UFC 280: Will Makhachev's era begin or can Oliveira reign again?

Islam Makhachev has marched relentlessly towards the title but Charles Oliveira’s box of tricks will be giving him sleepless nights… can Khabib’s protege create his own legacy or will the brilliant Brazilian reign again at UFC 280?

• Islam Makhachev has been seemingly marching towards the title for some time
• But in Charles Oliveira he faces an opponent who can beat him in many ways 
• The UFC 280 showdown between the pair is fascinating tactically and mentally 
• Can Makhachev shed the spectre of mentor Khabib or will the Brazilian triumph?

Few fighters have been earmarked as champions-elect with as much conviction as Islam Makhachev. 

Known for a significant portion of his career as the next iteration of Khabib Nurmagomedov, and now his mentor has retired – the Dagestani heir apparent as lightweight champion, his destiny was pre-set in the eyes of many fans.

Makhachev carries the weight of a lineage started by Khabib’s late father Abdulmanap and there is enormous internal, as well as external pressure for the 31-year-old. 

Charles Oliveira (right) and Islam Makhachev will lock horns when they meet at UFC 280

Makhachev has the pressure of expectation and Khabib Nurmagomedov will be in his corner  

Saturday night should, if all goes to plan for the Russian, be the final step of a journey that has moved inexorably towards the top. 

But obstructing his way is perhaps the UFC’s most entertaining fighter. Charles Oliveira possesses a box of tricks like no other. 

He’s 12-1 record since returning to lightweight in 2017 has more submission wins (16) than anyone else in UFC history and one of only two fighters to finish opponents on the ground with six different techniques – the other being Frank Mir. 

Stripped of his title for missing weight prior to the win over Justin Gaethje, Oliveira is still seen by most fans as the real champion even though the belt is technically vacant. 

Charles Oliveira submitted Justin Gaethje in the first round of their fight back in May

The way he has dealt with Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier and Gaethje has been immensely impressive. 

And if there’s one fighter in the division who Makhachev may fear on the ground, it is the multi-talented Brazilian. 

Both camps are bullish about their fighter’s chances. 

Khabib said: ‘This is what Islam is gonna do with Charles Oliveira: he’s gonna ride him, how you ride your horse. Save this because a lot of people underestimate Islam.

‘They think Charles Oliveira has a ground game. He doesn’t have a ground game. 

‘If you tap eight times in UFC, how can you say you have a ground game? You tapped eight times.’

But Oliveira’s coach, Diego Lima, thinks Khabib’s influence is too heavy and his words will end up hurting Makhachev rather than lifting him up. 

Lima also believes his man will secure a finish before the third round. 

He told MMA Fighting: ‘Charles is stronger than him, and Charles has more techniques than him, so that doesn’t scare me.

‘Because if Makhachev brings him to the floor, Charles will beat him. And if Makhachev tries to stay up, Charles will knock him out.

‘It’s going to be in the first or second round, a knockout.’ 

Oliveira has looked sensational back at lightweight and demolished the competition 

Khabib believes Makhachev’s skills are underrated despite him being favourite to win 

He added: ‘That’s not good what Khabib is doing, that psychological thing, because he’s a very good guy, a very good fighter, and he was never that guy that was trash talking and things like that.

‘It’s not good for Makhachev, because he needed Khabib to get the belt, and Makhachev doesn’t need that, because he’s a good fighter too. 

‘Khabib brought a very big responsibility for Makhachev, because after Saturday when Makhachev loses, what is he gonna do? Is he coming back? Is he fighting again?’

Assuming Oliveira makes weight this time, the former champion will know full well how difficult a scrap this will be and the longer it goes, the worse his odds are. 

Makhachev has a relentless engine and oppressive top game. His striking is widely regarded to be on another level to Khabib when the inevitable comparisons are made between the pair too. 

The stats are frightening. Makhachev lands 58.9 percent of his significant strikes – only behind Gaethje in divisional history. 

The Brazilian has been acclimatising in Abu Dhabi ahead of the huge meeting on Saturday

For a fighter best known for his wrestling, that’s an astonishing figure. 

Unlike Gaethje, Makhachev’s defensive skills are also elite. He absorbs 0.84 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the best rate in company history.

So hand lands plenty and avoids much of what comes back his way, largely down to the amount of time he spends in dominant positions on the ground. 

But if Makhachev opts to stand and exchange on the feet with Oliveira, we could be in for a real treat. 

He’s on a nine-fight winning streak and is absolutely the right man to be challenging. And yet, there is the fascinating added dimension to Saturday’s fight that Alexander Volkanovski, pound-for-pound No 1, is in town. 

He’s flown in from Australia purely to make weight and be a reserve if either of the main men are beaten by the scales. 

That would be an astonishing turn of events but one the Aussie is primed and ready for in what he hopes would be an attempt to be two-weight champ. 

Alexander Volkanovski is in Abu Dhabi just in case one of the fighters doesn’t make weight 

‘That’s obviously why I put myself in this position,’ he told MMA Junkie. Put it this way, I prepared for this. A lot of people are thinking I’m doing it just to — just in case. 

‘It’s not just so no one takes the opportunity away from me. That’s why I did do it, but I made sure I’m still prepared and ready.

‘We trained hard,’ continued Volkanovski. ‘I still put the work in. It was a limited camp, but I’ve been — even in the cast, I was training pretty hard thinking I reckon I would be going to Abu Dhabi, so I wanted my cardio to be up to scratch. 

‘And then as soon as it was off and as soon as I was allowed to have the contact, I got stuck into it. I’m literally treating this as if I’m in camp, so it’s good to hear that from the big boss.’

Perhaps Volkanovski will lie in wait for the winner if he doesn’t have the chance to put the gloves on this weekend. 

The bookies have Makhachev as a slim favourite over Oliveira but the Brazilian has been underdog in plenty of his recent battles. 

Oliveira landed some heavy shots on Gaethje, who said he was hurt early and often

It is a tag he relishes but is under no illusion about the task ahead, which looks great than any of his challenges as champion.  

Oliveira vs Makhachev is on paper at least, the fight of the year, atop the card of the year so far. 

It promises to be an epic encounter and Sportsmail will be on hand to provide live updates throughout fight night on Saturday into the small hours of Sunday morning.  

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