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Get up to date on the co-main event of UFC 245 between featherweight champion Max Holloway and Alex Volkanovski,
In the co-main event of UFC 245 this weekend, current UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway (21-4 MMA; 17-4 UFC) will hope to hand top contender Alex Volkanovski (20-1 MMA; 7-0 UFC) his first ever UFC loss and retain his title. UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington airs live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday night, December 14th. The main card will air on PPV via ESPN+ starting with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT, with the ESPN2 prelims kicking off at 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET on Fight Pass and ESPN+.
How do these two stack up?
Holloway: 28 years old | 5’11” | 69” reach
Volkanovski: 31 years old | 5’6” | 71.5” reach
How did these two get here?
Holloway: W – Frankie Edgar (DEC) | W – Dustin Poirer (DEC) | W – Brian Ortega (TKO)
Volkanovski: W – Jose Aldo (DEC) | W – Chad Mendes (TKO) | W – Darren Elkins (DEC)
What have these two done recently?
It’s easy to forget Max Holloway is only 28, given ‘Blessed’ made his UFC debut against Dustin Poirier at just 21. Little did Holloway know he would be rematching the man that handed him his first UFC loss seven years later, and unfortunately for Holloway history repeated itself as Poirier got the better of him on the night. Returning to the featherweight divison after that loss, Holloway last defended his title with a one-sided decision win over Frankie Edgar in July. Unbeaten at 145-pounds in fourteen fights, Volkanovski has a big task on his hands getting past Holloway.
Now the number one ranked featherweight after his decision win over Jose Aldo in May, Alex Volkanovski has been a breakout star in the 145-pound division in the last year or so. The Australian hasn’t lost a fight since 2013, but really it was his last three wins in the UFC that surged him to the top of the division. Starting with a unanimous decision against the gritty Darren Elkins in July of last year, “The Great” put on a Fight of the Night performance with Chad Mendes at UFC 232, with Volkanovski eventually winning by second round TKO. His most recent win over the former featherweight king Aldo was arguably the most impressive of the bunch, and Volkanovski will be looking for much the same against Holloway on Saturday night.
Why should you care?
Don’t be fooled by the size difference between these two men, their skillsets make for an exciting co-main event and featherweight title fight.