Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira in the UFC 280 main event on Saturday to win the vacant lightweight title, following in the footsteps of his childhood friend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Khabib retired unbeaten in 2020, vacating the UFC lightweight strap immediately after retaining it in Abu Dhabi. And it was there that Makhachev won the same belt – almost two years later to the day – submitting Khabib’s literal successor Oliveira to become his fellow Russian’s spiritual successor in the Octagon.
After Khabib’s father and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov died from coronavirus-related complications in July 2020, “The Eagle” fought once more in October of the same year before announcing his retirement from fighting moments after submitting Justin Gaethje. Khabib has since focused on coaching, with the plan always being for Makhachev to eventually take the gold at 155lbs.
Last May, Oliveira won the title vacated by Khabib, and the Brazilian went on to retain it in December. One day before his own scheduled defence against Gaethje this May, however, Oliveira was stripped of the belt after missing weight. Oliveira would submit Gaethje anyway to establish himself as No 1 contender and set up a clash with Makhachev.
That highly-anticipated in-ring meeting played out at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, and it was Makhachev, 31, who came out on top, submitting 33-year-old Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke in Round 2 to win the vacant title.
While Oliveira holds the records for most finishes and most submissions in UFC history, Makhachev got the better of the grappling exchanges – as well as the striking sequences – in the main-event contest.
Makhachev has always employed a wrestling-heavy approach similar to that of Khabib, though his striking has long stood out as more disciplined than the former champion’s. Meanwhile, Oliveira is notorious for his jiu-jitsu skills but has honed his own striking during a 12-year stint in the UFC. “Do Bronx” carried an 11-fight win streak into UFC 280, while Makhachev had won his last 10, but the latter has now matched the Brazilian’s run.
The fight began with Oliveira looking to pressure Makhachev as is typical for the 33-year-old, but the Russian stayed calm and took down his opponent with a body lock early in the first round. Oliveira attempted submissions intermittently while also throwing elbows from beneath Makhachev, who in turn rained down punches.
Oliveira was eventually able to create space and stand, before controlling Makhachev against the fence. The Russian soon took down “Do Bronx” again, though, and ended the first round in control.
The pattern of the fight continued in the second round, until Makhachev dropped Oliveira with a right hook after the Brazilian missed with a jumping knee.
Makhachev immediately smothered Oliveira on the mat, showing little respect for the 33-year-old’s reputation on the canvas, and the Russian swiftly locked in an arm-triangle choke, which forced Oliveira to tap out.
In the co-main event, TJ Dillashaw attempted to battle through a dislocated shoulder in his bantamweight title fight with Aljamain Sterling, but the former champion was largely ineffective and ultimately fell to a second-round TKO loss, as Sterling retained the belt.
In the evening’s previous fight, rising 135lbs star Sean O’Malley won a controversial decision against former bantamweight champion Petr Yan.
Full UFC 280 results
Islam Makhachev def. Charles Oliveira via second-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 3:16)
Aljamain Sterling def. TJ Dillashaw via second-round TKO (punches, elbows; 3:44)
Sean O’Malley def. Petr Yan via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Beneil Dariush def. Mateusz Gamrot via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Manon Fiorot def. Katlyn Chookagian via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Belal Muhammad def. Sean Brady via second-round TKO (punches, 4:40)
Caio Borralho def. Makhmud Muradov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Nikita Krylov def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Abubakar Nurmagomedov def. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Armen Petrosyan def. AJ Dobson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Muhammad Mokaev def. Malcolm Gordon via third-round submission (armbar, 4:26)
Karol Rosa def. Lina Lansberg via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)
