The MMA gods, strike again.

This was supposed to be a piece about one the 2nd biggest rematches in the history of the lightweight division. Instead, you get a piece of the biggest rematch in the division’s history. 

This rematch between two of the pound-for-pound best today was destined to happen

145lb champion vs 155lb champion with an instant classic in Perth behind them and a huge rematch in Abu Dhabi awaits. 

This is possibly the greatest matchup the UFC can make today. 

Not in terms of ticket sales, PPV numbers, and stuff like that. Skill for Skill this is the mountaintop of matchups in our sport. 

And if that wasn’t enough, we get treated to Khamzat Chimaev vs Kamaru Usman in the co-main event. a whole new fight, with some whole new stakes.

Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev 

In hindsight, we should’ve seen this coming. When Costa vs Chimaev was announced, the MMA world was excited but cautious, as both guys have had a history of missing that 185lb and 170lb mark respectively. 

Our fears were justified. Due to a nasty staph infection, Paulo Costa pulled out of the grudge match. Here we go again.

We were mad at the guy but this was a valid excuse to pull out. let’s hope he recovers soon. 

But that left Chimaev without an opponent then entered a nightmare. 

Chimaev is a monster and I’m sure very few guys are signing up to fight a guy like him on less than 2 weeks’ notice. The UFC stepped up and delivered putting Kamaru Usman, A former champion, a 170lb great to face Khamzat. 

If you think Gilbert Burns is a step up in competition, Usman is a whole new beast for Chimaev. 

Khamzat has yet to have a loss on his record, but Usman is in unfamiliar territory. The Nigerian Nightmare is coming off a 2 fight skid. imagine saying that to someone 2 years ago. 

The current welterweight champion Leon Edwards knocked out Ussman in the Re-Match and won a close and competitive decision. Usman accepted the loss with grace and stepped away for a bit; waiting for the division to sort itself out. 

Even on the sidelines, Usman had a fight in mind. 

A former champion vs the most dangerous contender the division has seen in a while.

Chimaev was all over the place challenging welterweights. Leon Edwards, Colby Covington, and even Georges St. Pierre. 

That brings us to today. 

These guys are the crem de la crem of 170. Chimaev is known for smashing his opponents with his overwhelming grappling ability but Usman is a monster in his own right. 

But when the bell rings, take cover because these two are gonna go at it from the opening bell to the final buzzer. And you can be damn sure they are gonna blow the roof off the arena. 

In my opinion, neither guy has a clear and definite advantage, it’ll come down to cardio. Usman is the better-conditioned, but he is coming in on short notice. 

We know Khamzat is dangerous as ever but what we don’t know is if Usman is the same guy as he was in the past. The question remains, does his busted-up knees play a factor?

A win for Usman and the nightmare replays at 185lbs, but a dominant victory for Chimaev, and the middleweight champion needs to start drilling takedown defense. 

Did I mention this fight is a title eliminator?

When Chimaev was tearing through 170lbs this was the fight we all wanted. The unstoppable contender vs the invincible champion. 

A lot has changed but this matchup is still money. 

Maybe this match was destiny or maybe it was dumb luck. No matter what we are in for a treat. 

Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski

Upon winning the vacant Lightweight title at UFC 280, Islam Makhachev was declared the second coming of Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

We were constantly told about his greatness but after beating Do Bronx, He surpassed everything said about him. 

They said he was good, great even, and that the lightweight division would be his to reign. But his next fight was against the Pound for Pound king and the king of the featherweights. 

Alexander Volkanovski was in the cage that night and the super fight was set up and made official. Champ vs Champ. UFC 284. 

The featherweight champion was impressive but had no chance in hell of beating the much bigger Makhachev. Or so we thought. 

On fight night Volkanovski rose to the occasion like very few expected. The lightweight champion could not overpower the much smaller man in Volkanovski. even towards the end of the fight, Volkanovski was on his feet, and Islam was looking to survive. 

The decision was awarded to Makhachev, but he didn’t feel like a definite winner. The aura of Invincibility had been cracked and a featherweight was responsible. 

Even before UFC 284, people were beginning to put Volk in the conversation of all-time great especially after his trilogy battle with Max Holloway came to a close. 

Now there was no denying it. Alexander Volkanovski is coming for the UFC’s greatest accomplishment. Double Champion.

In his return to 145, he dismantled Yair Rodriguez to retain his featherweight championship. The next challenger was waiting outside the octagon. His name? Illia Touporia. While that match was entertaining, a return to lightweight was imminent. 

The two had unfinished business and it was up to Islam to prove to the lightweights that he was still their champion. 

We were all set for Makhachev vs Oliveira 2, but unfortunately, Do Bronx suffered a gnarly cut in sparring, forcing him to pull out of the fight. Who else would take a short-notice fight against an absolute animal in Islam? 

No lightweight in their right mind would accept a suicide mission like that. But you know who would? Who else but the featherweight champion? One phone call later and we have a new main event. 

Before I go on, let’s take a second to appreciate this madman. The man is coming off a title defense back in July in addition to surgery on his hand. Now with less than 2 weeks’ notice, he takes the fight against the only man in the UFC to hand him a loss. BMF shit right there. 

Volk is at the point where every fight is important. One bad loss and the cycle starts all over again. “Oh he was never that good, fraudulent champion, etc”

But the featherweight champion doesn’t give a f#$%. 

What Volk is doing isn’t plain greatness, this is an immortal type legacy because nobody else will do what he is doing. 

That begs the question, who wins the rematch?

With short-notice fights, it’s almost always a coin toss. Volk had almost a week to prepare but on the flip side, Islam was preparing for Charles Oliveira, who is a completely different fighter and will push him to the absolute limit. 

The key to victory in fight #1 was simple. Volk was supposed to strike well and Islam was supposed to grapple well. In reality, the two flipped. Islam held his own and even got the edge in some exchanges on the feet, Volkanovski also held his own in the grappling exchanges, not allowing Islam to finish him via choke. 

Turns out these two are evenly matched almost everywhere, but Volk had the edge in cardio and it showed later in the fight as Islam was exhausted, marking the first time he had gone 25 minutes, but the challenger was fresh and ready to go another round. 

Bad weight cuts aside, Islam will be better prepared for this fight.

On the flip side, now knowing he can get up if taken down, Volk will likely increase the pressure, more than he did in the first fight. 

But will the featherweight king be 100%? Likely not. But he took this fight for a reason, and if anyone can take down Islam on short notice, It’s him. 

He has proven doubters wrong, time and time again and if he becomes a double champ, he has to be considered and all-time great. 

Short notice fight and setbacks aside, Islam has a chance to right all of the wrongs. With the Charles rematch, he had some correcting to do but against Volk, he can wipe that blemish off his record for good. 

Abu Dhabi is his backyard, he will be cheered, lifted up, and even have more time to rehydrate 

So many questions and very few answers. So much anticipation, and it’s almost here. 

The winner will most likely break into the newest era of greatness, but we just have to wait and see who walks out of Abu Dhabi, the Undisputed champion. 

Like I said after 284, this was destiny.