Examining Charles Oliveira's Injury and UFC 294 Withdrawal: What Happened to the Brazilian Fighter's Return to Action?

Charles Oliveira pulls out of lightweight title rematch at UFC 294 due to injury, Alexander Volkanovski steps in as replacement.

In a recent announcement, it was revealed that Charles Oliveira had to withdraw from his lightweight title rematch against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 due to an injury. The two fighters previously faced off at UFC 280 in October 2022, where Makhachev showcased his dominance and secured a second-round submission victory.

Following his defeat, Oliveira made a remarkable comeback by achieving a first-round TKO win over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 in June. Eager to compete for the title once again, Oliveira expressed his desire, and the promotion granted his request by scheduling a rematch with Makhachev.

The highly anticipated rematch was set to take place at UFC 294 on October 21. Unfortunately, Oliveira suffered a severe cut on his eyebrow during a sparring session earlier this week. The cut was significant enough to require stitches, preventing him from traveling to Abu Dhabi for the fight.

Eyebrow lacerations are not uncommon in MMA, as several UFC fighters have experienced similar injuries in the past. Max Holloway, for instance, sustained a nasty cut on his eyebrow during his trilogy fight against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 276. Similarly, Song Yadong suffered a brutal forehead cut at UFC Vegas 60. Both fighters returned to action approximately ten months after their injuries.

Typically, eyebrow gashes heal within 4-8 weeks with proper care and stitches. Speculatively, Oliveira may be able to return to the octagon before the year ends or secure an opponent for an early 2024 bout. However, only time will tell when the Brazilian fighter will make his next appearance.

Following the news of Oliveira's withdrawal, it was announced that featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has stepped in as a short-notice replacement for the lightweight title rematch against Makhachev at UFC 294. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the decision during a post-fight press conference after Dana White's Contender Series 66. White praised Volkanovski and expressed his excitement for the highly anticipated rematch, stating that it took just "one phone call" to convince Volkanovski to agree to the fight.

Interestingly, Mateusz Gamrot was initially chosen as the backup fighter for the Oliveira vs. Makhachev headliner. However, he was not selected to replace Oliveira after his withdrawal. It is assumed that Gamrot remains the backup for the main event of UFC 294.

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