UFC 280: Makhachev chokes Oliveira to clinch title; Sterling retains Bantamweight belt

UFC fans were up for a treat this weekend, as the biggest MMA match card of 2022 was unveiled at the UFC 280 pay-per-view (PPV) event, in the Etihad Arena, Yas Island, UAE. In the main event, Islam Makhachev picked up his 11th consecutive win after submitting former champion Charles Oliveira in the Round 2 of the bout. Courtesy of the win, MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov’s compatriot Islam became the new undisputed lightweight UFC champion. 

Oliveira’s 11-streak fight ended with the loss to Makhachev in a fight that featured two wrestlers with 10+ win streaks, for the first time in UFC history. Makhachev dominated Oliveira in the octagon and proved what he and Khabib claimed about the fighter. Being a former champion Oliveira had loads of expectations but Makhachev was all over him during the fight at UFC 280. 

Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling TKOs TJ Dillashaw

In the co-main event, Aljamain Sterling knocked out former champion TJ Dillashaw by striking at 3:44 of Round 2 and retained his bantamweight title. The main card also featured the bantamweight match between Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan. O’Malley delivered brilliantly with a split-decision win. Yan looked to be ahead of the Suga show on many occasions during the bout, but O’Malley made his point and now might set his eye on the title. Beneil Dariush's unanimous decision win against Mateusz Gamrot was also one of the highlights of the stacked fight card.

UFC 280 Oliveira vs Makhachev: Main card results

• Main Event: Islam Makhachev defeats Charles Oliveira - Submission win (arm triangle choke) at 3:17 of Round 2
• Co-Main Event: Aljamain Sterling defeats TJ Dillashaw - TKO win (strikes) at 3:44 of Round 2
• Sean O’Malley defeats Petr Yan - Split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Beneil Dariush defeats Mateusz Gamrot - Unanimous decision win (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Manon Fiorot defeats Katlyn Chookagian - Unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC 280 Oliveira vs Makhachev: Preliminary card results

• Belal Muhammad defeats Sean Brady - TKO win (strikes) at 4:47 of Round 2
• Caio Borralho defeats Makhmud Muradov - Unanimous decision win (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Nikita Krylov defeats Volkan Oezdemir - Unanimous decision win (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Abubakar Nurmagomedov defeats Gadzhi Omargadzhiev - Unanimous decision win (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
• Armen Petrosyan defeats AJ Dobson - Unanimous decision win (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Muhammad Mokaev defeats Malcolm Gordon - Submission win (armbar) at 4:26 of Round 3 
• Karol Rosa defeats Lina Lansberg - Majority decision win (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)