Shavkat Rakhmonov needed a new opponent for UFC 254 after the withdrawal of Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos and now he has one because Alex Oliveira has accepted the short notice opportunity.
AG Fight first reported the news.
Rakhmonov (12-0-0) is making his UFC debut in this bout and does so with an undefeated streak that has lasted almost six years. Rakhmonov has competed 12 times as a professional MMA fighter with all of those bouts either coming in M-1 Challenge or KZMMAF. Rakhmonov has picked up seven of 12 wins by KO/TKO, with the rest coming by way of submission.
Oliveira (22-8-1-2NC) enters the bout riding a two fight winning streak, defeating the duo of Max Griffin and Peter Sobotta. Oliveira hasn’t been defeated in over a year, as his last loss came to Nicolas Dalby in September of 2019. Oliveira has won just one of four fights on UFC pay-per-view events, with his lone victory coming at UFC 248.
UFC 254 takes place on Saturday, October 24 from Fight Island in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
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