Islam Makhachev scored one of the biggest statement wins in recent MMA history at UFC 280, submitting Charles Oliveira in the second round to claim the vacant lightweight championship.
Makhachev won every area of the fight from the opening bell, landing good shots on the feet and scoring an early takedown. Oliveira, the UFC's all-time leader in submission victories, threatened with a few submission attempts but did not manage to lock anything in due to Makhachev's superior positioning.
islam makhachev vs charles oliveira
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Makhachev also landed a few punches in the opening frame that seemed to rock Oliveira. The same thing would happen in the second round, but this time Makhachev did not allow Oliveira to survive.
After a right hand sent Oliveira to the canvas, Makhachev followed and quickly locked in an arm-triangle choke that forced Oliveira to tap out at the 3:16 mark of Round 2.

After the fight, Makhachev, along with coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, called featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski to the ring to make an official challenge to face him for the lightweight belt in Australia.

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