UFC 280 LIVE results: Islam Makhachev submits Charles Oliveira to win lightweight title
Follow live reaction as Makhachev claims the vacant lightweight title with a second-round win over former champion Oliveira
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. 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. 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. Follow live reaction from UFC 280 below.
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev admits: “I underestimated this guy, I can’t do that again.”
He adds: “I just got my purple belt [in jiu-jitsu], this guy’s a black belt; I don’t give a s*** what belt he has.”
UFC 280 LIVE
Muhammad Mokaev def. Malcolm Gordon via third-round submission (armbar, 4:26).
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 3
Mokaev is now the one to take the back... he slips slightly but adjusts his approach and goes for an armbar...
And he gets the tap! Mokaev wins!
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 3
Gordon comes at Mokaev again straight away, and he’s swiftly taken down. Not the wisest choice...
But Gordon stands, gets behind Mokaev and dumps the youngster to the mat!
Again he takes the back. He’s got both leg hooks in and is once more trying for a rear naked choke!
He loses the position but ends up in full guard.
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 2
Mokaev is working on a D’Arce choke now... but Gordon wriggles free and ends up on top for the first time today!
Mokaev tries for a triangle choke, while Gordon rains down punches...
The pair scramble and Gordon eventually takes the Briton’s back! He locks in a rear naked choke just before the buzzer...
Wow, was Mokaev saved by the buzzer there?
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 2
Gordon comes forward with jabs, but Mokaev evades with his hands low. He shimmies a little to mock the Canadian, then misses with a spinning back kick.
A side kick to the body now lands for Mokaev, who follows it with a flashier kicking effort... Not sure how wise that was, as Gordon is unperturbed and presses forward with a flurry of punches...
But Mokaev reacts by resorting to his best asset: wrestling. He takes down Gordon again and takes control against the fence.
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 1
Mokaev is largely focusing on advancing his grappling position, but he does now throw a couple of punches.
Gordon is doing a decent job at neutralising the 22-year-old, for now at least...
In any case, Mokaev ends the first round on top.
UFC 280 LIVE
Mokaev vs Gordon – Round 1
Mokaev looks very relaxed. He lands a couple of early body kicks as Gordon backs him up.
Gordon is a very fast starter, and he’s coming at Mokaev now. Mokaev with a jumping knee and head kick. Gordon fires back, and Mokaev rolls away!
He stands and grapples Gordon against the fence, soon dragging the Canadian to the mat. Mokaev briefly tries for a guillotine choke... Gordon escapes, and then does the same on Mokaev’s next attempt.
“Mokaev” is the chant in Abu Dhabi. The Briton is now in Gordon’s full guard.
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