Max Holloway is getting his UFC featherweight title rematch with Alexander Volkanovski next month.
It will be on an island, but not in the Hawaiian Islands — as Holloway’s fans continue to dream about. Instead, UFC 251 will be in Abu Dhabi on Yas island in the United Arab Emirates on July 11.
The fight was confirmed in a TV appearance by UFC President Dana White on Tuesday, but according to ESPN on Tuesday, no papers have been signed yet.
Holloway, however, tweeted “I just signed too” on Tuesday with a tag for #fightisland, which is what the bout is being promoted as.
I just signed too. Thanks for finally signing to fight me. See you soon! #fightisland https://t.co/kBIV7HT1Y8 pic.twitter.com/fFvZ29F1rV
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) June 9, 2020
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LGihyhWkhT
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 8, 2020
Holloway (21-5, 17-5 UFC) — the Waianae boy — will get a chance to regain the featherweight (136 to 145 pounds) title he lost to Volkanovski (21-1, 8-0 UFC) by unanimous decision in December 2019.
Vokanovski, the champ from Australia, was quick to proclaim his UFC standing in a tweet Tuesday: “I’m the best featherweight in the world!! #ufc251 #nothingchanges.”
Perhaps the word “Island” in Fight Island is being used as a tease to Holloway’s fans. White was trying to get a Holloway bout in Hawaii in 2018, but blamed the “Hawaii tourism board” for “shutting it down.”
Watch UFC President explain why he was unable to bring a Max Holloway bout to Hawaii in 2018.
Holloway was on a 13-match win streak before his loss to Volkanovski. Fight Island will be on ESPN+ and pay-per-view and will start at 4 p.m. Hawaii time.
Things are heating up this summer on Fight Island 🔥 #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/a8rkZ3wYNk
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 9, 2020
The card also includes champion Kamaru Usman (16-1, 11-0 UFC) of Nigeria vs. Brazil’s Gilbert Burns (19-3, 12-3 UFC) for the welterweight (156 to 170 pounds) title and Russia’s Petr Yan (14-1, 6-0 UFC) vs. Brazil’s Jose Aldo (28-6, 18-5 ) for the vacant bantamweight (126 to 135 pounds) championship.
In order to address safety concerns in the midst of the COVID-19 health crisis, UFC and Abu Dhabi officials are combining to create a safety zone of 10 square miles that will be open only to UFC athletes, coaches and other event personnel.
