Nevertheless, it can't be understated how dominant Oliveira has been. The 33-year-old Brazilian has only lost once since 2017, having won 11 straight fights ahead of this weekend, including victories against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler and – most recently – Justin Gaethje.
A whopping seven of those 11 victories have come by submission, proving exactly what Oliveira is capable of. He's an expert at finishing his opponents off early into the fight, which might be easier said than done against someone of Makhachev's talents.
Regardless, this will be a battle bet ween two tough fighters and double-digit winning streaks. One can make the argument for Oliveira considering he's already won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship and successfully defended it once, but Makhachev is no slouch.
Whoever winds up winning the UFC 280 main event will certainly need to earn that win.