Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will return to action this summer to face Alexander Volkanovski for a third time.
MMA reporter Ariel Helwani was the first to break the news.
Holloway is yet to make the walk in 2022. After a stellar 2021 saw him pick up two main event wins over Calvin Katter and Yair Rodriguez, “Blessed” entered the year with a title shot in the bag. But while that fight, originally booked for UFC 272, became public in January, Holloway withdrew just days later after aggravating a previous injury.
While the Hawaiian took time to recover on the sidelines, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung stepped in and was thoroughly decimated in the UFC 273 headliner. Given reports that Holloway was open to serving as backup on April 9, many suggested it wouldn’t be long until the former titleholder was ready to go.
Earlier today, Holloway signaled that this news was coming when he tweeted out a GIF of a contract being signed.
The pair first met at UFC 245 in December 2019. In a tight five-round affair, then-champion Holloway fell on the wrong side of a decision, meaning a new titleholder was crowned.
Seven months later, they ran it back on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. In an even closer contest, the elite 145-pound duo once again went the full 25-minute distance. While the judges were split this time, two once again had the Australian up after five frames.
Ever since his latest title defense, Volkanovski has expressed his desire to challenge for lightweight gold and achieve two-division glory. Now that a third date against Holloway is next, the Aussie’s membership to the champ-champ club will be put on hold.
Nevertheless, Alexander “The Great” has repeatedly shown his willingness to share the Octagon with “Blessed” again, despite already recording a pair of wins over the former champ. Given his desire to fight the best and only the best, this latest development is no surprise.
How do you think the third fight between Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski will play out?
Continue Reading Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 Booked For UFC 276 On July 2 at MMA News.