Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier To Headline UFC 236
Current featherweight champion Max Holloway is scheduled to clash against Dustin Poirier for an interim lightweight title in the main headliner of upcoming UFC 236 event on April 13 in Atlanta. UFC president Dana White confirmed the news with ESPN.com.
BREAKING: Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) vs. Dustin Poirier (@DustinPoirier) for the interim lightweight championship will headline UFC 236 on April 13 in Atlanta. Full details: https://t.co/m8gVKdRz6M
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 23, 2019
In the same card, a former kickboxing sensation Israel Adesanya will face Kelvin Gastelum for an interim middleweight title in the co-main event.
This fight emerges as UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is sitting on the shelf after receiving nine months of suspension from Commission for inciting a UFC 229 post-fight brawl in October. Russian could reduce that suspension to six months if he participates in anti-bullying PSA program, how he turned down that offer and plans to sit out until November.
Initially, there were talks that Holloway would face Tony Ferguson for the interim title however according to UFC president Dana White “El Cucuy” turned down the offer. Even Ferguson’s recent tweet implies that he wasn’t happy with the fight deal.
According to UFC president Dana White, Tony Ferguson was offered the interim lightweight title fight against Max Holloway, and he turned it down. I have reached out to Ferguson for comment.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 23, 2019
I Have Been Offered A Fight, But Not Sure If It Meets Our Standards Crew. We Deserve Better For The Amount Of Work & Supoort We Put In. Team El Cucuy- Champ Shit Only 💯 @AudieAttar @ParadigmSM pic.twitter.com/BPw9mJSH2t
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) February 20, 2019
It’s unclear what’s next for the winner of this fight whether he’ll go on to defend his title or sit out to wait for “Eagle” to come back. Where does Ferguson fall in the situation? Maybe Conor Mcgregor jumps in and affects those plans.
Well, this showdown itself is interestingly compelling. Poirier already holds a win over Holloway in “Blessed’s” UFC debut back in 2012 at UFC 143. Since then, Holloway is riding high with a 13-fight winning streak.
Poirier has won 8 of his last ten bouts holding notable wins over the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gathje, and Anthony Pettis.
Who do you think will emerge victoriously when Holloway and Poirier throw down?
