When is the next UFC card? Here's the schedule for October 2023 starting this weekend
For fans wondering whether there are any UFC fights slated for this weekend, unfortunately, there aren't. The promotion's next fight card is scheduled for Saturday, October 7, at the Apex Facility in Las Vegas.
A lightweight match-up between Bobby Green and surging contender Grant Dawson will headline the event. A middleweight bout between Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) breakout Joe Pyfer and Abdul Razak Al Hassan has also been slated for the event.
The following weekend, at UFC Fight Night 230 in Las Vegas, Edson Barboza will take on Sodiq Yusuff in a featherweight clash. Fan favorite Michael Pereira also returns on the fight card as he takes on Marc-Andre Barriault.
A women's flyweight bout between former title challenger Jennifer Maia and the No. 11 ranked contender Viviane Araujo is scheduled on the same card.
The last fight card of October is the highly awaited UFC 294, headlined by the lightweight title clash between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. The event will take place on Saturday, October 21, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
A middleweight bout between promotional superstars Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa has also been slated for the fight card. Also, former lightweight title challenger Magomed Ankalaev will take on Johnny Walker at the event.
UFC 294: Paulo Costa predicts quick knock out over Khamzat Chimaev
With dominant wins across two divisions, the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev has become a bonafide bogeyman in the premier promotion. However, Paulo Costa believes he's going make light work of 'Borz' on October 21.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on a recent segment of The MMA Hour, 'Borrachinha' predicted a first-round knockout over the Chechen-born fighter:
"I think this fight will be crazy, and it’s going to end in the first round. Knockout. I will not try to submit him. I’m [a] black belt, but I will not try to submit him. I don't think he's going to try to submit me as well. So explosive [of] a guy, so full of energy. I prefer knockout."
Catch Paulo Costa's comments below (37:43):
Paulo Costa holds a record of 14-2, with 11 wins coming via knockouts. In his most recent outing at UFC 278, Costa clinched a unanimous decision win against former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.
On the other hand, Chimaev (12-0) delivered a first-round submission over Kevin Holland in his last fight.