Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is out of his proposed bout with Mexican standout Yair Rodriguez which was set to headline the UFC’s fight card on July 17 next.
No details of the injury have been revealed but news of the bout falling apart was first reported by ESPN Deportes, and there is as of yet no indication if the extent of Holloway’s injure will require the bout to be postponed or if matchmakers will search for a new opponent for Rodriguez.
News of the injury is a blow to the July event it was set to top, with the return of Miesha Tate from a five-year absence against Marion Reneau now set to do be drafted in to main event status unless the UFC can arrange a new headline bout in the coming days and weeks.
Holloway’s injury comes after one of the finest performances of his career earlier this year when he eased past Calvin Kattar in January. Prior to that performance, Holloway had lost three of his previous four fights after dropping decisions to Alex Volkanovski (twice) and Dustin Poirier.
Yair Rodriguez, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since an October 2019 win against Jeremy Stephens. He was expected to return to action last year but a series of attempts to book him against Russian striker Zabit Magomedsharipov came unstuck and judging by the latest news it seems that we will have to wait just a little bit longer for his comeback.
