Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is set to return in January, against one of the 145lb division’s rising stars.
On Tuesday, UFC officials announced that Holloway (21-6) would face Calvin Kattar (22-4) atop the promotion’s January 16, 2021 card. The fight will be the first for “Blessed” since losing a controversial rematch with Alexander Volkanovski back in July.
The Hawaiian also announced Tuesday that he’d gotten engaged. So consider this something of an early wedding present.
Holloway has dropped two straight fights to Volkanovski, after looking all but untouchable from 2014 to 2019. His only other loss in that span came up a weight class, against Dustin Poirier for an interim title at lightweight. Holloway has notable wins over Jose Aldo, Brian Ortega, Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Lamas, Cub Swanson, and many others, and is considered one of the all-time great 145lb’ers.
Making his own case for greatness is Calvin Kattar. The New England Cartel and Lauzon MMA member holds wins over Shane Burgos, Jeremy Stephens, and Dan Ige, among others. Over the past year, he’s been in the title conversation more and more, and a win over Holloway could very well land him a title shot.
The UFC’s January 16 card does not have an official location announced as of yet. Broadcast plans have not been revealed either. However, since a three-event stint in Florida earlier in the pandemic, the UFC has operated in just two locations: the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
