Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is out of his main event bout against Islam Makhachev. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has accepted the fight on short notice.
First reported by Overdogs Podcast and later confirmed by ESPN Deportes’ Carlos Legaspi.
Dana White then reported that Oliveira suffered a cut and is out of the fight at his post-DWCS press conference.
“Yes. All of that is true,” White told reporters at his presser.
“Round 5 of sparring last night before he’s supposed to jump on a plane today splits his eyebrow wide open and had it stitched up last night. Can’t fly out there with that.”
White went on to say that Oliveira’s team did not call the UFC until after he was stitched up with seemed to rub the UFC president the wrong way.
“They didn’t call us. We would have had him go to a plastic surgeon that would have sowed it from the inside out. Get that thing done the right way. These guys never call us like they should when something happens. They call us after they get it stitched up,” he said.
“But on the flip side too I can see him not wanting to risk it. Getting a shot like this.”
Volkanovski has indeed accepted the bout on short notice.
“The Volkanovski crew, I mean him and Israel (Adesanya) these guys are just absolute studs man. He jumps in and he accepts the fight,” White said.
“One fight falls out, and we end up making a fight that’s one of the most anticipated rematches ever in that weight class.”
Can confirm: Charles Oliveira is OUT of his #UFC294 title Fight. UFC working on the rematch between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski as the new main event.
News was first reported by Overdogs podcast on instragam.
— Carlos Contreras Legaspi 🦁 (@CCLegaspi) October 11, 2023
Oliveria (34-9) was expected to face Makhachev in their own rematch in Abu Dhabi, but has pulled from the fight. No reason as to why he was forced to do so as of this posting.
Stepping in his place is Volkanovski who faced Makhachev at UFC 284 in his first bid to become a two-division champion. Volkanovski was turned away by Makhachev by decision which was hotly debated among fans and fighters alike.
Now Volkanovski gets his chance at redemption and a second shot at being the next UFC champ-champ.
Makhachev has not fought since that bout in Perth this last February. Although Volkanovski basically demanded a rematch he knew it would be tough to get and Makhachev opted to face Oliveira instead.
Now the rematch is upon us in just a matter of over 11 days in what is one of the most anticipated rematches ever.
Keep it locked to Cageside Press as this story develops.
