Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will return to the Octagon against Arnold Allen in April, multiple sources told ESPN on Monday.
Both sides have agreed to the 145-pound featherweight matchup, which is expected to headline UFC Fight Night on April 15. The UFC has not officially announced the contest or location for the event.
Holloway (23-7), of Waianae, Hawai’i, hasn’t fought since a decision loss to current champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 276 in July. The loss put Holloway at a crossroads in the division, as it was his third loss to Volkanovski since 2019. Holloway is still universally considered the second-best featherweight in the UFC, but it will be hard for him to secure another title fight as long as Volkanovski is champ.
Holloway has dominated featherweight competition outside of that one opponent. He is 16-0 in the UFC’s 145-pound division, minus three championship losses to Volkanovski.
Allen (19-1) is one of the most promising contenders at 145 pounds who has yet to fight for a championship. Hailing out of Suffolk, England, Allen will carry a perfect 10-0 mark in the UFC into this main event. His last two wins have come via TKO against Calvin Kattar and Dan Hooker.
Volkanovski (25-1) is scheduled to move up in weight to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship at UFC 284 next month. The UFC has created an interim title fight in the meantime between Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett on that same card.