UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway will have an opportunity to become a double champion as he is set to face #3 Dustin Poirier for the vacant UFC Interim Lightweight Title in the main event of UFC 236 according to Brett Okamoto of ESPN.
Former UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Tony Ferguson had initially been reported to be fighting Holloway at the event, but Okamoto is also reporting that Ferguson had turned down the fight against Holloway.
Holloway (20-3-0) is the current UFC Featherweight Champion and has defended the belt twice since unifying the interim title against then UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo at UFC 212. Holloway will also enter the bout on the strength of a thirteen fight winning streak and he hasn’t suffered a defeat in over five years. Holloway hasn’t gone the distance since becoming featherweight champion and it has been nearly three years since the fighter went to the judges scorecards.
Poirier (24-5-0-1NC) defeated Holloway in their first encounter at UFC 143 in February of 2012, with that victory coming by first round submission. Poirier is going to be fighting for UFC gold for the first time in his UFC tenure, which began over eight years ago. Poirier will enter the bout on the strength of a three fight winning streak and all those wins came over former UFC/WSOF Lightweight Champions.
UFC 236 takes place on Saturday, April 13 from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia with Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
