Michael Bisping expresses his thoughts on Charles Oliveira’s decision to withdraw from UFC 294.
Oliveira had to drop out of his lightweight title-fight rematch against Islam Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) on October 21 in Abu Dhabi due to a cut. Makhachev will now defend his belt against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Bisping understands why Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) decided to withdraw, as he believes fighting with a significant eyebrow cut could have been detrimental to Oliveira’s chances in the match.
“If it is a bad cut two, three weeks away, two and a half weeks, yeah listen, you can’t compete like that,” Bisping expressed on his YouTube channel. “You can compete with injuries, but a huge cut on the eye, I mean, that’s going to be bad. It’s going to open up straight away and that’s going to be it. Or maybe he even gets out there and the UFC pull him from the fight straight away.”
Volkanovski (26-2 MMA, 13-1 UFC) will step in on less than two weeks’ notice for his title-fight rematch. “The Great” was eager to have a second chance against Makhachev after pushing him to the brink in their first fight at UFC 284, and will now get that opportunity.
Bisping believes that the limited time to prepare presents a significant challenge for Volkanovski. While Makhachev thinks Volkanovski has nothing to lose, Bisping disagrees.
“The danger here for Volkanovski is that if he does lose, and one has got to imagine, let’s be honest, that Islam’s going to be a huge favorite,” Bisping said. “Not only has he beaten him once, not only is he the bigger guy, but this is on two and a half weeks’ notice.
“Regardless of how professional Volkanovski is – because he is. He’s always training. The man’s an athlete. He takes his job very, very seriously. Still, two and a half weeks, that’s not ideal. But the real risk is that if he loses to Islam twice in a row, then he ain’t going to get another shot. That’s the real risk here. That is what’s at stake.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.
Sarah Foster is your guide to the world of Mixed Martial Arts. With a deep understanding of MMA’s intricacies and a passion for the sport, she offers comprehensive coverage of MMA events, fighter profiles, and in-depth analysis of fights. Sarah’s commitment to the octagon ensures that readers stay engaged with the latest developments in the MMA world.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72931262/usa_today_21973134.0.jpg "Stay Updated on Wisconsin Badgers Transfer Portal Movements for 2023-2024 Season")
