Alexander
Volkanovski will defend his featherweight belt against Brian
Ortega at UFC
260.
Promotion broadcast partner
ESPN was first to report the pairing. UFC 260 takes place on
March 29 at an as yet to be announced location. According to the
report, Volkanovski vs. Ortega will serve as the co-main event
because a heavyweight championship clash pitting Stipe
Miocic against Francis
Ngannou has been targeted for the evening’s headliner. However,
that heavyweight bout has not been finalized.
Volkanovski claimed featherweight gold with a five-round verdict
against Max
Holloway at UFC 245 and successfully defended the crown with a
contentious split verdict over the Hawaiian in their rematch at UFC
251 this past July. The 32-year-old City Kickboxing representative
has won 19 consecutive fights — including nine in the UFC.
Ortega, meanwhile, will get a second shot at the 145-pound belt
after taking a beating from Holloway in a fourth-round TKO defeat
at UFC 231 in December 2018. After nearly two years on the
sideline, “T-City” returned with a unanimous decision triumph over
Chan
Sung Jung at UFC Fight Night 180 on Oct. 17.