Just 11 days ahead of the proposed UFC 294 fight card, set to have Makhachev vs Oliveira go head to head, UFC president Dana White confirmed on Tuesday evening that Charles Oliveira was pulled from the Abu Dhabi card due to an injury.
Alexander Volkanovski swoops in to save the day, replacing Oliveira for the October 21 scheduled UFC 294, giving fans a highly-anticipated rematch for the lightweight title.
The pair will meet for the second time, having previously met in Perth in a Super Fight between reigning champions in February. Makhachev defeated Volkanovski in their first fight, and with only 10 days to prepare for the title fight for the latter, the clash will prove to be a steep challenge.
GOAL walks you through how to get in on the action live, including where to purchase your PPV ticket and what other deals you might be interested in when it comes to covering your UFC needs.
How to watch UFC 294: Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2
Getty ImagesIn the United States, coverage of UFC 294 will be available as a PPV (pay-per-view) purchase made through ESPN+. The cable broadcaster has carried the rights for UFC PPV events since 2018, but upon signing a further two-year extension to an existing five-year contract in 2019, has only allowed PPV events to be purchased through their streaming platform.
Since then, all UFC PPV events have been unavailable to traditional linear television viewers live, even those who have ESPN as part and parcel of their typical cable or satellite package. If MMA fans want to catch the main card action from UFC 294, they will need to have ESPN+ in their pocket, before they can even purchase the PPV.
Additionally, the preliminary card will be broadcast on ESPN+ free of PPV constriction, meaning fans will still be able to see some of the action from Abu Dhabi, even if they do not want to splash out on the main event itself.
The price of the PPV has not yet been announced, however, a typical PPV fight on ESPN+ goes for $79.99, so we can expect to see the same or similar pricing for the UFC 294.
When is Makhachev vs Volkanovski 2?
Getty ImagesUFC 294 takes place on Saturday, October 21, from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Prelims start at 10:00 am ET / 7:00 am PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT.
UFC 294 Fight Card - Main Card
| Weight Class | Main Card |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski |
| Middleweight | Paulo Costa vs Khamzat Chimaev |
| Light heavyweight | Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker |
| Bantamweight | Said Nurmagomedov vs Muin Gafurov |
UFC 294 Fight Card - Preliminary Card
| Weight Class | Preliminary Card |
|---|---|
| Flyweight | Tim Elliott vs Muhammad Mokaev |
| Lightweight | Mohammad Yahya vs Trevor Peek |
| Middleweight | Abu Azaitar vs Sedriques Dumas |
| Lightweight | Mike Breeden vs Anshul Jubli |
| Featherweight | Nathaniel Wood vs Muhammad Naimov |
| Women's Strawweight | Victoria Dudakova vs Jinh Yu Frey |
| Middleweight | Sharabutdin Magomedov vs Bruno Silva |
What are the best subscription packages for UFC 294?
With UFC 294 exclusive to ESPN+, GOAL breaks down the ways you can subscribe to the premium streaming service here: