Oliveira v Makhachev: UFC 280 headline bout in Abu Dhabi on as both fighters make weight

Brazil's Charles Oliveira ran onto stage before clocking in at 154.5 lbs with Islam Makhacev weighing in the same

Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev at the ceremonial weigh in before their lightweight title fight at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Charles Oliveira at the ceremonial weigh in before his title fight with Islam Makhachev at UFC 280. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Charles Oliveira weighs in before his lightweight title fight at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi against Islam Makhachev. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Islam Makhachev weighs in before his lightweight title fight at UFC 280 against Charles Oliveira in Abu Dhabi. Both fighters weighed an identical 154.5lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Brazil's Charles Oliveira points to the sky at the official weigh-in for UFC 280. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dagestan fight Islam Makhachev weighs in at UFC 280. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Alexnder Volkanovski weighs in as the back up for the main event at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling roars after making weight fr his championship fight against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

TJ Dillashaw weighed in at 135lbs for his title fight against Aljamain Sterling in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling weighs in at 135lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sean O'Malley weighed in at 135.5lbs at the official weigh-in for his bantamweight contest against Petr Jan at UFC 280. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Petr Yan tipped the scales at 136lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sean O'Malley poses on the scales.

Caio Borralho weighs in before his fight at UFC 280 against Makhmud Muradov. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Belal Muhammad weighs in at 170lbs ahead of his bout against Sean Brady. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Manon Fiorot weighs in before her fight at UFC 280 against Katlyn Chookagian in Abu Dhabi. Fiorot weighed in at 125.5lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Muhammad Mokaev weighs in before his fight against Malcolm Gordon at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Mokaev weighed in at 126lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Gadzhi Omargadzhiev weighs in at 171lbs for his fight at UFC 280 against Abubakar Nurmagomedov. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mateusz Gamrot weighs in before his fight against Beneil Dariush at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Gamrot tipped the scales at 156lbs. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Nikita Krylov weighs in before his fight at UFC 280 against Volkan Oezdemir in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The main event at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi is official after Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev took to the scales first at the weigh-in on Friday morning.

Keen no doubt to make a statement following his controversial missed weight at UFC 274 in May – he was subsequently stripped of the lightweight title - Oliveira ran onto stage before clocking in at 154.5 lbs.

The Brazilian, half a pound over the 155lb limit back in May, was cheered on by his heavy squad of teammates at the weigh-in.

Moments later, Makhachev was on the scale, with the No 4-ranked lightweight contender weighing in at an identical mark to Saturday night’s opponent.

The pair, considered two of the lead lightweights in the world, will battle for the vacant belt at the top of the bill at Etihad Arena.

Meanwhile, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski came in on the 155lb button on Friday morning. The Australian was serving as back-up to the main event, but will not be needed after both made weight.

However, his commendable endeavour should not be in vain: Volkanovski is expected to meet the winner of Oliveira-Makhachev early next year as he bids to become a two-division champion.

Saturday’s other championship bout has been made official, too. Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, set for the second defence of his crown, came in right on the 135lb limit, while rival TJ Dillashaw – the American is a former two-time bantamweight belt-holder – later matched his weight.

In one of the other standout clashes on the card, both Petr Yan and Sean O'Malley made weight. The hugely talented bantamweights, who got a little heated at the official press conference on Thursday night, were 136lbs and 135.5lbs, respectively.

One bout, though, has been cancelled: featherweight Zubaira Tukhugov, a teammate of Makhachev's, did not make weight by a considerable margin and therefore will not face Lucas Almeida.