Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira suffered a late injury and was forced to withdraw from the upcoming UFC 294 pay-per-view (PPV) fight card. Similarly, former 185-pound title challenger Paulo Costa was felled by illness and yanked from the Oct. 21 lineup at Etihad Arena. That means all the “Countdown” footage shot for the UFC 294 main and co-main event was pretty much useless.
So the promotion will instead share what it had for Islam Makhachev.
The reigning lightweight champion will rematch current 145-pound kingpin Alexander Volkanovski in a last-minute switcheroo, after going the distance with “The Great” at UFC 284 earlier this year in Perth. Costa’s original opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, will remain on the card to do battle with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who like Volkanovski, will come off the bench on just a few days’ notice.
For the rest of the UFC 294 fight card and PPV lineup click here.