Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman are left in limbo, while Khamzat Chimaev and Islam Makhachev will be focused on title shots… but what’s next for the main and co-main event fighters after UFC 294?

• Islam Makhachev defended his lightweight title against Alexander Volkanovski 
• Here, Mail Sport takes a look at what’s next for the main and co-main event stars 
• Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here 

On Saturday night, scores were settled, history was made and rivalries were ended after the dust settled on a thrilling UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi. 

Taking place at the Etihad Arena, UFC fans were treated to two blockbuster fights as Islam Makhachev took on Alexander Volkanovski and Khamzat Chimaev faced off with Kamaru Usman.

In the main event, Makhachev scored a huge KO win over Volkanovski in the second round to retain his UFC lightweight title – after his counterpart stepped in on 11 days notice. 

Meanwhile, Chimaev took to his middleweight debut with ease and dismantled the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ across three rounds to score a majority decision victory. 

And so, here, Mail Sport takes a look at what’s next for each fighter on the main and co-main event. 

Islam Makhachev retained his UFC lightweight title after a thrilling UFC 294 event on Saturday

The Dagestani fighter triumphed over Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski (left) after a brutal KO

KAMARU USMAN

After accepting the fight with Chimaev on just 10 days notice, the prospect of leaving the Etihad Arena with a victory to his name seemed slim. 

Notably, this is because Chimaev had been preparing for months on end for the move from welterweight to middleweight – while Usman had just days.

In the end, it proved pivotal for the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ – who was handed a majority decision defeat following a brutal first-round from Chimaev. 

Chechen-born Chimaev landed a takedown almost immediately and looked as though he could finish the fight within the first five minutes, but Usman held on. 

Reflecting on the defeat, Usman said: ‘He’s had a year-and-a-half to grow into this weight class and I didn’t… I didn’t trust my shape. 

Kamaru Usman suffered his third defeat in a row after fighting Khamzat Chimaev on Saturday

‘I’m a Championship fighter and you can’t start slow like that. Give me a couple extra rounds and I think the world knows what that result might be’.

With that in mind, it perhaps makes sense for Usman to cut his losses within the middleweight division and return to welterweight – where a number of interesting challenges still remain. 

While Colby Covington and Leon Edwards are booked for a December title bout, a number of the top contenders would make for a great match-up with Usman. 

Belal Muhammad, who is ranked second in the weight division, would make for a thrilling fight with the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, following his triumph over Gilbert Burns earlier this year. 

If not, a match-up with the winner of Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Stephen Thompson would also intrigue MMA fans.  

The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ was dealt the defeat after accepting the fight on 10 days notice

KHAMZAT CHIMAEV

In case there were any lingering doubts, Khamzat Chimaev proved that he is destined for the top after his dominant performance on Saturday night.  

The 29-year-old made light work of the former UFC welterweight champion and recorded an impressive 10-8 first round from all three judges.

He went on to secure the majority decision win after a scoring of 29–27, 29–27, 28–28, as he cemented his place within the middleweight division. 

But, after such a dominant showing, what next for the Russian star?

Well, shortly after his victory, Chimaev took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to issue a warning message to current middleweight champion Sean Strickland. 

He boldly claimed: ‘You are next don’t worry you know how fast I can finish you’.

‘Borz’ put in a dominant performance to record his seventh win in the organisation

While a bout between Chimaev and Strickland would be sure to intrigue UFC fans across the world, there remains some doubt whether that bout will happen next. 

Within the middleweight division, it’s clear South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis deserves to have the next title shot – after his emphatic KO win over Robert Whittaker in July. 

And, with Israel Adesanya enjoying a self-imposed hiatus from the sport, it leaves just a handful of feasible options for ‘Borz’. 

One option, and perhaps the most logical, would be to re-book the initially scheduled bout for UFC 294 – which saw Chimaev matched up with Paulo Costa. 

It was a match-up that certainly had fans excited, only for the bout to come crashing down after a gruesome injury to Costa’s elbow. 

Once fully healed, there’s no doubt that the bout should go ahead, prior to Chimaev earning that esteemed title shot. 

It makes sense to reschedule the originally-planned bout against Paulo Costa (pictured)

ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI

After what can only be described as a bitterly disappointing night for the featherweight champion, what lies ahead for Alexander ‘The Great’? 

Well, after the fight, the Aussie star broke down in tears and revealed the intense personal strain he has been under.

He explained how his lack of routine – which came amid his need for a fight – lead to admissions that he’s ‘struggled’ mentally in recent months. 

With all of that considered, it makes sense for Volkanovski to get back into the octagon as soon as possible – but another shot at the lightweight title makes little sense. 

Instead, Volk will return to featherweight after he verbally agreed to defend his strap against Ilia Topuria in the first UFC event on 2024.

Topuria has yet to taste defeat throughout his six fights in the organisation and has been tipped to be the one to dethrone Volkanovski for the featherweight title. 

However, after suffering such a brutal KO against Makhachev, there are questions as to whether ‘Volk’ can have such a quick turn-around inside the octagon.  

Alexander Volkanovski cut a dejected figure after his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294

ISLAM MAKHACHEV

After such an emphatic showing against Volkanovski, UFC fans will wonder how Islam Makhachev will choose to follow-up his impressive win. 

There have been some rogue shouts for the Dagestani to try his luck against welterweight champion Leon Edwards, however that prospect seems unlikely. 

Instead, it would make sense for Makhachev to continue his defence of the lightweight belt, as he closes in on the joint-record for the most lightweight title defences in UFC history. 

Some fans have mooted the idea of a match-up between Makhachev and Justin Gaethje – who has recorded wins over Dustin Poirier and Rafael Fiziev in 2023. 

However, who better to face-off with in his next fight than Charles Oliveira – who had initially been scheduled to fight Makhachev in UFC 294’s main event. 

The Brazilian suffered a nasty cut during a sparring session in the build-up to that fight that inevitably ruled him out of competing all together. 

Luckily, Volkanovski still took the fight on just 11 days notice but fans will still be eager to see ‘do Bronx’ and Makhachev battle for the second time.  

In their first encounter, back in October 2022, the Dagestani recorded a submission win over Oliveira but it’s clear that they still have a score to settle. 

Many have called for the UFC to re-book Makhachev’s rematch bout against Charles Oliveira

Source: Read Full Article