Islam Makhachev submits Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 to win lightweight title and follow in Khabib’s footsteps

Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira in the UFC 280 main event on Saturday to win the vacant lightweight title, following in the footsteps of his childhood friend Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib retired unbeaten in 2020, vacating the UFC lightweight strap immediately after retaining it in Abu Dhabi. And it was there that Makhachev won the same belt – almost two years later to the day – submitting Khabib’s literal successor Oliveira to become his fellow Russian’s spiritual successor in the Octagon.

After Khabib’s father and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov died from coronavirus-related complications in July 2020, “The Eagle” fought once more in October of the same year before announcing his retirement from fighting moments after submitting Justin Gaethje. Khabib has since focused on coaching, with the plan always being for Makhachev to eventually take the gold at 155lbs.

Last May, Oliveira won the title vacated by Khabib, and the Brazilian went on to retain the title in December. One day before his own scheduled defence against Gaethje this May, however, Oliveira was stripped of the belt after missing weight. Oliveira would submit Gaethje anyway to establish himself as No 1 contender and set up a clash with Makhachev.

That highly-anticipated in-ring meeting played out at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, and it was Makhachev, 31, who came out on top, submitting 33-year-old Oliveira with an arm-triangle choke in Round 2 to win the vacant title.

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