Three of the UFC’s top six pound-for-pound fighters are scheduled for the same July pay-per-view.
Waianae’s Max Holloway will defend his UFC featherweight championship against Brian Ortega at UFC 226 on July 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC announced Saturday.
Holloway (19-3, 15-3 UFC), who has been the main event on every card since he won the interim 145-pound title against Anthony Pettis in December 2016, will likely get second billing on a card that includes a heavyweight title fight between champion Stipe Miocic and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.
The July pay-per-view is the featured event during International Fight Week and is generally one of the top two UFC pay-per-views the company does every year.
Holloway will defend his title for the first time since December after having to pull out of his last two scheduled fights.
A title defense against Frankie Edgar scheduled for March was scrapped after Holloway suffered an ankle injury.
Earlier this month, Holloway attempted to step in on six days’ notice to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight belt, but was pulled the day before the fight after doctors said he couldn’t safely make the 155-pound weight limit.
Ortega (14-0, 6-0) stepped in for Holloway against Edgar and won by TKO in the first round to remain undefeated in his professional career.
He has won all six of his fights in the UFC by either TKO or submission.
Holloway will again fight on the same card as Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros, who will fight Mike Perry in a welterweight bout.
Holloway is ranked No. 6 on UFC’s pound-for-pound list behind Cormier (No. 5) and Miocic (No. 3).
He has won 12 consecutive UFC fights since losing to Conor McGregor in August 2013.
Moanalua alumna Rachel Ostovich (4-3, 1-0) will fight No. 14-ranked strawweight Montana De La Rosa at The Ultimate Fighter Finale event in Las Vegas a day earlier on July 6.
HPU women win PacWest tennis title
The Hawaii Pacific women’s tennis team won the PacWest Championships, while the Hawaii Hilo men fell in the final Saturday at Surprise, Ariz.
The Sharks defeated Academy of Art 5-3. Lena Lutzeier, Lara Meccico, Oceane Adam and Barbora Kijasova won singles matches for HPU, while Meccico and Barbora Kijasova won a doubles match.
The Vulcans lost 5-2 to Azusa Pacific. Hilo’s Bruno Figlia/Alex Fillat Perez and Gregory Zukeran/Chun En Wu won doubles matches.
The Hawaii Pacific men defeated Biola 7-2 in the fifth-place match.
Rainbow Wahine swept by Fullerton
Daesha Hill drove in four runs to lead Cal State Fullerton to a 6-2 win over the University of Hawaii softball team in the first game of Big West doubleheader on Saturday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. The first-place Titans then routed the Rainbow Wahine 11-1 in the finale to complete a series sweep.
Hill delivered a two-run double in the third inning and a two-run single in the sixth and the Titans pulled away from UH to clinch the series win in Saturday’s opener at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. UH loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but Trish Parks closed out a complete-game victory with her fifth strikeout. UH freshman Dominique Martinez (1-3) gave up 12 hits and went the distance in the loss.
The Titans (27-20, 12-1 Big West) extended their winning streak in the series with UH to nine with a five-inning victory in the second game. Ari Williams went 3-for-3 and three Wahine errors contributed to six unearned runs for Fullerton. Sophie Frost held UH to three hits in a complete-game win. Dana Thomsen (12-13) took the loss for UH.
UH (20-21, 4-8) takes a five-game losing streak on the road to UC Riverside in a series starting Friday.
Hilo softball sweeps Notre Dame de Namur
The Hawaii Hilo softball team swept a doubleheader from Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday at Belmont, Calif.
In the first game, Leah Gonzales pitched a five-hitter and Isabelle Mejia and Kacie Freudenberge both drove in two runs for the Vulcans in a 6-1 victory.
In the second game, Bailey Gaspar, Brinell Kaleikini and Freudenberge homered in the fifth inning of Hilo’s 9-4 win.
The Vulcans improved to 27-13, 15-7 PacWest, while the Argonauts fell to 11-38, 7-21.
>> Hawaii Pacific dropped a pair of one-run games to Academy of Art at Brisbane, Calif.
In the first game, Jordan Curry pitched a two-hitter in the Sharks’ 1-0 loss. Brooke Larsen tossed a one-hitter for the Urban Knights.
In the second game, Gabriella Nowack scattered eight hits in a complete-game performance for HPU in a 2-1 loss. Cecilia Lopez pitched a two-hitter for Academy of Art.
The Sharks fell to 21-16, 14-12 PacWest, while the Urban Knights improved to 33-12, 16-6.
HPU baseball splits with Holy Names
The Hawaii Pacific baseball team split a doubleheader with Holy Names on Saturday in Alameda, Calif.
In the first game, Tyler Van Stone pitched six innings and Kreston Woods drove in two runs in the Sharks’ 7-0 win. Evan-Thomas May worked the seventh and Evan Spitzer pitched the final two innings for HPU.
In the second game, the Sharks blew a four-run lead in an 8-7 loss. Mitchell Bumann drove in two runs for HPU.
The Sharks moved to 17-21, 11-19 PacWest, while the Hawks went to 8-32, 4-26.
Schemmel to speak at Honolulu QB Club
University of Hawaii swimming and diving coach Dan Schemmel will be the featured speaker at Monday’s meeting of the Honolulu Quarterback Club at the Maple Garden restaurant.
The Rainbows recently competed at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis.
The luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m., with the program to start at noon. The cost is $16. The meeting is open to the general public.
