Report: Holloway-Rodriguez set to headline Nov. 13 UFC event

Max Holloway makes his walk to the cage ahead of his featherweight fight against Calvin Kattar at UFC on ABC 1. | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Max Holloway is expected to headline a UFC Fight Night event opposite Yair Rodriguez.

Former UFC featherweight champion and fan-favorite Max Holloway is set to return to the octagon on Nov. 13 against top-three featherweight Yair Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night 197, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.

Good to go, per sources. Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) vs. Yair Rodriguez (@panteraufc) will headline UFC Fight Night on Nov. 13. Holloway agreed to the date this week. Gotta believe winner takes on the Volkanovski vs. Ortega winner from tomorrow for the belt. Heck of a main event. pic.twitter.com/I8zZreIrDg

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) September 24, 2021

“Good to go, per sources. Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) vs. Yair Rodriguez (@panteraufc) will headline UFC Fight Night on Nov. 13. Holloway agreed to the date this week. Gotta believe winner takes on the Volkanovski vs. Ortega winner from tomorrow for the belt. Heck of a main event.”

Holloway, 29, last fought in January 2021 when he exhibited a boxing masterclass and all-round striking clinic against No. 5-ranked featherweight Calvin Kattar in the UFC Fight Island 7 main event. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Rodriguez, who was previously scheduled to fight Holloway in July, has been sidelined for the better part of two years. The Mexican talent hasn’t fought since his 2019 decision win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC on ESPN 6. He is currently #3 in the UFC featherweight rankings.

UFC Fight Night 197, which will feature Holloway vs. Rodriguez as the main event, is scheduled to take place on Nov. 13 at the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.