Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier 2 for interim lightweight title targeted for UFC 236 in Atlanta

With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov watching from the sidelines until November, promotion officials will look to crown an interim champion in April.

Stepping up to the plate, Dustin Poirier will face UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway in a rematch, this time at UFC 236 on April 13 in Atlanta.

MMAFighting confirmed the initial report from ESPN with sources.

Poirier (24-5, 1 NC) submitted Holloway in their initial featherweight scrap at UFC 143 in 2012. In his last bout, “The Diamond” finished former champion Eddie Alvarez late in the second round of their rematch at UFC on FOX 30 in July. This win not only marked his third straight stoppage win, but pushed his unbeaten streak to five. Poirier was expected to return against Nate Diaz at UFC 230 before pulling out with a hip injury.

To date, Poirier has finished 19 of his 24 wins, with 13 coming by way of (T)KO.

Holloway (20-3) was last seen defending his 145-pound title with a violent fourth-round TKO win over Brian Ortega at UFC 231 in December. This marked his first walk to the Octagon since finishing former champion Jose Aldo for the second time during their fight at UFC 218 in December 2017.

The Hawaiian was expected to jump up to the 155-pound division to challenge Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 last April in short notice. However, the day before the fight, Holloway was deemed unfit to compete by the New York State Athletic Commission due to feared dangerous weight cut.

To date, Holloway has finished 12 of his 20 wins, including 10 by way of (T)KO.

The entire card will go down inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta. An interim middleweight fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum has been tied to the co-main event.