UFC: Max Holloway defeats Yair Rodriguez in featherweight firefight, sets up Alexander Volkanovski trilogy
- Holloway’s unanimous decision win in the UFC Fight Night 197 main event sets up a title rematch with Volkanovski
- ‘It does make sense to see him and Volkanovski again,’ says UFC President Dana White
If there was any doubt that former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway deserves the opportunity to reclaim the title he once owned, it’s been dispelled.
Hawaii’s Holloway, 29, returned to action in the main event of UFC Fight Night 197 on Saturday in Las Vegas, defeating Mexican contender Yair Rodriguez by unanimous decision after five riveting rounds of action.
Rodriguez, known as one of the most vicious and versatile strikers in MMA today, had his moments in the fight, particularly in the first and fifth rounds. Holloway, however, controlled most the action with his vaunted boxing and also completed three takedowns, which he used to rack up 6:49 of control time – enough to sway the cage-side judges.
With his win, Holloway (23-6) reaffirmed himself as one of the best fighters in the world, regardless of weight class.
He also seemingly opened the door to a number of big-ticket bouts.
In a post-fight interview with former UFC middleweight champion-turned-commentator Michael Bisping, the Hawaiian forecast rematches with reigning lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, who he defeated by TKO in a 2015 featherweight fight, and lightweight contender Conor McGregor, who he lost to by decision in 2013, also at featherweight.