The UFC is back in Abu Dhabi. The promotion is set to host UFC 280 on Saturday night from the now famous Yas Island with arguably its deepest fight card of the year in tow. Headlining this massive event is a lightweight title bout between former champion Charles Oliveira and rising contender Islam Makhachev. The pair have won a combined 21 fights in a row and both posses incredible ground games that lead to finishes.
“I just prepare for the hard fight always,” Makhachev told CBS Sports. “I don’t want to say this will be an easy match or something like that because I have to give this guy respect. He has come from a hard life. A hard way because he has many hard fights in the UFC. He did not from the easy way.
“I have to respect Charles but I cannot respect some people like Michael Chandler who talk too much. Who has [Chandler] beat? He beat just Tony Ferguson, who almost retired — he has to retire but he’s still fighting. And he beat Dan Hooker. [Chandler] is 2-2 in the UFC and he keeps trying to get a title fight. It’s not working like that.”
In addition to the wild main event, the co-feature also sees a title on the line in a matchup sure to grab fan’s eyes. Bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling is set to take on former titleholder TJ Dillashaw. It will be Sterling’s second defense of the 135-pound title and first since his two-fight series with Petr Yan. Dillashaw is back after undergoing knee surgery in 2021 and serving a two-year USADA suspension that cost him the title.
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Below is the announced fight card for UFC 280 along with the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook. This page will be updated as the rest of the undercard fills out.
UFC 280 fight card, odds
- Islam Makhachev -190 vs. Charles Oliveira +160, vacant lightweight title
- Aljamain Sterling (c) -175 vs. TJ Dillashaw +150, bantamweight title
- Petr Yan -270 vs. Sean O’Malley +220, bantamweights
- Matuesz Gamrot -190 vs. Beneil Dariush +160, lightweights
- Manon Fiorot -210 vs. Katlyn Chookagian +175, women’s flyweights
- Sean Brady -140 vs. Belal Muhammad +120, welterweights
- Caio Borralho -200 vs. Makhmud Muradov +170, middleweights
- Nikita Krylov -170 vs. Volkan Oezdemir +145, light heavyweights
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov -165 vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev +140, welterweights
- Armen Petrosyan -220 vs. A.J. Dobson +180, middleweights
- Muhammad Mokaev -1000 vs. Malcolm Gordon +650, flyweights
- Karol Rosa -300 vs. Lina Lansberg +240, women’s bantamweights
UFC 280 info
- Date: Oct. 22
- Location: Etihad Arena — Abu Dhabi
- Start time: 2 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: ESPN+ PPV
UFC 280 countdown
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