A featherweight championship unification fight between current division champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and the interim titleholder, Yair Rodriguez, is currently targeted to feature at UFC 290 on July 8. during International Fight Week at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As per an initial report from Ariel Helwani, contracts for a title unification battle between Volkanovski and Rodriguez have yet to be penned by either champion, however, the promotion are working toward booking the fight between the duo for UFC 290 this summer.
Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez targeted to meet this summer
“Alexander Volkanovski x Yair Rodriguez is scheduled for UFC 290 on July 8, per sources,” Helwani tweeted. “Not signed yet but everyone is on board. Featherweight title unification bout. TBD on what will serve as the main event for that card just yet.”
Most recently headlining UFC 284 back in February of this year in Perth, Australia – Alexander Volkanovski suffered his first organizational defeat, dropping a unanimous decision loss to current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev in a bid to become a two-division champion.
On that same pay-per-view card, Mexican striker, Rodriguez managed to clinch an interim featherweight title with a second round triangle submission win over Josh Emmett at the RAC Arena event. The victory earned the Chihuahua native a Performance of the Night bonus.
Most recently competing at the featherweight limit during International Fight Week in July of last year at UFC 276, New South Wales technician, Volkanovski handed a third career loss to common-foe and former undisputed featherweight champion, Max Holloway. The victory came as Volkanovski’s fourth defense of the undisputed crown.
As for Rodriguez, the nine-year Octagon veteran turned in his second consecutive triumph with his submission win over Emmett, having previously secured a TKO victory over another common-opponent, Brian Ortega, who suffered an injury during their UFC Long Island main event fight back in July of last year to boot.
During his time as undisputed featherweight champion, Volkanovski has also defended the title against both the aforenoted, Ortega – and a third common-foe, Chan Sung Jung.