UFC 294: Makhachev v Volkanovski official as both fighters make weight

Lightweight title rematch tops the bill at Etihad Arena, while Usman and Chimaev also make weight ahead of their co-main event bout

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev weighs in for his fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. All photos Chris Whiteoak / The National

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski weighs in for his lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Kamaru Usman weighs in for his fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Khamzat Chimaev weighs in for his fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Abu Azaitar weighs in for his fight against Sedriques Dumas at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov weighs in for his fight against Bruno Silva at UFC 294.

UFC lightweight Mike Breeden misses weight for his fight against Anshul Jubli at UFC 294.

UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev weighs in for his fight against Tim Elliott at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Sedriques Dumas weighs in for his fight against Abu Azaitar at UFC 294.

UFC bantamweight Victor Henry weighs in for his fight against Javid Basharat at UFC 294.

UFC featherweight Muhammad Naimov weighs in for his fight against Nathaniel Wood at UFC 294.

UFC bantamweight Said Nurmagomedov weighs in for his fight against Muin Gafurov at UFC 294.

UFC lightweight Trevor Peek weighs in for his fight against Mohammed Yahya at UFC 294.

UFC flyweight Tim Elliott weighs in for his fight against Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 294.

UFC strawweight Jinh Yu Frey weighs in for her fight against Viktoriia Dudakova at UFC 294.

UFC strawweight Viktoriia Dudakova misses weight for her fight against Jinh Yu Frey at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Bruno Silva weighs in for his fight against Shara Magomedov at UFC 294.

UFC featherweight Muhammad Naimov weighs in for his fight against Nathaniel Wood at UFC 294.

UFC bantamweight Muin Gafurov weighs in for his fight against Said Nurmagomedov at UFC 294.

UFC bantamweight Javid Basharat weighs in for his fight against Victor Henry at UFC 294.

UFC middleweight Warlley Alves weighs in for his fight against Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 294.

UFC lightweight Anshul Jubli weighs in for his fight against Mike Breeden at UFC 294.

UFC lightweight Mohammed Yahya weighs in for his fight against Trevor Peek at UFC 294.

UFC light heavyweight Johnny Walker weighs in for his fight against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 294.

The headline lightweight title bout between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 is official after both athletes made weight in Abu Dhabi on Friday morning.

Volkanovski, the current featherweight belt-holder aiming for double-champion status, was first on the scales at the athlete hotel, coming in at 154.5lbs – half a pound under the lightweight limit.

Champion Makhachev was next out, weighing right on the 155lb mark. The highly anticipated clash, a rematch of the gripping February encounter in Australia, tops the bill at UFC 294 at Etihad Arena on Saturday night.

Volkanovski, who lost to Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth, took the fight on 11 days’ notice after Makhachev's initial opponent, Charles Oliveira, was forced to withdraw through injury.

Saturday’s co-main bout, a middleweight contest between former welterweights Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman, was also made official right at the beginning of the allotted two hours to make weight.

Usman, who accepted the fight only last week following Paulo Costa’s removal because of injury, came in at 184.5lbs, while Chimaev stepped up at 185.5lbs. Usman is the former long-reigning welterweight champion.

Meanwhile, UAE history-maker Mohammed Yahya is all set for his debut in the promotion after weighing in at 156lbs. The Dubai-based lightweight, who will make history as the first Emirati to compete in the UFC, takes on Trevor Peek, who weighed 155.5lbs on Friday.