Following Islam Makhachev's victory at UFC 280 for the lightweight title, members of Khabib Nurmagomedov's camp, including his cousin Abubakar Nurmagomedov, got into a fight with Khamzat Chimaev at the cage side. It appears that Khamzat Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov's dispute came to an end quickly. Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic and one of the world's most cruel dictators in the opinion of many political observers, appeared to have put an end to the beef. But the UFC Hall of Famer, Khabib Nurmagomedov put things right by applauding the welterweight contender while they were munching. In response to the event, Khabib Nurmagomedov said: "What happened yesterday does not show us well. Neither me nor Khamzat nor Abubakar. To tell the truth, we are tired of this nonsense. Here we are gathered as brothers, talked to each other, and we apologized to each other, hugged and inshallah I hope that in the future that we will only gather and fight for good reasons. That was today." "Islam won the belt at first. The next one, very close, is going to be Khamzat. Khamzat, let us all get together so when Khamzat wins the belt, it's not for the showing off, not for this conversation that we are going to celebrate. We will celebrate for our new champion, inshallah... I hope that this is our sad moment that it will never happen to anyone else." Chimaev watched from the stands as Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira fought for the lightweight championship at UFC 280 on Saturday. Just a few hours after defeating Gadzhi Omargadzhiev on the Abu Dhabi preliminary card, Nurmagomedov was also present. It appears that the beef began in 2021. In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, Nurmagomedov wrote a lengthy letter to Chimaev. Chimaev's remarks regarding Khabib Nurmagomedov were misinterpreted by Abubakar Nurmagomedov, who admonished him to "be careful." The confrontation then turned nasty in the enclosure, and UFC and venue security had to separate the men. Dana White, president of the UFC, explained it as just something that happens when fighters are involved after the incident. However, on Sunday, Abubakar Nurmagomedov shared a video showing Khabib in charge of a group that also included Chimaev and himself on his Instagram account. He said that the two have finally resolved their differences. The translation, in part, says it was “a small misunderstanding that took place personally between me and Khamzat. After that, we met with him in the Brotherhood circle, where we were gathered by the elders. As I said in an interview before my fight, Khamzat is my brother in Faith and I always wish him health and success. I ask you, brothers, not to invent any kind of gossip and I hope our meeting will be beneficial between our brotherly peoples.” In addition, Kadyrov shared a snapshot of a video conference he had with Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov on Instagram along with a caption claiming to have assisted in healing the dispute between the two.

At UFC 280, Beneil Dariush defeated Mateusz Gamrot, who had swiftly become one of the most talked-about lightweights in the competition, to keep his winning streak going. Dariush never slowed down during the entire fight as he continued to pummel Gamrot with blows while displaying outstanding takedown defense and a destructive approach on the feet. Dariush defeated Gamrot late in the third round with a powerful overhand left, clinching his eighth straight victory in what is likely the strongest division in the sport. Beneil Dariush feels like he's accomplished enough, but it's unlikely that he will be the next lightweight champion in the UFC, as Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov challenged featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski to be the first title defense of the Russian on Australian soil. UFC president Dana White stated that featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is most likely going to face competition at 155 pounds despite the impressive winning streak. Dariush is now left to ponder what he must do to obtain a title match. “If that didn’t do it, what else can I do?” Dariush said at the post-fight news conference. “If that performance, beating a guy like Gamrot – who some said he was undefeated coming into this fight – like beating a guy like that … Obviously, I didn’t finish him. He’s a lot tougher than I thought. I got kind of close in that last round. “But if that’s not the proper way to ask (for a title shot), I need somebody to tell me how I should be asking and how I’m doing this wrong. If we’re talking about merit, I don’t think there’s anyone else.” Although many people would find Dariush's situation upsetting, the 33-year-old is remaining composed. Dariush believes he will compete for UFC gold at some point. “I’m not going anywhere,” Dariush said. “I’m going to beat down whoever I need to beat down. They could circle that belt around me all they want. They can try to avoid me all they want, but my day will come. What God has planned, no one will stop.”

According to UFC president Dana White, Islam Makhachev's first title defense will most likely be against Alexander Volkanovski. Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira to win the vacant lightweight championship at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi yesterday, cementing himself as one of the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters. Following the fight, he was confronted by Volkanovski, with both fighters agreeing to a champ vs. champ showdown to determine the world's best P4P fighter. White likes the matchup and believes it makes sense given that Volkanovski is only one weight class below Makhachev at featherweight and served as the backup for yesterday's blockbuster main event. “It looks like Volkanovski is next,” White told reporters at the UFC 280 post-fight press conference. White was blown away by Makhachev's performance, particularly how quickly he dispatched Oliveira after dropping him in the second round. “Incredible,” White said. “I’ve been saying all week, you have two of the absolute best in the world facing in their prime and facing off. And when I went up in the octagon after, Khabib said, ‘I told you. I told you he’s the best in the world.’ “I mean, to beat Oliveira is one thing, to beat him the way he beat him is another. And as fast as he did it, he looked incredible tonight. The big question tonight was how is he going to deal with the pressure. And he dealt with it just fine.” It looks like we have a cracking matchup on our hands with two pound for pound best fighters battling for the number 1 spot. Let us know in the comments who do you think wins the bout between Volkanovski and Islam Makhachev.

Petr Yan is upset with the judges following his tough split decision loss to Sean O'Malley at UFC 280. Both men received $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses for their performances, but Yan feels cheated, writing 'f-ck the judges' in a rage-filled post-fight tweet. Yan isn't the only one who felt cheated, as several of his fellow fighters expressed their dissatisfaction with the outcome on social media, with former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes accusing O'Malley of 'UFC privilege.' Despite the robbery accusations, O'Malley outlanded Yan in significant strikes 84 to 58 overall and 40 to 15 in the third round, with Yan having the advantage on the ground and in takedowns. It was a razor-thin fight, with both men putting everything on the line and O'Malley rising to the occasion and proving to the rest of the world that he is capable of competing at the championship level. Rematch? Possibly. However, with the UFC eager to create a new global superstar to rival Conor McGregor, O'Malley is more likely to challenge Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title. Who do you think should have walked out victorious at UFC 280 between Sean O’ Malley and Petr Yan. Let us know in the comments.

As Conor McGregor continues to live wild and enjoy his good fortune, his absence from the USADA testing pool has come under intense scrutiny recently. On Saturday, Dana White gave some clarification on the matter for the first time. McGregor will have to spend six months in the program before he can re-enter the USADA testing pool, according to White. He hasn't had a PED test performed by USADA during the past six months, which is a straightforward but contentious explanation. A fighter must have undergone at least six months of non-stop PED testing before competing in the UFC, according to USADA's rules. Conor is unable to compete in official tournaments because he hasn't been tested in longer. Conor's daily activities alone instantly raise many questions about probable PED use. When competitors who were signed to a UFC contract retire and later decide to return, the protocol is frequently observed. There is still uncertainty behind the cause of McGregor's withdrawal from the pool. Since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2022, McGregor, 34, has not participated in any competitions. He suffered the injury during a trilogy match, which resulted in his second consecutive defeat to Poirier. Following the incident, McGregor underwent significant rehabilitation and surgery, openly documenting his progress online. McGregor has been posting videos of himself sparring and performing what appear to be full-out weight-bearing activities on his previously damaged leg in recent weeks. Is he taking PEDs? Conor McGregor's muscular mass has increased dramatically over the past year, despite his claims to the contrary. He is no longer the frail fighter he was when he faced Dustin Poirier. Conor does have special metabolism and freak genetics, but his bulking has only happened recently. Regardless of their genetic makeup, non-steroid users never bulk up that quickly. McGregor has made it plain during his recovery that he intends to come back with championship aspirations and will be hungrier than ever. However, it is unknown when he will do this. The Irishman is presently filming a remake of Roadhouse in which he will co-star with Jake Gyllenhaal and make his acting debut. No release date had been made public. The likelihood of Conor McGregor returning to full action is dwindling faster than even he would like. Conor doesn't feel the need to continue fighting, though. He is already a multi-millionaire, and his and his children's futures are secured. Conor McGregor's desire for greater success in the octagon is the only thing keeping him from joining the UFC again. But having everything in his life taken care of can have a significant impact on his lack of desire for further achievement in this sport. To those of his detractors who believe his career as a mixed martial artist is over, Conor has a lot to prove.

Even if some disagree with the outcome, Sean O'Malley proved to be a brave rival to Petr Yan by winning an immediately contentious match. On the UFC 280 pay-per-view main card at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, O'Malley (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) defeated Yan (16-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). The scorecards favored O'Malley even though many observers believed Yan had done enough to win easily prior to the decision. O'Malley claimed he would have to watch the fight again because he had initially believed it could have gone any way. Yan ripped a body kick after an unwarranted eye poke in the opening seconds of the fight. O'Malley's lead leg was beaten by Yan's leg kicks. O'Malley was knocked out by Yan, but he ultimately got himself back up. In Round 2, O'Malley used a combination to catch Yan off guard before pounced. Yan stayed calm and delivered a vicious punch of his own to knock O'Malley to the ground. O'Malley threatened submissions from the bottom, but Yan emerged victorious. O'Malley's flurries from the third round appeared to be of higher quality and quantity in the final round. Both man often left the other in awe. O'Malley slipped his standing knee up the middle and drilled Yan in the head, turning it into a powerful weapon. Yan managed to take O'Malley to the ground and contain him, but while there, he was unable to generate any meaningful offense. By all accounts, the battle was closely contested, and O'Malley was declared the winner.

After much waiting, Islam Makhachev eventually established his dominance as the world's top lightweight. After knocking Charles Oliveira to the ground, Makhachev finished the UFC 280 main event in commanding style by securing a devastating arm-triangle choke. This was Makhachev's first chance to win the gold medal. At 3:16 in round 2, Oliveira tapped Makhachev, who was immediately greeted by his coach and longtime teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov. “I trained so hard for this moment,” Makhachev said afterwards. “I want to say thank you. I always think this is not going to be an easy fight. He always pushes opponents but I know he’s going to be scared of my wrestling skills. I said this is my goal and Allah give me. “My belt for my coach for Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. He said training hard and you’re going to be champion. [Khabib’s] father made me.” Makhachev gave an amazing performance, engaging Oliveira fearlessly both on the feet and on the ground throughout the fight. Before Oliveira actually grasped the guard and brought the fight to the ground during the opening exchange, Makhachev caught him with a sharp left hand. While Makhachev was suffocating with his control on top, Oliveira was quick to attack with submissions off his back. In order to counteract Oliveira's constantly moving legs and potential armbar or triangle choke attempts, Makhachev took care to remain close to the jiu-jitsu expert. Makhachev continued to beat Oliveira while he was on the ground, and he was unable to find a way out. Makhachev jumped on Oliveira and was seeking for the finish as soon as he touched the ground. Oliveira tapped out in the span of a single second after Makhachev applied the arm-triangle choke, beating the all-time UFC submissions leader.

Despite being a relatively new name in the UFC, Liverpudlian’s Paddy Pimblett has been making waves both inside and beyond the octagon. Although the 27-year-old hasn't suffered a defeat in the organization, some supporters believe that his antics outside of the ring may prevent him from ever reaching his full potential. Pimblett is frequently observed bingeing and becoming larger outside the octagon. Although "The Baddy" has never missed weight in the UFC, he is reputed to reach around 200 pounds after a match. Paddy Pimblett's fans should be thrilled to learn that the rising star will make his octagon comeback against the lightweight veteran Jared Gordon at UFC 282 in December. For more than a year, Pimblett and Gordon have been outspoken about wanting to fight. It has just come into existence. Pimblett last competed in July during the UFC London second Fight Night of the year. When he met Jordan Leavitt, the Liverpudlian faced tougher opposition and was forced into the second round for the first time in his UFC career. However, "The Baddy" demonstrated the champion mentality that won him the title in Cage Warriors and submitted the American with a rear-naked choke. Ever since making his promotional debut in September 2021, the Scouser has never experienced loss. Fans witnessed "The Baddy" win Performance of the Night bonuses during this period when he defeated Jordan Leavitt, Rodrigo Vargas, and Luigi Vendramini. Pimblett has won 19 matches so far, 15 of which have resulted in stoppages, including nine victories via submission. Following a recent victory over Leonardo Santos at UFC 278 this past August, Gordon called Pimblett out. He suggested that as they were getting ready to battle, they could "raise awareness for mental health." The former CFFC featherweight champion has long been seen as one of Pimblett's potential opponents. Gordon has a 7-4 record against UFC opponents, with wins over Hacran Dias, Dan Moret, Chris Fishgold, Danny Chavez, Joe Solecki, and Santos. Gordon is a skilled grappler who has prevailed in four of his last five matches, all by decision. The only opponents Gordon has lost against in the last four years are Grant Dawson and Charles Oliveira. In Las Vegas, at the T-Mobile Arena, UFC 282 will take place. The main bout is anticipated to be a rematch between light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka and former champion Glover Teixeira.

One of the most exciting prospects in MMA history, Nickal, has pulled out of the UFC 282 fight against Jamie Pickett that was set to take place on December 12 in Las Vegas, according to insiders with knowledge of the contest. According to one source, Nickal withdrew due to an injury, and the promotion is now aiming for March 4, when UFC 285 is anticipated to take place. At Dana White's Contender Series in September, Nickal, 28, trucked CFFC champion Donovan Beard on his way to a 52-second submission that earned him a contract with the UFC. With three swift first-round finishes, the victory brought him to 3-0 in professional MMA fights. He hasn't yet taken a blow. On a two-bout losing streak, Pickett enters the contest. After going on a two-fight winning streak, defeating Laureano Staropoli and Joseph Holmes, Pickett lost to Kyle Daukaus and Denis Tiuliulin in consecutive fights. Nickal was a Division-I national wrestling champion three times at Penn State and a three-time Big Ten conference champion before his MMA career even began. In the 92 kg (202.8 lb) weight class in 2019, he won both a national championship and a world championship for under-23 athletes. He had a combined 61-0 record in his junior and senior years, and he concluded his college career with a 120-3 record. Nickal won the Dan Hodge Trophy in 2019, which is given to the top wrestler in the country. Additionally, he twice took home the Schalles Award, which recognizes the greatest pinner in the country. He was also recognized as the Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 2019. Jiu-jitsu blue belt Nickal practices at South Florida's American Top Team.

On the UFC 280 preliminary card, Lucas Almeida and Zubaira Tukhugov were slated to square off. However, the UFC had already stated that the Russian fighter would not be participating in the card due to "weight management difficulties." There have been numerous fights canceled for this particular event. Along with Marina Rodriguez, Magomed Mustafaev, and Shamil Abdurakhimov, Zubaira's battle has now also been postponed. Every fighter on the PPV card made weight, with the exception of Katlyn Chookagian, who weighed in at 127.5 pounds for her flyweight match. She was 1.5 pounds off the mark. There was a lot of anticipation in the weigh-in because Charles Oliveira missed weight in his previous bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274. Both main-event competitors made weight, with Oliveira weighing in at 154.5 pounds and Makhachev at 154.5 pounds, which will please fans. Both Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw weighed 135 pounds for the co-main event. Sean O'Malley and Petr Yan square off in the other important match on the schedule. O'Malley entered the ring at 135.5 pounds, while the former champion tipped the scales at the bantamweight limit of 136 pounds. Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov are teammates with Zubaira Tukhugov. As a result, he got the chance to make an impression on a PPV bill that included the main event between some of his closest pals. Tukhugov, though, has previously struggled to maintain his weight. When competing at featherweight against Hakeem Dawodu at UFC 253, the fighter failed to make weight. Since September 2020, Zubaira only had one fight in almost two years. But not only injuries and weight cutting, but Tukhugov was also pulled out of his fight against Tiago Trator by UFC as he failed a drug test, for which he served a 2-year suspension. He was also involved in the UFC 229 brawl which saw Team Khabib and Team Conor McGregor going at it after the event.

It seems that the UFC wants Khamzat Chimaev to continue competing at welterweight. Chimaev vs. Colby Covington will be on the same bill as the anticipated trilogy fight between welterweight champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, which is planned for March in London, according to Dana White, who spoke with The MacLife. In his most recent fight at UFC 279, Chimaev missed the welterweight cutoff by 7.5 pounds. An opponent switch occurred as a result of the huge weight miss. He moved from Kevin Holland to Nate Diaz before finishing Holland with a first-round submission. White had previously wished to book Covington against Chimaev. White wanted to pair Chimaev and Covington if "Borz" won his fight with Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, but that fight never materialized. The fight was won by Chimaev, but the contest never took place. Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) hasn’t competed since a blowout decision win over ex-teammate Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 in March. A few weeks after the altercation, Masvidal is accused of assaulting Covington outside of a restaurant in Miami Beach. Masvidal was detained and accused of criminal mischief and aggravated violence. Do you think Khamzat Chimaev will finally face Colby 'Chaos' Covington and have another run at the welterweight title after his huge weight miss at UFC 279? Let us know in the comments.

Robert Whittaker, a former welterweight champion of the UFC, revealed his upcoming opponent in a social media post. It claims that on February 12 in Perth, Australia, the former middleweight champion will face former title challenger Paulo Costa in a UFC 284 pay-per-view event. Since the UFC hasn't organized an event in Australia since before the COVID-19 outbreak, UFC 284 will be the organization's first visit there in more than three years. Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker squared off in the main event of the UFC's last Australian event, UFC 243. Whittaker entered as the champion and had the support of the home audience, but he was unable to retain his title as Adesanya won with a knockout in the second round. At 185 pounds, a fighter hasn't had much success defeating Robert Whittaker unless their name is Israel Adesanya. Whittaker defeated fighters like Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum after losing his belt to Izzy in 2019 before getting the chance to reclaim the UFC championship. In their rematch, he lost by decision to Adesanya, but he quickly got back on track by defeating Marvin Vettori by a majority decision at the UFC Paris event last month. All indications are that "Bobby Knuckles" is still at his best. Paulo Costa, who has a record of 14-2 in mixed martial arts, recently defeated former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold via unanimous decision. The victory ended "Borrachinha's" two-fight losing streak, which included losses to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori. Costa has been targeting Khamzat Chimaev lately, but it appears that he will have to change his attention to a great chance in a former champion nicknamed "The Reaper." At the RAC Arena, UFC 284 will be staged. There have not yet been any further fights added to the schedule, and the PPV's prospective headliner has not yet been revealed. But when the UFC makes its return "Down Under" in 2023, local fans can be sure they should be in for at least one of Australia's standout players.