Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is about to uncork what could be one of the greatest featherweight title fights of all time, thanks to Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega in the UFC 231 pay-per-view (PPV) main event this Saturday night (Dec. 8, 2018) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
That’s assuming “Blessed” can make it to the cage. The Hawaiian was pulled from two separate fights this year. First, he was unable to continue his “brutal” weight cut at UFC 223, then got yanked from UFC 226 under still-mysterious circumstances.
But assuming the UFC 231 headliner pops off without a hitch, Holloway expects his toughest challenge to date from an undefeated contender who has proven his ability to win the fight wherever it goes (sample), along with some help from his iron chin (and Mexican blood).
“The man is dangerous,” Holloway told The MMA Hour. “He’s just a dangerous guy all around. He showed that he can knock you out with a punch, with a kick, with a knee. He showed that if you give him something, he’s going to try to take it home with him. And he also showed that he’s got a chin on him. That Mexican blood in him is crazy. It’s going to be a crazy fight. Mexicans and Hawaiians, we’re born fighters. But it’s going to be crazy and amazing, and I just can’t wait to [fight]. This is one of those guys. This is a fight where everybody keeps talking about, ‘Man, I wish these guys could fight this guy, or blah, blah.’”
Holloway (19-3) was thought to be suffering from concussion-like symptoms back in July, but recently passed a battery of medical tests clearing him for competition. “Blessed” was last seen taking a technical knockout win over ex-champion Jose Aldo at UFC 218.
As for Ortega (14-0, 1 NC), he’s been riding the pine ever since his first-round knockout win over ex-lightweight kingpin Frankie Edgar last March. “T-City” is undefeated inside the Octagon with finishes over Cub Swanson and Clay Guida, among others.
UFC 231 will also feature the women’s flyweight title fight pitting former 115-pound champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk opposite ex-bantamweight title contender Valentina Shevchenko, while Claudia Gadelha and Nina Ansaroff hook ‘em up in strawweight action.
See the finalized UFC 231 fight card and line up right here.
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