Which fighter won the UFC 280 vacant lightweight championship against Charles Oliveira?

Islam Makhachev won the vacant UFC lightweight championship against Charles Oliveira at UFC 280.

The title fight took place on October 22, 2022, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Oliveira had been stripped of the championship after missing weight before his previous bout, so the belt was vacant. Makhachev defeated him by second-round arm-triangle choke and became UFC lightweight champion.

Makhachev’s victory continued the championship lineage associated with his longtime training partner and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Both fighters developed their wrestling-heavy approach at American Kickboxing Academy and in Dagestani combat-sports programs.

The result should not be confused with Oliveira’s earlier title win over Michael Chandler at UFC 262. Oliveira won that vacant belt in 2021, while Makhachev captured the vacancy created after Oliveira’s weigh-in issue.