Max Holloway to defend his title at UFC 231 in Toronto

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway pondered a reporter’s question during UFC 223’s media event in New York in April. Holloway was to fi ght Khabib Nurmagomedov on April 7 at Barclays Center, but the fight never happened because Holloway was not cleared medically.

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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / June 21

UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway, shown here in June during training, plans to fight Brian Ortega at the main event of UFC 231 on Dec. 8 in Toronto.

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UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will attempt to get in a title defense by the end of the year, as his postponed fight against Brian Ortega has been rebooked for the main event of UFC 231 on Dec. 8 in Toronto, according to a UFC official.

Holloway (19-3, 15-3 UFC) has had three fights fall through since he last defended his 145-pound belt with a third-round TKO of Jose Aldo in December 2017.

The Waianae native was most recently scheduled to defend his title against Ortega in July, but suffered concussion-like symptoms days before the fight, causing it to be postponed.

Holloway will fight in Toronto for the second time in three years after winning the interim belt against Anthony Pettis in December 2016.

Ortega (14-0, 6-0) has never gone the distance in his UFC career, stopping all six opponents, including Frankie Edgar by first-round knockout in March.

The 12-month layoff will be the longest of Holloway’s career since he made his UFC debut in 2012.

Holloway has won his past 12 fights.