Two top welterweights will square off in Utah as part of the second UFC pay-per-view event in the month of July.
Michael Chiesa and Kevin Holland have agreed to scrap at UFC 291 on July 29 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
A person with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking, which UFC president Dana White announced Tuesday.
Chiesa (16-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) looks to snap a two-fight losing skid after defeats to Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. He was supposed to fight at UFC 287 in April but was removed after opponent Li Jingliang withdrew from the bout due to injury. Prior to his current skid, Chiesa won four straight fights.
Holland (24-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) competed at UFC 287 when he defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio by third-round knockout. During the fight, Holland barely used his right hand, a limb he had surgery on in the weeks prior. The win ended a two-fight skid that included finishing defeats to Stephen Thompson and Khamzat Chimaev.
With the addition, the UFC 291 lineup includes:
- Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier – for BMF title
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira
- Paulo Costa vs. Ikram Aliskerov
- Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland
- Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green
- Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
- Michel Pereira vs. Stephen Thompson
- Vinicius Salvador vs. CJ Vergara
