Alexander Volkanovski Vs. Max Holloway Rematch Reportedly Set For Stacked UFC 251 Card

By FIGHTSPORTS Jun 9, 2020

As the UFC prepares for the summer, the promotion is doing everything it can to stack cards up with top talent. A highly-anticipated rematch for a prestigious title may get its chance to shine.

According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, a UFC Featherweight Title bout featuring Alexander Volkanovski and former champion Max Holloway is scheduled for July 11. The location for the event, known as UFC 251, would be “Fight Island”, but the UFC’s APEX Center is an option as well.

Volkanovski (21-1) is currently on an 18-fight win streak and is 8-0 in the UFC. He beat Holloway via unanimous decision back at UFC 245 in December to win the UFC Featherweight Championship. Since then, Volkanovski has gotten surgery on his left hand and has been out of action.

The loss ended Holloway’s (21-5) impressive run at featherweight that started in 2016. He beat Anthony Pettis for the interim UFC Featherweight Title and took out Jose Aldo twice to unify and defend the title. After a brief stint at lightweight, losing to Dustin Poirier, Holloway went back to featherweight and beat Frankie Edgar. It appears that Holloway has signed the contract for the fight, even if the UFC has not confirmed it yet.

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

Other fights being scheduled for the July 11 event include Petr Yan v. Jose Aldo for the vacant UFC Bantamweight TItle and UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman v. Gilbert Burns.

UFC President Dana White previously stated that Aldo would get a shot at the title that Henry Cejudo vacated despite the fact he is on a two-fight losing streak. This also comes after Aljamain Sterling’s impressive win over Cory Sandhagen at UFC 250. He is 2-4 in his last six fights. Yan (14-1) has won nine in a row and is 6-0 in the UFC.

Burns is coming off of a unanimous decision win over Tyron Woodley back on May 30. The win propelled him to the top of the UFC’s welterweight standings. Usman hasn’t lost a bout since 2013 and is 11-0 in the UFC. He beat Woodley for the title and last fought in December, beating Colby Covington via TKO.

Other fights rumored for UFC 251 on “Fight Island” include Paige VanZant v. Amanda Ribas and a rematch between Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas.