UFC: Is the Volkanovski trilogy or McGregor rematch next for Max Holloway?

This past weekend at UFC Vegas 42, Max Holloway (23-6) took on Yair Rodriguez (13-3, 1 NC). Holloway entered the bout as a massive betting favorite on the heels of his insanely dominant performance against Calvin Kattar back in January.

However, it was apparent from the opening round at UFC Vegas 42 that this was going to be a different fight. Rodriguez started out insanely strong and I think it caught Holloway off guard a bit. It took Holloway a little to find his rhythm and Rodriguez was landing bombs.

Halfway through the fight, we saw Holloway really start to turn it on. The former UFC featherweight champion turned up the pressure and mixed things up beautifully. All of this played a huge role in him winning the latter half of the fight.

In the end, the judges gave Holloway a unanimous decision victory. It was Holloway’s second victory of the year and it puts him in a great position as the calendar gets ready to turn over to 2022.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 42?

There are a few options on the table for Max Holloway at the moment. The obvious choice seems to be the trilogy fight with Alexander Volkanovski (23-1) for the UFC featherweight title. So far, Holloway is 0-2 in his bouts against Volkanovski.

However, a majority seem to believe that Holloway won the second fight despite two of the judges giving the fight to Volkanovski. Holloway has established himself as clearly the second best featherweight in the world behind the champion.

It’s basically Holloway and Volkanovski then a gap before you reach the next contender. However, there is another option out there for Holloway if he isn’t interested in challenging Volkanovski for a third time.

That option would be moving up to lightweight for a rematch with Conor McGregor (22-6). These two have playfully gone back and forth for years after their first meeting years ago. McGregor won their first fight by decision.

McGregor even shared a video of him staring down Holloway during Holloway’s introduction at UFC Vegas 42. Holloway has expressed interest in fighting McGregor once The Notorious one returns which should be in the late spring. Time will tell, but there are some good options for The Blessed Express.

What’s next for Yair Rodriguez after UFC Vegas 42?

Yair Rodriguez

This past Saturday in the main event of UFC Vegas 42, we saw a featherweight showdown between two of the best in the world. Former undisputed champion Max Holloway (23-6) was back as he took on the returning Yair Rodriguez (13-3, 1 NC).

It was the first time that Rodriguez had fought in over two years so you could say the UFC was throwing him into the fire. Back in January, Holloway put on his best career performance when he dismantled Calvin Kattar on Fight Island.

Given the layoff and how Holloway looked, nobody was giving Rodriguez a chance. Despite being ranked in the top five, Rodriguez was a massive underdog. Holloway could be found as a -800 favorite which is insane to think about given how talented Rodriguez is.

However, nobody really knew what to expect. Well, Rodriguez showed up in a big way at UFC Vegas 42. From the opening bell, he went right after Holloway. He landed brutal calf kicks and big combinations up top. He even seemingly hurt the former champion a couple of times.

However, the champion showed great resolve and came on strong as the fight went on. In the end, Holloway did enough late and fought hard to win a decision, but the fight couldn’t have been closer in my opinion.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 42?

Yes, Yair Rodriguez did not get his hand raised this past weekend. However, he didn’t walk out of UFC Vegas 42 a loser. In fact, his stock rose in my opinion given the way that he fought the former champion.

Given the way his last fight went, what should the UFC do next. In my opinion, there are two fights that I think would be perfect for Rodriguez. The first fight is against “T-City” Brian Ortega (15-2).

Ortega only has two losses and both of those came in UFC title shots. There’s no doubting that Ortega is the third best featherweight in the world. Rodriguez is near the top as well and he proved that on Saturday night.

I think that once these two heal up after the wars they’ve had, a showdown in the spring would be a sensational fight. Another wildcard option would be Zabit Magomedsharipov (18-1).

It’s now been over two years since Zabit has last fought in the UFC. However, when he was fighting, he was being looked at as a world champion. Him and Rodriguez have been paired together a couple of times and the fight has always fallen through.

Zabit’s management has said that he’s getting ready to come back. Whenever he’s ready, I think a fight between him and Rodriguez would present an interesting new challenger for whoever is the featherweight champion at the time.

Max Holloway defeats Yair Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 42

In the main event of UFC Vegas 42, we saw a showdown between two of the best featherweights in the world. Former featherweight champion Max Holloway (22-6) was making his second appearance of the year when he took on Yair Rodriguez (13-2, 1 NC).

Rodriguez was making the walk for the first time in over two years. Despite the lengthy layoff, Rodriguez still entered UFC Vegas 42 as the third ranked featherweight in the division. His last fight was a victory of Jeremy Stephens back in October of 2019.

During this stretch Rodriguez has dealt with injuries as well as a suspension. He was hoping to pull off a huge victory today which would put him right in line to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title.

However, that was going to be a very tall order considering his opponent. Max Holloway was a massive betting favorite entering today’s contest. He put on one of the greatest performances in UFC history in his last fight against Calvin Kattar.

The only man to have bested Holloway at featherweight over the last few years is Alexander Volkanovski. Outside of the champion, Holloway has looked unstoppable and he was looking to make another statement at UFC Vegas 42.

UFC Vegas 42 Recap

Round 1

The UFC Vegas 42 featherweight contest kicked off with a touch of the gloves. Holloway takes the center and started with the pressure. Rodriguez lands the first strike with an inside leg kick. Holloway lands a nice right hand to start his striking.

Check left hook lands for Rodriguez. Step in right hand lands for Holloway. Inside leg kick for Rodriguez. Holloway steps in and gets caught with a combination from Rodriguez. Holloway lands a nice right hand that snaps the head back of Rodriguez.

Body shot for Holloway and he follows with a nice jab. These two are just trading in the pocket right now. Big combination lands for Rodriguez who is showing no fear. Right hook from Holloway but he gets his head snapped back from Rodriguez.

Both men exchange big body kicks. Calf kick from Rodriguez. Holloway’s front leg is getting eaten up by calf kicks from Rodriguez. Another one slams home. Then a sharp 1-2 from Rodriguez rocks Holloway. However, Holloway rocks Rodriguez with a 1-2 of his own.

Right hook from Rodriguez and Holloway counters with a sharp shot of his own. Holloway looks to spin but Rodriguez grabs a body lock. This is where the round ends and a very good one for Rodriguez who takes the first at UFC Vegas 42.

Round 2

These two couldn’t wait to get the second started at UFC Vegas 42. They touch gloves and they’re back at it. Another big calf kick lands for Rodriguez and he doubles it up. Pressure here from Yair Rodriguez. Another good kick from Rodriguez.

Straight left hand lands for Rodriguez. Holloway steps in but he’s eating shots from Rodriguez. Check right hook lands on the chin from Rodriguez. 1-2 lands for the former champion. Lead left hook lands for Rodriguez. Body shot from Holloway but Rodriguez lands a big body kick counter.

Big straight right hand lands for Max Holloway. However, he eats three straight calf kicks from Rodriguez. Holloway stepping up the pressure here. Combinations from Holloway who appears to be pressing on the gas. Rodriguez lands a 1-2 to get some space.

Another calf kick from Rodriguez. Holloway presses Rodriguez against the fence but it’s Rodriguez who is landing the better shots along the fence. Jab to the body from Holloway. Another calf kick from Rodriguez.

Nice combination lands from Holloway. Holloway lands a big flying knee to the body and that might’ve hurt Rodriguez. Holloway trying to pour it on in the final seconds here. The second comes to a close and I still think it goes to Yair Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 42.

Round 3

Entering the third at UFC Vegas 42 and the momentum might be shifting here. Holloway goes right back on the pressure to start the third round. Both men trade jabs to start the striking. Holloway pushes Rodriguez against the fence and lands another flying knee.

Another knee to the body from Rodriguez. Calf kick lands from Rodriguez on the break. Holloway lands a straight shot but eats a combination from Rodriguez. Double jab from Holloway. Rodriguez goes for a kick but eats a shot that takes him off his feet.

Holloway jumps right on him and ends up in the mount. Rodriguez bucks but gives Holloway his back. Holloway staying patient in this dominant position. Big shots land from Holloway. Holloway is picking his shots here trying to maintain the position.

More big shots from Holloway but Rodriguez slips out. Back to their feet and immediately Rodriguez starts landing bombs on Holloway. Rodriguez lands a takedown but Holloway pops right back up. Huge 1-2 lands for Max Holloway.

Body kick from Holloway. More pressure from Holloway. The two trade jabs and Holloway shoots for another takedown and gets it. The round ends with Holloway on top and the former champion takes his first round at UFC Vegas 42.

Round 4

Entering the main event rounds at UFC Vegas 42 and while Holloway won the last round, Rodriguez still looks game. They touch gloves and here we go in the fourth. Holloway goes right back on the pressure and lands a lead left.

Right hand from Rodriguez. They both step forward and trade massive shots in the pocket. Another big exchange by both men and they end up in a clinch. Rodriguez pushes Holloway off but Holloway goes right back on the pressure.

Holloway gets Rodriguez against the fence and he lands some good shots. Standing guillotine attempt from Holloway and it’s deep. Rodriguez goes to his back to defend but now Holloway is on top. Rodriguez slips out of the choke.

Huge elbow lands for Holloway. A little separation and Rodriguez tries to attack a leg lock. However, Holloway slips right out and goes right back into the top position. Holloway slips right into the mount and he starts going to work.

However, Rodriguez gives up his back but is able to scramble to get back up. Knee to the body from Holloway and they’re back to striking. Holloway goes for a flying knee but it misses and he eats a counter. 1-2 from Holloway and then Rodriguez throws a flying knee.

Head kick from Rodriguez who is throwing heat in the final minute of the round. Good combination from Rodriguez. Spinning back kick from Holloway. More big shots from Rodriguez to end the round. I have this one 2-2 entering the final round at UFC Vegas 42.

Round 5

Entering the final round at UFC Vegas 42 and I think it’s anyone’s fight. They hug before the final round and here we go. Nice 1-2 from Rodriguez who knows he has to go in the final round. Body kick from Rodriguez.

Another good body kick from Rodriguez who is throwing major heat here in the final round. Pressure from Holloway now as he lands a 1-2. Nice knee from Holloway and he lands a nice shot. Lead elbow from Rodriguez and he follows it with a spinning back fist.

Holloway pushes Rodriguez against the fence and starts going to work. Rodriguez looks weathered but he circles along the outside to get things at range. Nice 1-2 lands for Holloway. Rodriguez is looking tired and tries to land a wild kick.

He landed a nice shot but ended up on the ground with Holloway on top. Worst case scenario for Yair Rodriguez. However, Rodriguez reverses and he ends up on top. Holloway tries for an armbar to scramble and it works as Holloway gets to his feet.

Spinning elbow from Rodriguez but flush knee counter from Holloway lands. Body kick from Rodriguez. Another good combination from Rodriguez. Rodriguez pushing forward in the final minute but eats a good shot.

Calf kick from Rodriguez and then he follows with a head kick. Holloway gets a body lock but Rodriguez uses an elbow to separate. More good shots from Rodriguez. Spinning back to the body lands for Rodriguez.

Final ten seconds at UFC Vegas 42 and they end in a clinch. Incredible fight. I would give the final round to Rodriguez and give the fight to him, however, I was really torn on that second round. Could’ve easily gone to Holloway and I think that’s how the judges would vote.

Max Holloway def. Yair Rodriguez by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)

After successful title defense at UFC 266, what’s next for Alexander Volkanovski?

This past Saturday in the main event of UFC 266, Alexander Volkanovski (23-1) defended his featherweight title against Brian Ortega (15-2, 1 NC). Ortega was getting his second crack at UFC gold while Volkanovski was trying to defend for the second time.

When this fight was first announced, I really liked Ortega’s chances. The Brian Ortega that fought Chan Sung Jung last year looked like he could be the guy to take out Volkanovski. Or, so I thought.

Volkanovski has had an interesting run so for as UFC champion. He did the unthinkable when he defeated Max Holloway (22-6) to win the title. Then he barely edged out Holloway in the second fight to retain.

However, the split decision nature of the second fight has casted some doubts regarding his status as UFC champion. Well, Saturday night he did a pretty damn good job of silencing those who casted doubt.

From the opening bell, Volkanovski controlled the fight. Sensational feints and pinpoint striking had Ortega flustered throughout the fight. However, there was one moment where the fight almost went to Ortega.

Ortega locked in a mounted guillotine in the third round. It was so deep that I was tapping from my chair at home. However, the UFC champion gutted it out and survived. Ultimately, he won a lopsided unanimous decision.

What’s next after UFC 266?

Volkanovski now finds himself in an interesting spot after UFC 266. To me, the clear option for his next opponent is the trilogy with Max Holloway. However, Holloway has a fight with Yair Rodriguez in November so there’s likely going to be a layoff for the champ.

Nobody is expecting Holloway to have troubles with Yair Rodriguez so I think the plan is already in place for the UFC to do the trilogy. However, there could be an outside the box idea that could get considered.

Henry Cejudo (16-2) continues to tease a comeback. The former two-division UFC champion and Olympic Gold Medalist retired last year after defending his bantamweight crown. He’s talked about his desire to capture a belt in three weight classes which has never been done.

I do not expect the UFC to go in this direction, but I wouldn’t dismiss it either. If Volkanovski wants to fight relatively close to the beginning of the year, they might have to go a different direction than Holloway. That direction could be the King of Cringe.

After sensational win at UFC Vegas 35, what’s next for Giga Chikadze?

This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 35, we saw a big time showdown in the featherweight division. Two of the very best and most dynamic strikers in the promotion went head-to-head as Giga Chikadze (14-2) took on Edson Barboza (22-10).

Since moving down to 145 pounds, Edson Barboza has looked tremendous. Had it not been for poor judging, he would’ve carried a perfect record at 145 pounds into UFC Vegas 35‘s main event.

That said, Chikadze was going to be his toughest test to date. Barboza has always been known for his tremendous striking. However, this was really the first time he was going to be going up against someone that’s at a higher level.

Giga Chikadze showed just how special he is on Saturday night. Barboza has always stifled opponents with his speed and power. However, he was lacking in both of those categories compared to Chikadze on Saturday night.

Giga landed beautiful kicks throughout the first couple of rounds. He also had bursts where he was so much faster compared to Barboza. Eventually, he caught him with the shot he was looking for. In the third round, Chikadze poured it on and stopped Barboza at UFC Vegas 35.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 35?

After the fight was over, there was one name on the mind of Giga Chikadze. That name was former UFC featherweight champion and arguably the greatest featherweight in the history of the promotion, Max Holloway (22-6).

Holloway was supposed to headline a Fight Night in July against Yair Rodriguez. That bout was expected to be a UFC title eliminator, however, Holloway had to pull out of the fight with an injury.

Currently, the UFC is targeting that fight for November according to Dana White. However, Chikadze might have changed the plan. There’s no word on it yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the promotion tries to get Chikadze in that spot.

If Holloway isn’t next, Chikadze wants to be the backup fighter for the UFC 266 main event. Next month, Alexander Volkanovski will defend against Brian Ortega. If one of those guys falls out, Chikadze wants to be the backup. I could see the promotion doing that as well.

Either way, Chikadze is going to be at the very top of the UFC’s featherweight division once the new rankings come out. Don’t be surprised to see the featherweight from Georgia in a title eliminator in his next fight.

Is AJ McKee the best featherweight in the world after Bellator 263?

AJ McKee

This past Saturday at Bellator 263, we saw the conclusion of the Featherweight Grand Prix in the main event. The champion Patricio Pitbull (32-5) was looking to defend his title against the undefeated challenger AJ McKee (18-0).

McKee has a superstar quality about him, but many were still picking the Bellator champion heading into Saturday. Patricio Pitbull is the greatest fighter in the promotion’s history and he owns virtually every Bellator record there is to own.

Saturday night was going to tell us just how good AJ McKee is. Well, AJ McKee is not just good, he’s something truly special. McKee dropped Pitbull in the first round at Bellator 263 with a beautiful combination and he finished him with a standing guillotine.

In a fight that was built to be the best versus the best, McKee made it look incredibly easy. It reminded me of when Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to become UFC featherweight champion. Just like McGregor, McKee left no doubts at Bellator 263.

Bellator 263 Proved McKee’s Greatness

After his dominant win at Bellator 263 many are wondering if he’s the best in the world regardless of promotion. Over the course of recent history, the UFC champion has been considered to be the best of the best.

However, Bellator has a legit argument with their new featherweight champion. While Patricio Pitbull was a dominant champion, nobody ever considered him to be better than Max Holloway or Alexander Volkanovski.

He was always seen as a step below them, however, McKee is not. I truly believe that McKee is on that elite level with the best that the UFC has to offer. The 26 year old has it all. He has incredible ground skills and he’s developed dangerous striking to go along with it.

Who is the best in the world?

At Bellator 263, he showed off the full package. Now, when everyone is at their absolute best, I still believe in my heart that Max Holloway is the best featherweight on the planet. Yes, he’s lost to Volkanovski twice. However, I do not believe he lost that second fight last year.

The Max Holloway that we saw in January is the best featherweight in the world. While I don’t think McKee is the best in the world, I think he’s right there with those guys. It’s truly a shame that he fights for Bellator in that we won’t be able to see him fight the best of the best.

That said, McKee’s contract is coming up soon. McKee told MMA Junkie that he would like to resign with Bellator if they show him the money. McKee has fought all 18 of his professional fights under the Bellator banner.

However, the UFC is interested. Dana White did come out and say that he would take McKee to lunch making good on a bet McKee made with him when he was a child. McKee told the UFC president that he would become world champion and when that happens, White had to take him to lunch.

White told TSN that he would make good on that bet and also said that when his contract is up, they’d be interested in talking. Time will tell what McKee ends up doing, but make no mistake about it, the new Bellator champion is a star.

UFC: Will Giga Chikadze replace Holloway against Yair Rodriguez?

Last week we learned that the main event between former UFC champion Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez was off. Holloway sustained an injury and had to pull out of the Fight Night main event that was scheduled for July 17th.

At first, it looked like the UFC was focused on getting the fight rescheduled. However, we have now learned that the promotion has been shopping for replacements in order to keep Rodriguez on the July 17th card.

The top name on the replacement list is the native of Georgia, Giga Chikadze (13-2). Chikadze made his UFC debut back in September of 2019 and he’s already fought six times for the promotion. He’s gone a perfect 6-0 inside the octagon.

After some close decisions to start his UFC career, Chikadze has been incredibly dominant. His last two performances really stood out as he stopped James Krause-Simmons and Cub Swanson in the first round by TKO.

The Cub Swanson victory was incredibly impressive and Chikadze has been moving up in the UFC‘s welterweight division. The promotion has called Chikadze about being the replacement and he says he’s accepted. However, he posted on his Instagram page that Rodriguez is playing games.

Will the UFC book the fight?

As you can see from the above video, Chikadze has accepted the UFC’s offer to replace Holloway. However, Rodriguez has yet to accept the fight and is said to be weighing his options.

A lot will come down to how long Max Holloway is going to be out. Rodriguez hasn’t fought in nearly two years and he needs to get back in the cage. However, it’s obvious that he relishes the opportunity to fight someone like Max Holloway.

Giga Chikadze is an incredibly dangerous fight for Rodriguez. Chikadze could use him as a stepping stone and Rodriguez wouldn’t gain a ton by picking up the win himself. If Holloway isn’t going to be out too long, I expect Rodriguez to hold out for the former UFC champion.

However, if Holloway’s return is going to take some time, he should take this fight with Chikadze. He needs to get back in there and Chikadze would be a great fight for him.

After UFC Vegas 29 victory, what’s next for Chan Sung Jung?

This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 29, Chan Sung Jung (17-6) took on Dan Ige (15-4) in the main event. The matchup was a pivotal one for the featherweight division. The winner was expected to move up towards the top of the rankings.

Heading into UFC Vegas 29, there were a lot of questions surrounding The Korean Zombie. Jung’s loss to Brian Ortega last October took a lot out of him. The damage he’s taken over his career and the loss to Ortega had The Zombie briefly considering hanging up the gloves.

However, Jung decided that he wanted to fight on and he took the matchup with Dan Ige. Ige was coming off of a 20 second knockout and he was looking for that one signature win that would put him in title contention.

The fight on Saturday night was very back-and-forth. Both men had their moments, but at UFC Vegas 29, there was one man that was clearly getting the better of things and that was Chan Sung Jung.

Dan Ige showed that he can hang with The Zombie, however, Jung was too much for him on Saturday night. In the end, all three judges gave the fight to Chan Sung Jung and as a result, the UFC‘s Korean Zombie is back on track.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 29?

After the event, there was one name on the mind of TKZ. Jung took to the post-fight press conference where he made it clear that he wanted to face former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway (22-6) in his next fight.

Jung said that he doesn’t believe Holloway has the power to hang with him. Holloway recently was scratched from his UFC main event against Yair Rodriguez next month. The former featherweight champion had to pull out due to an injury.

The promotion is leaning towards rebooking the fight, however, there has been replacement talks. If Rodriguez gets a replacement opponent, I think a fight between Holloway and Jung would be fantastic. It would provide a true number one contender in the UFC’s featherweight division.

UFC headliner between Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez postponed

Some unfortunate UFC news was broken this morning by ESPN Deportes. The outlet reported that the highly anticipated headliner next month between Max Holloway (22-6) and Yair Rodriguez (13-2, 1 NC) is off.

The fight was set to headline a UFC Fight Night on July 17th. ESPN reported that Holloway has sustained an injury and will not be ready to compete next month. However, the promotion is keeping the fight together and is already working on new dates.

At this time there is no word on the severity of the injury to Max Holloway. This fight was being looked at as a title eliminator as both Holloway and Rodriguez are ranked at the very top of the UFC‘s featherweight division.

Back in January, Max Holloway put on the best performance of his career. On Fight Island, Holloway fought Calvin Kattar and broke virtually every significant strike record. In reality, that performance should have earned him another shot at the UFC title.

Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega were set to fight at UFC 260 in March for the featherweight title. The winner of that fight would have lined up perfectly with Max Holloway, however, Volkanovski got COVID and that fight was pushed back.

Better timing for the UFC

Volkanovski and Ortega ended up coaching The Ultimate Fighter and now they are currently scheduled to fight at the end of September at UFC 266. Again, there’s no word on the severity of Holloway’s injury. However, this fight getting pushed back actually works out better in lining up the two headlining featherweight fights.

The early word is that the fight could be rescheduled for September or early October which again lines up perfectly. This featherweight headliner is the biggest fight of Yair Rodriguez’s UFC career.

By the time the fight comes together, Rodriguez would have nearly been off for two years. The last time we saw Rodriguez in the UFC was October of 2019 when he defeated Jeremy Stephens. There have been a number of issues that have kept him out of action.

However, he’s back and he’s ready to go. This fight should be a fantastic one whenever it takes place and it will provide a clear-cut number one contender in the UFC’s featherweight division.

UFC books headliner between Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez

The UFC has finalized a sensational headliner in their featherweight division. Dana White broke the news tonight to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that the promotion had finalized a main event between Max Holloway (22-6) and Yair Rodriguez (13-2, 1 NC).

The matchup will headline a UFC Fight Night on July 17th. This is by far the biggest opportunity in the career of Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez has had a ton of hype surrounding him since he joined the UFC a few years ago.

His flashy style and highlight reel knockouts made him an instant fan favorite. However, he was rushed to the top quickly and Frankie Edgar completely dominated him at UFC 211. That loss alone forced Rodriguez to stay away for over a year.

Once he made his UFC return, Rodriguez knocked out Chan Sung Jung in the final seconds of their fight. A year after that matchup, he defeated Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision.

The problem for Rodriguez has been his activity level. Since the Frankie Edgar loss at UFC 211, Rodriguez has only fought three times. Due to a suspension and injuries, this fight against Holloway will be his first since October of 2019.

The former UFC champion returns

Back in January, Max Holloway fought in his first non-title UFC fight for the first time since 2016. The former champion was coming off back-to-back losses to Alexander Volkanovski and he was looking to make a statement.

Standing in his way was Calvin Kattar. Kattar played the part of sacrificial lamb as Max Holloway put on a performance like we’ve never seen before. Holloway set virtually every UFC striking record as he battered Kattar for five rounds.

The Max Holloway we saw in January looked like the best featherweight in the world. After that performance, it looked like Holloway would get his title shot in the summer.

However, Alexander Volkanovski got COVID and his UFC title fight with Brian Ortega was pushed back. So, Holloway was left with either waiting things out or taking another fight. When the UFC offered him this main event, he jumped at the chance. If you’re a fight fan, you should be pumped for this one.