| UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | October 21, 2023 (2023-10-21) | |||
| Venue | Etihad Arena | |||
| City | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |||
| Attendance | Not announced[1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 was amixed martial arts event produced by theUltimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 21, 2023, at theEtihad Arena inAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[2]
The event marked the promotion's 18th visit to Abu Dhabi and first sinceUFC 280 in October 2022.[2]
AUFC Lightweight Championship rematch between current championIslam Makhachev and former championCharles Oliveira was expected to headline the event.[3] The pair previously met atUFC 280 one year prior, where Makhachev captured the vacant title by second round submission.[4] However, Oliveira withdrew due to injury and was replaced byUFC Featherweight ChampionAlexander Volkanovski.[5] 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, followingUFC 94,UFC 205,UFC 226,UFC 232,UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw,UFC 259,UFC 277 andUFC 284, the latter event in which Makhachev defeated Volkanovski by unanimous decision.[6] If successful, Volkanovski would have become the fifth person to be champion in two divisions simultaneously (afterConor McGregor at UFC 205,Daniel Cormier at UFC 226,Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 and UFC 277, andHenry Cejudo atUFC 238), as well as the eighth person overall to win a title in different divisions. FormerKSW Featherweight andLightweight ChampionMateusz Gamrot served as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[7]
A middleweight bout betweenIkram Aliskerov andNassourdine Imavov was expected to take place at the event.[8] However, Imavov withdrew due to visa issues and was replaced byThe Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 middleweight winnerWarlley Alves.[9]
A middleweight bout between formerUFC Middleweight Championship challengerPaulo Costa andKhamzat Chimaev was expected to take place at the event.[10] However, Costa withdrew after he underwent surgery on his elbow and was replaced by formerUFC Welterweight ChampionKamaru Usman.[11]
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 formerInvicta FC Atomweight ChampionJinh Yu Frey andRoad to UFC Season 1 lightweight tournament winnerAnshul Jubli, respectively.[12]
| Main card | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lightweight | Islam Makhachev (c) | def. | Alexander Volkanovski | KO (head kick and punches) | 1 | 3:06 | [a] |
| Middleweight | Khamzat Chimaev | def. | Kamaru Usman | Decision (majority) (29–27, 29–27, 28–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Magomed Ankalaev | vs. | Johnny Walker | No Contest (illegal knee) | 1 | 3:13 | [b] |
| Middleweight | Ikram Aliskerov | def. | Warlley Alves | TKO (flying knee and punches) | 1 | 2:07 | |
| Bantamweight | Said Nurmagomedov | def. | Muin Gafurov | Submission (guillotine choke) | 1 | 1:13 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN+) | |||||||
| Flyweight | Muhammad Mokaev | def. | Tim Elliott | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 3 | 3:03 | |
| Lightweight | Trevor Peek | def. | Mohammad Yahya | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Bantamweight | Javid Basharat | vs. | Victor Henry | No Contest (accidental groin kick) | 2 | 0:15 | [c] |
| Middleweight | Sedriques Dumas | def. | Abu Azaitar | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (159.5 lb) | Mike Breeden | def. | Anshul Jubli | KO (punches) | 3 | 3:00 | |
| Featherweight | Muhammad Naimov | def. | Nathaniel Wood | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (116.6 lb) | Victoria Dudakova | def. | Jinh Yu Frey | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Sharabutdin Magomedov | def. | Bruno Silva | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[14]
