UFC 274: Charles Oliveira claims exhilarating win over Justin Gaethje

Charles Oliveira v Justin GaethjeGetty Images

The main event at UFC 274 went ahead despite Oliveira missing the weight on Friday

By Manvir Rai
BBC Sport at the Footprint Center

Charles Oliveira's dominance in the lightweight division continued with an exhilarating first-round submission win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 274.

But the belt is vacant after Oliveira failed to make the weight at 155lbs, which meant the Brazilian became the first reigning UFC champion to be stripped of a title before the bout.

American Gaethje would have taken the belt if he had won and he came close.

He twice knocked Oliveira down but was forced to submit in a frenetic contest.

Oliveira, 32, who was half a pound over the limit at Friday's weigh-in, recovered quickly from both knockdowns and then dropped Gaethje with a crisp right hand.

He then locked in a rear naked choke which forced the American to tap in a relentless fight in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Brazilian extended his winning streak to 11 and will now fight for the vacant title.

"There's something wrong here," Oliveira said in his post-fight interview.

"The champion's name is Charles Oliveira. I made weight Thursday and you took my belt away. I'm a problem for the entire division. I am the champion. This is my title. It should be here."

Oliveira then called out former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, saying: "You coming up or you're going to run away?"

Gaethje is now 0-2 in undisputed world title fights having lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title in October 2020.

Esparza claims gold in upset

Carla Esparza defeated Rose Namajunas with a split-decision victory to become a two-time strawweight champion.

The fight was largely uneventful with minimal activity throughout the five rounds and generated plenty of negative reviews from fans online for a lack of action.

However, Esparza did just enough to earn scores of 49-46 and 48-47 from two judges. Namajunas won 48-47 on the scorecard of one judge.

Neither fighter seemed interested in taking any risks in the fight.

Esparza, 34, did score two takedowns in the fourth round but was never close to finishing Namajunas.

The new champion and Namajunas are the only women strawweight fighters with multiple title reigns in the division.

Chandler brutally knocks out Ferguson

Michael Chandler secured one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history, stopping Tony Ferguson with a front kick to the face early in the second round.

The fight was fast paced from the start.

Ferguson, who was a heavy underdog, was able to land a knockdown in the first round and looked impressive.

But it took only 17 seconds of round two to end the fight in stunning fashion.

The former Bellator lightweight champion then also called out McGregor.

"Conor McGregor, you've got to come back and fight somebody. I am the most entertaining lightweight on the planet." Chandler said.

"But I want to up the stakes, Conor. I want you at your biggest, I want you at your baddest and I want you at your best. You and me at 170 this summer, this fall, this winter. Holler at your boy."