The card that unfolds in Abu Dhabi this weekend isn’t what fans were expecting when UFC 294 was first announced. In a rare silver lining, it might actually be better.
Initially, Islam Makhachev was set to defend his lightweight title in a rematch with Charles Oliveira, while Khamzat Chimaev was booked for a middleweight fight with Paulo Costa. With injuries to both Oliveira and Costa coming barely over a week out from the event, however, Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman have stepped in as replacements.
While Makhachev vs. Oliveira 2 was interesting, Makhachev vs. Volkanovski was the closer fight, and the sequel is a welcome change, with apologies to “Do Bronx” who should still have a title shot waiting for him when he’s healthy. As for Chimaev vs. Usman, that fight has been talked about for over a year, as a welterweight match-up. Now, fans are getting it at middleweight.
Weigh-ins for UFC 294 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi get underway at 1AM ET on Friday, October 20, 2023. Full results can be found below.
Two fighters missed weight at Friday’s UFC 294 official weigh-ins, by vastly different margins. Victoria Dudakova came in at 117lbs, then used a barrier, stripped down, but was still 116.6lbs — 0.6lbs over the strawweight non-title limit.
It was later relayed that Dudakova would not weigh in again, despite hitting the scale early in the weigh-in window. As for Mike Breeden, he weighed in last and came it 3.5lbs over the lightweight limit.
UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski Weigh-In Results
Main card
Lightweight: Islam Makhachev (c) (155) vs. Alexander Volkanovski (154.5) — for the UFC lightweight championship
Middleweight: Kamaru Usman (184.5) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (185.5)
Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev (206) vs. Johnny Walker (205)
Middleweight: Ikram Aliskerov (186) vs. Warlley Alves (185.5)
Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov (136) vs. Muin Gafurov (135.5)
Preliminary card
Flyweight: Tim Elliott (126) vs. Muhammad Mokaev (126)
Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (156) vs. Trevor Peek (155.5)
Bantamweight: Javid Basharat (136) vs. Victor Henry (136)
Middleweight: Abu Azaitar (186) vs. Sedriques Dumas (186)
Lightweight: Mike Breeden (159.5)** vs. Anshul Jubli (155.5)
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (146) vs. Muhammad Naimov (145.5)
Women’s Strawweight: Victoria Dudakova (116.6)* vs. Jinh Yu Frey (116)
Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov (186) vs. Bruno Silva (186)
Lightweight: Mateus Gamrot (155) — back-up fighter
* Dudakova missed weight by 0.6lbs using the barrier, and did not weigh in a second time.
** Breeden missed weight by 3.5lbs
