MMA

5:37 PM ET “Father’s plan” worked. Islam Makhachev is the new lightweight champion after defeating Charles Oliveria by second-round submission (arm triangle) to win the vacant belt at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. Makhachev entered the fight on a 10-fight winning streak and was set to finalize the plan of

6:32 PM ET Jeff Wagenheim By becoming UFC lightweight champion Saturday, Islam Makhachev fulfilled a prophecy. Maybe it was really just a lifelong friend expressing faith and brotherhood, but when Khabib Nurmagomedov briefly interrupted a Makhachev news conference three years ago, it felt like something far more consequential. Let’s call it a coronation-in-waiting. Nurmagomedov was

5:38 PM ET ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Ever since Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from mixed martial arts two years ago as an undefeated champion, Islam Makhachev‘s reclaiming that lightweight title felt like a preordained moment. That moment came Saturday. Makhachev (23-1) seized the UFC’s 155-pound championship by submitting Charles Oliveira (33-9) at UFC 280

1:05 PM ET When Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated the UFC’s lightweight championship and retired from mixed martial arts two years ago, the sport’s expectations turned to his longtime teammate and protégé, Islam Makhachev. And now his time has come. Makhachev (22-1) will attempt to win the UFC’s 155-pound title on Saturday when he meets Charles Oliveira

7:53 AM ET PEORIA, Ariz. — Sean O’Malley was feeling good. It was 5 p.m. on a Saturday in September, about five weeks into his camp for this weekend’s bantamweight fight against Petr Yan at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. O’Malley had looked great in sparring that morning and was sitting down

2:12 AM ET ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Charles Oliveira still considers himself the UFC’s lightweight champion, but will look to make it official on Saturday. Both Oliveira (33-8) and Islam Makhachev (22-1) successfully made weight on Friday for their lightweight championship bout at UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Both of them actually came

12:31 AM ET Two of the top women’s flyweight fighters in the world will meet in Brazil. Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will face Lauren Murphy at UFC 283 on Jan. 21 in Rio de Janeiro, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. MMA Fighting first reported the news. Andrade is ranked No. 9

9:30 PM ET Kamaru Usman is willing to travel into potentially hostile territory in an effort to get back the UFC welterweight title. Usman has asked the UFC for a trilogy fight with champion Leon Edwards in London, Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, told ESPN on Tuesday. Edwards is a Jamaican-born fighter who

4:05 PM ET UFC president Dana White’s new combat sports venture — slap fighting — will be a licensed athletic competition in Nevada. Dana White’s Power Slap League will be regulated and overseen by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) following a vote Tuesday in Las Vegas at the commission’s monthly meeting. UFC chief business

9:18 AM ET Jeff WagenheimESPN A dominant champion lords over the fight game like a king. There’s respect piled on from all directions, sometimes admiringly, sometimes grudgingly. The champ’s every trip inside the Octagon draws the rapt anticipation of how greatness will manifest itself once again. The fans, even those generally hard to please, stand