Holloway, Poirier to headline UFC 236 for interim lightweight title
The UFC 236 main event has been set, as featherweight champion Max Holloway will battle Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight title on April 13, Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.
Current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is currently serving a nine-month suspension for his role in a post-fight brawl at UFC 229 and the promotion opted to create an interim 155-pound belt in his absence.
The event, which will take place in Atlanta, features two bouts for interim titles, as an interim middleweight championship fight between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya will serve as the co-main event.
Holloway (20-3) is currently riding a 13-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory coming at UFC 231 in December against Brian Ortega in dominant fashion.
Meanwhile, Poirier (24-5, one no-contest) hasn't lost since 2016 and is the UFC's No. 3-ranked lightweight fighter. His last victory came over Eddie Alvarez via TKO last July.
April's meeting will be the second bout between the two fighters. In 2012, Poirier earned a first-round submission win over Holloway at UFC 143.
White said Tony Ferguson was originally offered the interim lightweight title fight against Holloway, but the former interim champion turned it down.