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Max Holloway celebrates after knocking out Justin Gaethje during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena on April 13.
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Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will get an opportunity to regain the title when he headlines UFC 308 against current champion Ilia Topuria.
UFC President Dana White announced the fight on social media early Saturday morning. The 145-pound title fight will take place as the headliner in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Oct. 26.
Holloway (26-7, 22-7) is coming off a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in a fight contested at 155 pounds.
The 32-year-old will return to featherweight to challenge for the title he hasn’t held since losing to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245 in December 2019.
Holloway challenged Volkanovski two more times for the title and lost both fights. Volkanovski held the belt for more than four years before Topuria (15-0, 7-0) won via second-round knockout to become the champion at UFC 298 in February.
Topuria has gone the distance only twice in his seven fights in the UFC and has won via stoppage in the first two rounds of five of his past six fights.
Volkanovski is the only fighter to beat Holloway at 145 pounds in more than a decade.
Also fighting on the card is Kahuku alum Dan Ige, who took a fight on three hours’ notice and lost a unanimous decision to Diego Lopes at UFC 303 in June.
Ige confirmed he is booked to face Lerone Murphy at 145 pounds.
Ige (18-8, 10-7) is ranked 14th at 145 pounds, while Murphy (14-0-1, 6-0-1) is 11th. Murphy has won six straight fights since beginning his UFC career with a draw.
The UFC also announced the co-main event featuring Robert Whittaker against Khamzat Chimaev, a heavyweight fight between Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov and a light heavyweight tilt between Magomed Ankalaev against Aleksandar Rakic.
