Islam Makhachev pulled off a sensational submission win over Charles Oliveira to win the lightweight title and Aljamain Sterling beat TJ Dillashaw by TKO to efficiently defend his bantamweight belt at UFC 280 at the Etihad Arena on Saturday.
Makhachev capped his ascent to the lightweight throne with a superb win by arm triangle choke towards Brazilian Oliveira, the holder of the UFC file for submission wins with 16.
Oliveira was stripped of the lightweight belt in May when he missed the burden for his title conflict with Justin Gaethje and although he beat the American the title remained vacant, organising the showdown with Russian Makhachev.
That tactic regarded prefer it was paying off till he was decked by a punch from Makhachev, who wasted no time leaping on his opponent, locking within the choke and forcing the faucet for Oliveira.
Makhachev devoted the win to his late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who died in 2020, saying: “Many years in the past he informed me simply practice arduous and I shall be champion,” earlier than handing the belt to Khabib Nurmagomedov who took over from his father because the Russian’s coach and is himself a former UFC lightweight champion.
His eleventh submission win strikes the 31-year-old Makhachev on to a file of 23 wins and one loss as a professional.
All in accordance to father’s plan ❤️ <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC280?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#UFC280</a> <a href=”https://t.co/tQ8BgIyEpq”>pic.twitter.com/tQ8BgIyEpq</a>
—@ufc
In the co-main occasion Dillashaw, who had to hand over the belt and serve a two-year suspension after testing optimistic for EPO in 2019, suffered a dislocated shoulder early within the first spherical however one way or the other made it by the primary body.
“I in all probability popped it out about 20 occasions in coaching camp… I informed the ref within the again that my shoulder might be going to pop out, we’ll put it again so if it does do not cease [the fight],” American Dillashaw stated in his post-fight interview.
In the primary card’s different huge struggle, American Sean O’Malley received an in depth cut up choice over Russian Petr Yan after a three-round brawl to put himself in pole place for a shot at the bantamweight title.
Canadian flyweight Gordon loses by way of submission
Muhammad Mokaev submitted Canadian flyweight Malcolm Gordon with 34 seconds remaining within the third spherical on the UFC 280 undercard Saturday.
The unbeaten Mokaev, who was born in Russia however fights out of Manchester, England, was a minus-1200 favorite to win. And whereas he dominated on the bottom, he failed to do a lot injury from prime place.
Gordon (14-6-0) proved to be a prickly opponent with a sound defence off his again. He resisted Mokaev till the dying seconds when the 2 fighters tangled at the fence. Mokaev (9-0-0 with one no-contest) locked in an armbar, forcing Gordon to faucet.
“To be sincere I underestimated this man,” stated the 22-year-old Mokaev, an achieved wrestler. “I can not do that any extra when there’s 10 years [age] distinction.
“But I do know I’m snug on the bottom in all places. This guys’s a black belt [in Brazilian jiu-jitsu]. I simply acquired my purple belt. I do not give a [expletive] what belt he has.”
Mokaev was credited with 10 minutes 18 seconds of management time, in contrast to 2:49 for Gordon.
The 32-year-old Gordon, a local of Calgary who now calls Toronto dwelling, got here out swinging within the first spherical. Mokaev punched again after which took the Canadian down to the bottom.
Gordon acquired again up however went down once more, preventing off an tried choke. Mokaev spent the remainder of the spherical in management, on prime of Gordon.
The second spherical was extra of the identical, with Mokaev on prime of Gordon. The Canadian defended nicely from under however Mokaev continued to pile up factors.
Gordon confirmed some offence from his again, making an attempt for a triangle choke within the remaining minute of the spherical. And he was shut to locking up a rear-naked choke when the spherical ended.
Gordon rushed in to begin the third, solely to be taken down once more instantly. He reversed place and slammed Mokaev to the bottom 90 seconds within the spherical and took his again, on the lookout for a submission.
Mokaev fought him off and finally acquired again to his toes, dumping Gordon to the bottom at the fence.
Mokaev was good on six of seven takedown makes an attempt whereas Gordon was one-for-one, in accordance to UFC Stats.
With many of the struggle contested on the bottom and Gordon defending nicely, Mokaev completed with a slim 21-17 edge in vital strikes. He had a 119-38 benefit in complete strikes.
Gordon was coming off wins over Ukraine’s Denys Bondar and Brazil’s Francisco Figueiredo. He misplaced his UFC debut by submission to Sweden’s Amir Albazi in July 2021.
Mokaev had received his two earlier UFC fights, defeating Americans Cody Durden and Charles Johnson.