UFC 194 is shaping up to be one of the deepest cards of all time.
Max Holloway will meet Jeremy Stephens in a key featherweight matchup and Urijah Faber takes on fellow ranked bantamweight Frankie Saenz at the event Dec. 12 in Las Vegas, it was announced Thursday night on FOX Sports Live.
Holloway (14-3) has won seven in a row and is coming off a TKO (injury) win over Charles Oliveira last month. Still just 23 years old, Holloway has not lost since falling to Conor McGregor in 2013. Stephens (24-11) had one of the knockouts of the year against Dennis Bermudez at UFC 189 in July. Before that, the 29-year-old lost two straight.
Faber (32-8) won two straight before falling to Frankie Edgar via unanimous decision in May. In all, the 36-year-old “California Kid” has won six of his last eight bouts. He’s coaching this season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite McGregor. Saenz (11-2), who is 35 years old, has won seven straight and is ranked No. 14 among UFC 135-pound contenders.
UFC 194 is headlined by a featherweight title unification bout between champion Jose Aldo and McGregor, the interim titleholder. In the co-main event, middleweight champion Chris Weidman takes on Luke Rockhold. Also on the card, Yoel Romero meets Ronaldo Souza in a significant middleweight fight.