UFC 280 took place at Ethihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The arena consisted of veteran fighters, Middle Eastern MMA fans, and celebrity appearances from guys like Hasbulla and even Steve Harvey.
The prelims were filled with intriguing fighters, but the action left a lot to be desired. As for the main card, it was OK, but some anticlimactic moments left the card falling short of its lofty expectations. But without further ado, here is your UFC 280 recap:
Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira
Islam Makhachev pitched a shutout in the main event, beating Charles Oliveira with relative ease. He got Oliveira down early, defending his sweeps and submission attempts while pinning him to the canvas. Outside of a heel hook attempt leading to a standup, and an upkick landed at the end of round one, Oliveira got nothing done in the fight. The club-and-sub finish put an exclamation point on the matchup; he rocked Oliveira with a lead right hook, and finished him with an arm triangle choke on the ground.
The protege of Khabib Nurmagomedov continues to follow in his foot steps, winning a championship belt of his own now. As for what’s next, the most logical opponents for Islam would either be a superfight between him and Alexander Volkanovski, or a bout against a guy who won earlier in the night …
Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw
While Aljamain Sterling did what he had to do to get a win, the state of TJ Dillashaw‘s shoulder made the win very anticlimactic. Despite the pre-fight comments about him being in the best shape of his life, Dillashaw actually entered the fight with an injured shoulder. It became obvious after Dillashaw winced in pain as Sterling caught his kick and took him down, twenty seconds into the fight. Sterling proceeded to slice through his guard and beat him down until Marc Goddard pulled him off.
After the fight, Sterling proceeded to dance around and babble on the microphone. The main takeaway is that he’s is willing to take on all challengers. The options are endless, and I would be fine with either of those names he mentioned post-fight, outside of Henry Cejudo. T.J. Dillashaw will likely be on the shelf for a while. He did irreversible damage to his shoulder, and he’s currently 36 years old. His days as a high-level fighter may be nearing it’s end.
Sean O’Malley vs. Petr Yan
Sean O’Malley squeaks out a close decision in a nip-tuck battle against former champion Petr Yan. The Abu Dhabi crowd was not pleased by the decision, and many people watching felt like Yan was robbed. While I will not call the fight a robbery, I thought that Yan did enough to win the fight. Yan landed a takedown in the first round, controlling him on the ground for a minute, but got outworked on the feet by the busier O’Malley. Over the last two rounds, I thought it was the wrestling and control that should’ve gave Yan the decision.
Despite how I feel about it, I will acknowledge O’Malley proved a lot of doubters wrong in this fight. He ate Yan’s hardest shots on the feet and fired back, as both fighters were stunned multiple times in rounds two and three. This win will catapult O’Malley into the top five, if not guarantee him a title shot against Aljamain Sterling. The fight I want to see next is Sean O’Malley vs. Cory Sandhagen; two rangy, creative strikers with a propensity for entertaining fans.
As for Yan, this loss will not hurt him too much, despite losing as a heavy favorite. He had his moments and arguably won the fight, but he left room for O’Malley to steal the win. A fight between Yan and Marlon Vera would be a fun scrap. Both are violent fighters, and both seem to struggle with starting fast in their fights.
Beneil Dariush vs. Mateusz Gamrot
Beneil Dariush wins via unanious decision in Abu Dhabi; his first win since he last fought in May of 2021. Gamrot was eager to push the pace and take Dariush down throughout the fight. Initially, he got him down in round one, but Dariush is no slouch on the mat and they had some competitive scrambles. After the first round, Dariush’s kickboxing and takedown defense took over. Gamrot was hit with intercepting blows from Dariush as he struggled to contain him over the last two rounds. Beneil targeted all levels with kicks, punished Gamrot’s takedown attempts with knees, and even knocked him down with a hook in the final round, sealing the win.
Despite being too nice to call for his title shot, Beneil Dariush has earned his place as lightweight #1 contender. Alexander Volkanovski may end of getting the shot due to his track record at featherweight, but nobody at lightweight is on the streak that Dariush is on; nobody besides Islam Makhachev, that is. With how deep lightweight is, Gamrot has countless options for a rebound fight. I would be interested in seeing him take on a surging contender in Jalin Turner. Turner’s size and physicality would give Gamrot plenty of questions to answer.
Manon Fiorot vs. Katlyn Chookagian
Manon Fiorot and Katlyn Chookagian opened the card with a dud, as they fought their way to a three-round decision. Most of the bout was spent at range, as both fighters struggled to land any mitts on each other. Chookagian played her typical game, sticking and moving while kiai’ing after every attempted strike. Fiorot stood with her, throwing frequent side kicks while also failing to land much with her hands. Fiorot ultimately got the nod, doing enough to edge it out. The takedown she landed in round three was enough to sway the judges in her favor.
Fiorot had an opportunity to solidify herself as #1 Contender with an impressive win. She could’ve placed herself in front of Alexa Grasso, following Grasso’s dull performance against Viviane Pereira. Her performance was just as dull, however. Valentina Shevchenko has unfinished business against Taila Santos. In the meantime, Grasso and Fiorot can fight for next in line once Shevchenko and Santos settle their score.
Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady
The Belal Muhammad underdog tour continues as he picks up another win in Abu Dhabi. His constant pressure and boxing combinations were enough to overwhelm a formidable prospect in Sean Brady. Despite the loss, Brady actually showed improvements in his game. His takedowns did not work, so he was forced to slug it out with Belal. Brady landed hard punches off the back foot, countering Muhammad’s pressure and mixing in kicks to keep Muhammad guessing. But ultimately, Belal’s pressure, pace and boxing led him to victory as he beat his opponent down.
After the fight, Belal called out Leon Edwards, seeking to get a rematch against the current champ. While Belal has put himself in great position for a potential title shot, I don’t see him getting it right away. Leon and Kamaru Usman have unfinished business to settle. The only other fights Belal should entertain are Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev; that is if those two don’t end up fighting each other.
As for Sean Brady, I would not mind him rebounding against a fringe-top 15 welterweight. Neil Magny has always been a tough test for welterweights looking to prove their worth in the division. I would not mind a fight between Brady and Magny, just to see where Brady is at in his overall development.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read through this fight card recap. For more sports-related content, head over to Belly Up Sports. We have articles, op-eds, and podcasts available on our website. Want to continue this discussion? You can find me on Twitter @RevKoka.
