most recently defeated Bobby Green (who was a late replacement for Beneil Dariush) by first round TKO in February. During his run he also has key victories over Dan Hooker, Thiago Moises and Drew Dober.
The 31-year-old spoke about his title shot. “I’m ready,” Machachev said. “I think anyone needs to believe and want whatever is best for them. If we go down to the ground, he’s facing the biggest finisher in the history of the UFC. If he wants to stand up, we’re gonna stand up. I will shock the world one more time.”
“I think they’re just talking a lot of crap and whenever we close that gate and we’re inside the octagon they get to see who’s the real champion. … The lightweight champion is Charles Oliveira. I’m the problem for this division.”
Machachev’s ground game poses a different threat and one the Oliveira has not seen during his win streak. But what Machachev can do on the ground Oliveira can counter with some of the best jiu jitsu in the UFC. The fight should produce a strategic battle with the fighter who possesses the most energy in the later rounds emerging victorious.
The co-main event of the evening will also be for a title in the bantamweight division with champion Aljamain Sterling defending his belt against former two-time champion T.J. Dillashaw.
Sterling is coming off a successful title defense in a rematch against Petr Yan where he won by split decision at UFC 273 in April. While it was considered a title defense, his pundits believe it was the fight that actually won him the belt. On paper he won the title by DQ at UFC 259 after Yan landed an illegal knee and Sterling could not continue.
Nonetheless, Sterling’s gameplan in the second fight and his ability to control the direction of the back-and-forth battle proved he is among the elite in the bantamweight division, regardless of how he initially won the belt.
The 33-year-old faces a new challenge in Dillashaw who is considered one of the greatest bantamweight fighters of all-time and is on a road to clearing his name after serving a two-year suspension after a positive drug test. Sterling commented on Dillashaw’s reputation.
“There have been so many people who have popped and a lot of ‘em have been like real legitimate tainted stuff and I don’t get it,” Sterling said. “What makes this situation more like a man versus anybody else? I really don’t understand.
“Unless you got caught redhanded and you know you cheated, having the needle in your hand knowing you’re about to do it and you’re like, ‘No, I didn’t.’ That’s different,” he concluded. “But saying he’s more of a man, it’s a very weird and odd thing to say.”
Sterling believes he is ready for the fight regardless of Dillashaw’s past. “He’s one of those guys who will do literally anything to win–and I mean anything, including all kinds of supplements,” says Sterling (21-3). “But I’ve put in the training and studied him, so I know what I’m up against,” said the champion.
The New York native continued, “I know how I want to approach this fight,” Sterling said. “For me, it’s all about the man in the mirror. I need to do the things I’m capable of to win.”
Aside from Yan, Sterling has key victories over Cory Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz, Jimmie Rivera, Cody Stamann and Renan Barao. A win over Dillashaw will likely set him up to defend against Yan or fan-favorite Sean O’Malley who are set to fight of UFC 280.
Dillashaw is coming off a split decision win over Cory Sandhagen last July in a fight that many people believe he lost. However, the fact is the positive drug is what stripped Dillashaw of the bantamweight belt, he never lost the belt in a title defense. He tested positive before and after a fight in which he went down in weight to challenge for the flyweight belt against Henry Cejudo in 2019.
The 36-year-old thinks a win at UFC 280 will be the victory he needs to clean up his legacy and cement his place in history. “I already believe I’m the greatest bantamweight in history,” Dillashaw said. “I’m holding all the records, and I’ll continue to run my reign, but yeah, I think it’ll obviously cement that. But I already believe that. I mean, name a guy that’s got a better resume right now.”
Dillashaw went on to say, “I’m training the right way, and I’m the best in the weight class. I’ve already said it: If I’m in this sport, I’ll be fighting – I haven’t fought under the top five since 2014. I’m up top.”
The former champion is set to remind everyone of his former title dominance. “People forget when you’re not out there competing,” Dillashaw said. “I haven’t competed very much in the last three-and-a-half years. Came back, blew my knee out in my last fight so I haven’t gotten to be very active, they forget about the dominance you had when you were in there, the records you were holding.”
Aside from Sandhagen, Dillashaw has key victories over Cody Garbrandt (twice), John Lineker, Raphael Assuncao and Renan Barao (twice). Overall he has three title defenses but it has been five years since he last claimed the bantamweight championship. Is time working against Dillashaw or does he still have what it takes to be champion?
The rest of the main card:
Bantamweight - #1 Petr Yan vs. #11 Sean O’Malley
Lightweight - #6 Beneil Dariush vs. #9 Mateusz Gamrot
Women's Flyweight - #1 Katlyn Chookagian vs. #6Manon Fiorot
ESPN+ Prelims:
Welterweight - #5 Belal Muhammad vs. #8 Sean Brady
Middleweight - Makhmud Muradov vs. Caio Borralho
Light Heavyweight - #10 Nikita Krylov vs. #8 Volkan Oezdemir
Featherweight - Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lucas Almeida
Welterweight - Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
Middleweight - Armen Petrosyan vs. A.J. Dobson
Flyweight - Muhammad Mokaev vs. Malcolm Gordon
Women's Bantamweight #9 Karol Rosa vs. #12 Lina Länsberg
