Max Holloway’s next fight will be with a belt on the line.
The former longtime featherweight champion will move up to lightweight to challenge Justin Gaethje for his BMF title at UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena on April 13 in Las Vegas.
UFC President Dana White announced the fight on social media, saying it will be five rounds.
“Two of the best strikers in the sport, two of the most durable fighters in the sport, two of the most aggressive guys in the sport,” White said. “Two of the all-time greats in their division.”
Holloway (25-7, 21-7 UFC) is coming off a knockout of Chan Sung Jung in Singapore in August and has won four of his past five fights.
The only two fighters to beat Holloway in the past 11 years are current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, who earned a unanimous decision over Holloway in 2019 in a fight for the UFC interim lightweight title.
That was the only time Holloway has fought at 155 pounds in his UFC career.
Gaethje (25-4, 8-4) has won two straight since he was submitted by Charles Oliveira in the first round of a fight two years ago.
Six of his eight UFC wins are by knockout or TKO.
The BMF title is a symbolic championship established when Jorge Masvidal beat Nate Diaz in 2019. Masvidal was presented a BMF belt after the fight by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Gaethje earned the belt knocking out Poirier last summer.
The title is generally reserved for the toughest, most devastating strikers on the roster, regardless of weight class. Holloway owns the UFC record with 3,197 significant strikes landed in his career.
Holloway, 32, and Gaethje, 35, have combined for 50 professional victories, with 34 of them by stoppage.
Eight fights have been announced for the UFC’s signature 300 event. China’s Zhang Weili will defend her women’s strawweight title against countrywoman Yan Xiaonan in the other title fight announced.
