UFC 280 LIVE results: Islam Makhachev submits Charles Oliveira to win lightweight title

Follow live reaction as Makhachev claims the vacant lightweight title with a second-round win over former champion Oliveira

UFC 280: Dan Hardy suggests Khabib's presence puts added pressure on Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira in the UFC 280 main event on Saturday to win the vacant lightweight title, following in the footsteps of his childhood friend Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib retired unbeaten in 2020, vacating the UFC lightweight strap immediately after retaining it in Abu Dhabi. And it was there that Makhachev won the same belt – almost two years later to the day – submitting Khabib’s literal successor Oliveira to become his fellow Russian’s spiritual successor in the Octagon. Last May, Oliveira won the title vacated by Khabib, and the Brazilian went on to retain it in December. One day before his own scheduled defence against Gaethje this May, however, Oliveira was stripped of the belt after missing weight. Oliveira would submit Gaethje anyway to establish himself as No 1 contender and set up a clash with Makhachev.

That highly-anticipated in-ring meeting played out at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, and it was Makhachev, 31, who came out on top, submitting 33-year-old Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke in Round 2 to win the vacant title. In the co-main event, TJ Dillashaw attempted to battle through a dislocated shoulder in his bantamweight title fight with Aljamain Sterling, but the former champion was largely ineffective and ultimately fell to a second-round TKO loss, as Sterling retained the belt. In the evening’s previous fight, rising 135lbs star Sean O’Malley won a controversial decision against former bantamweight champion Petr Yan. Follow live reaction from UFC 280 below.

UFC 280 LIVE

• Makhachev def. Oliveira via second-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 3:16)
• Sterling def. Dillashaw via second-round TKO (punches, elbows; 3:44)
• O’Malley def. Yan via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• Dariush def. Gamrot via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Fiorot def. Chookagian via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Plus all the prelim results as Muhammad stops Brady

[22 October 2022 20:26 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

There really is a big-fight feel around this bout.

[22 October 2022 20:25 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Yan is out now, the No 1-ranked bantamweight in the UFC.

Meanwhile, O’Malley is ranked 11th.

[22 October 2022 20:22 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

During the opponents’ first face-off this week, Yan, 29, shoved O’Malley to add a little extra spice to this contest.

[22 October 2022 20:21 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

[22 October 2022 20:21 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

O’Malley is out first.

[22 October 2022 20:20 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Russian Yan last fought in April, failing to regain the bantamweight belt from Aljamain Sterling – the man to whom he lost the gold via DQ last year – after coming up short on points in a very close fight.

Meanwhile, “Sugar” Sean O’Malley is 15-1 (1 No Contest). The American’s last fight ended as a No Contest in July, but prior to that the 27-year-old was on a three-fight win streak.

He is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, but Yan marks a huge step-up in competition for him.

[22 October 2022 20:15 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Next up, former bantamweight champion Petr Yan takes on rising star Sean O’Malley!

[22 October 2022 20:14 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Eight straight wins for Dariush!

He retains his No 6 spot at lightweight and may even climb this week...

[22 October 2022 20:11 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Beneil Dariush def. Mateusz Gamrot via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

[22 October 2022 20:09 · Alex Pattle]

UFC 280 LIVE

Dariush vs Gamrot – Round 3

More terrific takedown defence from Dariush.

We’ll go to the judges’ scorecards.