Dana White announces main and co-main event of UFC 294 including Islam Makhachev’s title defense

UFC president Dana White has announced the main and co-main event of UFC 294 which is set to take place on October 21 in Abu Dhabi.

White announced on social media on Wednesday night that in the main event, Islam Makhachev will be looking to defend his lightweight title as he rematches Charles Oliveira. The two fought last October in Abu Dhabi and it was Makhachev winning by second-round submission to become the new UFC lightweight champion.

UFC Abu Dhabi is OFFICIAL!#UFC294 | @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/i59hmUXfyf

— danawhite (@danawhite) July 20, 2023

Since their fight, Islam Makhachev defended his title one time as he beat Alexander Volkanovski by decision back in February. Charles Oliveira, meanwhile, beat Beneil Dariush by first-round TKO back in June in his lone fight since losing to Makhachev.

RELATED: Alexander Volkanovski has surgery on unbearable elbow injury.

As for the co-main event, UFC president Dana White announced Khamzat Chimaev will be returning to middleweight to face Paulo Costa. ‘Borz’ has not fought since last September when he beat Kevin Holland by first-round submission in a fight he missed weight badly in. Costa, meanwhile, was rumored to fight at UFC 291 against Ikram Aliskerov but that fight never came to fruition. Prior to that, the Brazilian beat Luke Rockhold by decision back in August.

Also, Dana White announced that Aliskerov will fight on that card as he will take on Nassourdine Imaov. Aliskerov, meanwhile, is 1-0 in the UFC as he knocked out Phil Hawes. Imavov, meanwhile, is coming off a No Contest against Chris Curtis and before that lost to Sean Strickland in a main event spot.

UFC 294 is set to go down on October 21 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

With these three fights being announced by Dana White, UFC 294 is as follows:

UFC 294

• Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira – for the lightweight title
• Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev
• Nassourdine Imavov vs. Ikram Aliskerov
• Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev.