Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will get back into the Octagon once more before the New Year.
The second of three title fights expected to take place at UFC 245 is official.
Max Holloway will defend his featherweight belt against No. 1 contender Alexander Volkanovski Dec. 14 in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, Daily Telegraph and MMA Junkie both reported Saturday.
In his last fight, Holloway defeated Frankie Edgar to retain the 145-pound title at UFC 240 in July. “Blessed” bounced back from his first loss in six years, a decision to Dustin Poirier in an interim lightweight title fight earlier this year. The Poirier fight marked Holloway’s first bout at 155 pounds and snapped a 13-fight winning streak.
Holloway won the featherweight strap in 2017 with a TKO of former longtime champ Jose Aldo and has since defended it three times.
Volkanovski is coming off an impressive decision win over Aldo at UFC 237 in May. The Australian is 7-0 in the UFC and also holds wins over former title challenger Chad Mendes and Darren Elkins. Volkanovski has won 17 fights in a row.
UFC 245 is also expected to include a women’s bantamweight title fight between champ Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie. UFC president Dana White has teased a total of three title fights for the event. No official main event has been added to the card.