The main event of UFC 294 has changed.
UFC President Dana White confirmed reports by Overdogs Podcast that former champion Charles Oliveira was sidelined with an injury. In his place, Feathwerweight Champion Alexander Volkanovkski will step in on 11 days notice to compete against Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 294.
"The Volkanovski crew, him and Israel [Adesanya], these guys are absolute studs," White stated at the post-show news conference after Dana White's Contender Series on October 10.
White stated that Oliveira sustained a cut to his eyebrow in his last sparring round of fight camp Monday night. Though he was to fly to Abu Dhabi for the fight on October 10, the cut needed stitches and forced Oliveira out of the fight.
Makhachev and Volkanovski competed at UFC 284 in February, with Makhachev winning a very close unanimous decision in one of the most well regarded fights of the year thus far. Although media scores were largely in favor of Makhachev, audience scores on MMADecisions only had 51 percent picking him as winning that fight, with 44 percent going to Volkanovski, and 3 percent as a draw.
UFC 294 takes place on October 21 from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
