NEW YORK — Max Holloway will attempt to become a two-division UFC champion when he steps in for injured Tony Ferguson at UFC 223 in Brooklyn on Saturday.
Holloway (19-3) will fight Khabib Nurmagomedov (25-0) for the UFC lightweight title in the main event at Barclays Center, the UFC announced Sunday.
Holloway already holds the 145-pound featherweight belt, and he will move up to 155 pounds on short notice.
Holloway will attempt to become the youngest fighter ever to hold two UFC titles, and only the second to hold both belts simultaneously. Only five fighters have ever won championships in two weight classes.
The UFC didn’t disclose the nature of Ferguson’s injury. Ferguson (23-3) and Nurmagomedov have been booked to fight each other four times, yet all four fights have been called off.