Islam Makhachev claimed the vacant lightweight title on an eventful night at UFC 280 on Saturday.
The Russian, trained by UFC legend and former lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov, locked in a decisive arm-triangle choke to submit former champion Charles Oliveira in the second round of the main event of a stacked fight card in Abu Dhabi.
Oliveira had previously reigned as champion after beating Michael Chandler last May, only to become the first fighter in the promotion’s history to lose his belt on the scales after missing weight before his win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 earlier this year, when he was not permitted to win back the title.
“I told everybody my goal, ‘I have to finish this guy in the ground,’ and I did it,” an emotional Makhachev said after his career-best victory.
“I just want to say this, my belt, is for Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Many years ago he told me just train hard and you are going to be champion.
“I want to give this belt… him [Khabib] and his father, they made me.”
In the co-main event of the evening at the Etihad Arena, Aljamain Sterling retained his bantamweight belt with a second-round stoppage of veteran two-time champion T.J. Dillashaw, who dislocated his left shoulder early on.
There was also a controversial victory for popular bantamweight ‘Sugar’ Sean O'Malley, who edged a highly-contentious split decision after a gruelling three-round battle with Petr Yan.
Elsewhere on the main card at UFC 280, Beneil Dariush further pressed his claims for a lightweight title shot by outpointing Mateusz Gamrot, while in a catchweight contest Manon Fiorot overcame Katlyn Chookagian, who was the only fighter on the card to miss weight on Friday.
In the prelims, Belal Muhammad stopped Sean Brady, while there were decisions wins for Caio Borralho, Nikita Krylov, Khabib’s cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Armen Petrosyan and Karol Rosa, while Muhammad Mokaev submitted Malcolm Gordon in a men’s flyweight encounter.
