The Ultimate Fighting Championship heads back to the Middle East with UFC 280 and a pair of compelling title bouts on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev will do battle over the vacant lightweight crown in the five-round headliner, while Aljamain Sterling defends the undisputed bantamweight championship against T.J. Dillashaw in the co-main event.
Date, Time, Location for UFC 280
UFC 280 “Oliveira vs. Makhachev” goes down on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The main card kicks off at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. The prelims start at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
UFC 280 ‘Oliveira vs. Makhachev’ Tickets
Those in the Abu Dhabi area on Oct. 22 can purchase tickets through Etihad Arena to see UFC 280 in person. The site offers seating options in a variety of price ranges, from $395 to $7,995.
How to Watch UFC 280 Online
Anyone wishing to live stream UFC 280 “Oliveira vs. Makhachev” online will need to buy an ESPN+ membership and purchase the pay-per-view for $74.99. The ESPN-owned streaming service has exclusive rights to UFC live streams, making ESPN+ the only way to view UFC 280 online or on television in the United States. The prelims can be viewed on ESPNews at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. Meanwhile, BT Sport is the lone broadcaster showing UFC 280 “Oliveira vs. Makhachev” live in the United Kingdom. Coverage begins at 5 p.m. BST. Finally, Foxtel TV customers in Australia can stream UFC 280 online by using the Foxtel Go app and may also sign up for Kayo to watch ESPN online.
Order UFC 280 "Oliveira vs. Makhachev" exclusively on ESPN+
UFC 280 Card, Odds
BetUs.com lists Makhachev as a -190 favorite for the main event, with Oliveira as a +155 underdog. In the co-headliner, Sterling is favored at -170, with Dillashaw coming back at +140.
Makhachev, 31, enters the Octagon with the wind of a 10-fight winning streak in his sails. He last appeared at UFC 202, where he buried former King of the Cage champion Bobby Green with punches in the first round of their Feb. 26 confrontation. Makhachev has delivered 14 of his 22 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.
Oliveira, meanwhile, has rattled off 11 consecutive victories. He last fought on May 7, when he submitted onetime World Series of Fighting champion Justin Gaethje with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their UFC 274 encounter. However, Oliveira was forced to surrender the lightweight championship due to his inability to make weight for the match. The 33-year-old Brazilian boasts 30 finishes among his 33 professional wins, with 15 of them having been procured inside one round.
The remainder of the main draw features a bantamweight clash pairing Petr Yan (-275) with Sean O’Malley (+215), a lightweight scrap pitting Mateusz Gamrot (-190) against Beneil Dariush (+155) and a women’s flyweight affair matching Manon Fiorot (-200) with Katlyn Chookagian (+160). Welterweights anchor a loaded eight-fight preliminary slate, as Sean Brady (-135) puts his 15-0 record on the line against Belal Muhammad (+105) at 170 pounds.
More Coverage »
• Preview: The Main Card
• Preview: The Prelims
• Scouting Report: Charles Oliveira
• Scouting Report: Islam Makhachev
• By The Numbers: Sterling vs. Dillashaw
• The Bottom Line: A Smart Play