Christmas came very early for UFC 294. A championship super fight was not on the cards at the start of October, yet Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 now headlines the company's pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
It was a whirlwind few days for the promotion last week. UFC 294 lost one-half of its main event and co-main event, yet miraculously scrambled together a card that some would say is an upgrade. Makhachev was originally scheduled to defend his UFC lightweight title against Charles Oliveira but now meets reigning featherweight champion Volkanovski in a second super fight. Volkanovski put forth a spirited effort against the larger champion in February but came up short.
The co-main event could produce just as many fireworks as the headliner. Chimaev has not fought in a year as he waited for a potential title bout and he draws a former champion in his return. Chimaev was given a headlining role opposite an exiting Nate Diaz in September 2022, but badly missed weight and caused a full reshuffle of the bout card. He easily submitted Kevin Holland in the first round, but has since moved full time to middleweight in pursuit of gold. He faces Usman, who is fresh off a pair of losses to Leon Edwards with the welterweight title at stake. The first of those losses came via last-minute head kick knockout in a fight he was winning the entire way. Usman looks for a fresh start at 185 pounds where UFC president Dana White has said the winner will get the next shot at middleweight champion Sean Strickland.
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Below is all the information you need to catch UFC 294 on Saturday night.
CBS Sports will also have live coverage of the fight with round-by-round scoring and blow-by-blow updates to keep you up to date throughout the night.
How to watch UFC 294 prelims
Date: Oct. 21 | Location: Etihad Arena -- Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Time: 12 p.m. ET (10 a.m. ET for early prelims)
Channel: ESPN+
How to watch UFC 294 main card
Date: Oct. 21 | Location: Etihad Arena -- Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $79.99
Now, here's a look at the UFC 294 main fight card and betting odds.
UFC 294 main card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Islam Makhachev (c) -300 | Alexander Volkanovski +240 | Lightweight title |
| Khamzat Chimaev -280 | Kamaru Usman +230 | Middleweights |
| Magomed Ankalaev -350 | Johnny Walker +275 | Light heavyweights |
| Ikram Aliskerov -600 | Warlley Alves +430 | Middleweights |
| Said Nurmagomedov -220 | Muin Gafurov +180 | Bantamweights |
Who wins UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC 294, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
