UFC® will be back in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 21, for another action-packed night of fights at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island as part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week’s 5th edition.
The main event will see UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev defend his belt in a rematch against former title holder and No.1 ranked contender Charles Oliveira. With the champion Makhachev winning his last 12 bouts and the challenger Oliveria winning 12 of his last 13, including finishes over Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier, this will be guaranteed fireworks inside the Octagon. Abu Dhabi will also see the highly anticipated return of Khamzat Chimaev as he moves back up to middleweight to take on No.7 ranked contender, Paulo Costa.
UFC® 294: MAKHACHEV vs OLIVEIRA 2 tickets go on public sale at 12:00 p.m. GST on Friday, July 21 at Etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae.
VIP Experience packages are currently available via On Location, the UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Enjoy exclusive access with an official ticket package that can feature premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, exclusive pre-fight hospitality, UFC Fighter meet-and-greets and more. For more information, visit UFCVIP.com to view package details.
Hotel packages are also currently available via yasisland.com and present an opportunity for both international and regional fans to immerse themselves in the various offerings of Abu Dhabi during a week filled with Abu Dhabi Showdown Week activations.
Additional Bouts on the card include:
- No. 2 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) returns to action looking to make a statement against No. 5 Johnny Walker (Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) in a bout with title implications on the line
- No.13 ranked UFC middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov (12-4, fighting out of Paris, France) will return to the Octagon to face Ikram Aliskerov (14-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia).
- UFC veteran and No. 10 ranked flyweight contender Tim Elliott (20-12-1, fighting out of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, USA) plans to become the first person to defeat rising prospect No. 11 ranked Mohammad Mokaev (10-0 1NC, fighting out of Manchester, England, UK)
UFC® 294: MAKHACHEV vs OLIVEIRA 2 will be the latest event held as part of a longstanding partnership between the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation, and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). The 5th edition of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week will see a series of city-wide activations including fan events, fighter meet and greets, fitness challenges, nightlife parties, F&B offering and much more.
Abu Dhabi has established itself as one of the world’s premier sporting locations, with the UFC being one of the annual highlights. Last year, tickets sold out in record time and with a white-hot atmosphere on the night, local favourite Islam Makhachev was able to capture the lightweight title and deliver one of the UAE capital’s most iconic sporting moments of 2022 in front of a packed-out Etihad Arena.
In recent years, Abu Dhabi has played host to some of the UFC’s most memorable events, featuring stars such as Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Aljamain Sterling, Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, Dustin Poirier and Sean O’Malley.
Visit UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage. All bouts are live and subject to change.
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