Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega Featherweight Title Fight Set for UFC 226

Featherweight champion Max Holloway will put his title up for grabs when he faces No. 1 contender Brian Ortega at UFC 226 in Las Vegas on July 7.

Sources close to the contest confirmed the news on Friday following an initial report from MMAJunkie.

Holloway had asked to fight at UFC 226 after just recently accepting a short noticed fight for the lightweight title against Khabib Nurmagomedov prior to the New York State Athletic Commission ruling him medically ineligible to take the bout after an excessive weight cut.

After missing out on that opportunity, Holloway quickly turned his attention to UFC 226 instead as he looks to make the second consecutive defense of his featherweight title after defeating former champion Jose Aldo last December.

As for Ortega, the undefeated submission specialist is coming off back-to-back wins over Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson to put himself into position to battle for the title.

Ortega is 14-0 with one no contest on his record as the 27-year old California native will now get his first chance to fight for UFC gold.

Holloway vs. Ortega joins a stacked lineup at UFC 226 with the main event pitting heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic against light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier