(LR) Opponents Islam Makhachev of Russia and Alexander Volkanovski of Australia compete during the UFC 294 weigh-in ceremony at Etihad Arena on October 20, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) (Chris Unger via Getty Images)
Expect fireworks in the main event of UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as lightweight champion Islam Makhachev takes on featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski in a rematch of his Fight of the Year candidate earlier this year. The two champions went head-to-head at UFC 284 in Australia on February 11, but it was Makhachev who won the hard-fought clash by unanimous decision and retained his lightweight title.
On Saturday, Volkanovski will get another chance to become a two-division champion after Makhachev’s original opponent, Charles Oliveira, withdrew due to a cut he sustained in training. Volkanovski told Yahoo Sports he accepted the fight with just 11 days’ notice so that one day his “picture will be on people’s walls.”
The co-main event also features a short-notice replacement in former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, filling in for the staph-infected Paolo Costa and taking on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at 180 pounds. Usman will make his middleweight debut after accepting the Chimaev fight on just ten days’ notice.
Stay tuned to Yahoo Sports and follow our live tracker below for all the stacked card news and results.
UFC 294 Live Results, Highlights, Analysis
How to watch UFC 294 without cable:
Stream UFC 294 on TNT Sports and save on PPV with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023
Time of the preliminary rounds: 10 a.m. ET
Main card time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
TV: PPV
Streaming: ESPN+ PPV
Where to stream UFC 294?
(Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
For ESPN+ subscribers, UFC 294 can be purchased via ESPN+ for $80. If you don’t already subscribe to ESPN+, new users can bundle UFC 294 with the cost of an annual subscription for a 30% discount, bringing your total to $124.98. The UFC 294 prelims can be streamed by ESPN+ subscribers at no additional cost. An ESPN+ subscription starts at $10 per month and gives you access to exclusive ESPN+ content, including all UFC PPV prelims, other live events, fantasy sports tools and premium ESPN+ articles.
$80 on ESPN+
How to watch UFC 294 without ESPN+ or PPV in the US:
(ExpressVPN)
ExpressVPN offers “internet without borders,” meaning you can watch a much cheaper UFC live stream this weekend instead of paying the high PPV price. In the UK, many UFC events are broadcast live on TNT Sports and do not require purchasing the fight via PPV. A contract-free subscription to BT TV (including TNT Sports) costs around $49 per month. Combined with a VPN, you can live stream this Saturday’s fight on TNT Sports at a significant discount. The added protection, speed, and choice of location options make ExpressVPN a great choice for first-time VPN users looking to expand their streaming capabilities. It’s also Endgadget’s top pick for the best streaming VPN. New users can save 35% and get three additional months free when they sign up for ExpressVPN’s 12-month subscription. Additionally, the service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
$56 at ExpressVPN
UFC 294: Volkanovski vs. Makhachev, results, odds (subject to change)
Main card (start time 2:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV)
• Lightweight Championship: Islam Makhachev (C) (-275) vs. Alexander Volkanovski (+225)
• Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev (-320) vs. Kamaru Usman (+250)
• Light heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev (-360) vs. Johnny Walker (+280)
• Middleweight: Warlley Alves (+450) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (-650)
• Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov (-225) vs. Muin Gafurov (+185)
Prelims (now live on ESPN+)
• Flyweight: Tim Elliott (+340) vs. Muhammad Mokaev (-450)
• Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (+135) vs. Trevor Peek (-165)
• Bantamweight: Javid Basharat (-600) vs. Victor Henry (+425)
• Middleweight: Abu Azaitar (+185) vs. Sedriques Dumas (-225)
• Lightweight: Mike Breeden (+225) vs. Anshul Jubli (-275)
• Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov defeated. Nathanial Wood by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Women’s Strawweight: Viktoriia Dudakova defeated. Jinh Yu Frey by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Middleweight: Shara Magomedov defeated. Bruno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Stream UFC 294 on TNT Sports and save on PPV with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
Why you can trust us: We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we believe in. Price and availability subject to change.