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The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view this weekend with UFC 294 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with a champion vs. champion main event after a handful of last-minute shakeups on the card
In the main event, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev returns to action to put his title on the line in a rematch with featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski.
Makhachev previously faced Volkanovski at UFC 284 in February 2023 in Perth, Australia, earning a unanimous decision victory to retain his title in the Fight of the Night. Now, Volkanovski will be looking for revenge on short notice after replacing former champion Charles Oliveira who was forced to withdraw due to injury.
In the co-main event, Khamzat Chimaev makes his highly-anticipated return when he takes on former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a middleweight bout. Chimaev was initially scheduled to face former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa, who withdrew from the bout after undergoing elbow surgery. Chimaev vs. Usman is expected to serve as a middleweight title eliminator.
UFC 294 will kick off at 10:00 a.m. ET with the preliminary card on ESPN+. The action then shifts to pay-per-view beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Ahead of Saturday night’s pay-per-view, the UFC released the UFC 294 Countdown episode which gives an all-access look at the fighters as they go through their fight camps and prepare for the biggest bouts of their lives. From last-minute training to a look at their everyday life, UFC 294: Countdown gives fans a look behind the scenes at what it takes to make a world-class fighter.
How can you tune in to see how fighters are training leading up to fight week?
You can check out the full episode of UFC 294: Countdown below along with the full fight card for Saturday’s pay-per-view.
UFC 294 Countdown
UFC 294 Countdown takes a behind-the-scenes look at lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s preparation ahead of his main event rematch title fight with featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.
UFC 294: Fight Time & Viewing Details
Event: UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Venue: Etihad Arena
Main Card Card Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, ESPN+