Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his title against interim champ Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 during the UFC’s International Fight Week.
Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his featherweight championship once again during the UFC’s International Fight Week. A bout between Volkanovski and interim champ Yair Rodriguez is currently in the works for UFC 290, scheduled for July 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Fox Sports Australia initially reported that the bout was being discussed for the event, and verbal agreements are now in place for the title unification bout.
Volkanovski steps into this fight coming off a loss, a close decision to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in February. Despite this unfamiliar territory, “The Great” remains undefeated at 145 pounds in the UFC and looks to defend his title for the fifth time. He previously defeated Max Holloway for the third time at UFC 276, which took place during International Fight Week in July 2022.
On the other hand, Rodriguez enters this highly anticipated match with victories in two consecutive fights and three of his past four. In his most recent appearance, “El Pantera” stopped Josh Emmett via second-round submission at UFC 284 to claim the interim featherweight championship title. The outcome of this upcoming fight between Volkanovski and Rodriguez will surely be one to watch as both fighters aim to solidify their title standing in the UFC.