Excitement levels peaked during Friday’s UFC 280 ceremonial weigh-ins featuring pay-per-view headliners Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev, with both fighters set to collide for the vacant lightweight championship in one of the most anticipated matchups of the year.
Both men engaged in a staredown-of-the-year candidate before ‘Do Bronx’ declared himself ‘the lion of the lightweights’ while Makhachev hyped up the Abu Dhabi crowd by promising victory tomorrow afternoon.
Check out the face-off below, courtesy of MMA Fighting.
Also competing on tomorrow’s blockbuster card are bantamweight standouts Aljamain Sterling (champion) and T.J. Dillashaw, with both men facing off for the bantamweight championship in the co-main event. Their staredown was almost just as intense, with both fighters trading verbal shots, much to the delight of the crowd.
Then we have Petr Yan and Sean O’Malley, who had to be separated by UFC president Dana White due to their near-altercation at Thursday’s press conference. Their latest face-off was just as exciting although both fighters had to be kept at arm’s length due to their previous encounter.
UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev takes place tomorrow, Oct. 22, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
