“Guys, there’s the ‘El Matador’ he is running away from a bull at 145, tell him to sign the contract Spain, Hawaii, wherever,” said Max Holloway after he knocked out Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and since then, the ‘BMF’ belt holder has been having a beef with the featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria. There have been rumors floating around the alleyways of the top brass of the promotion that UFC is trying to schedule their match soon, but when? That’s the question.

Both the fighters have been spewing hate against each other in an attempt to build up their potential clash and as the months went by, the banter is just getting deep. There was a rumor that Dana White might put their clash on the UFC Sphere card. However, it appears it was all just a sham. So, when will they finally fight? Let us find out.

Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria might be happening in October

UFC Sphere would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for combat fans as after this, neither Dana White nor the promotion will hold another UFC event at the venue ever again as they have already spent $17 million on it. Co͏n͏side͏r͏͏i͏ng the͏ excitement͏ and͏ spectacle surrou͏nding the͏ e͏vent, th͏͏e͏͏r͏͏͏e͏ was a rumor th͏at͏ I͏lia ͏Topu͏ria might defen͏d ͏his tit͏le ag͏a͏i͏͏nst Ma͏x Hollowa͏y at the͏ ͏Las Ve͏͏gas͏ Spher͏e͏͏͏͏. However, it is now almost confirmed that their clash would not be happening in September.

So if not UFC Sphere, then when? Well, Max Holloway wanted to fight at the Salt Lake City and it appears that the promotion will be paying heed to his words as new rumors suggest that Dana White might fit in Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria at the UFC 307 which will happen in Vivint Arena at Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.

Interestingly, just a day ago, Ilia Topuria took to his X handle to make a rather obnoxious claim that the promotion is forcing him to clash sooner than expected. “It seems that the UFC has forced him to say yes. El Matador is back. Congratulations to all UFC fans,” wrote Topuria.

Responding to Topuria’s X post, Max Holloway took to his X handle to add a few photos of him working out at the gym and captioned it as, “Patiently Waiting.” Ilia Topuria would now have to divert his attention from Conor McGregor with whom he has been feuding. Well, Ariel Helwani knew that their clash would not have happened at the Sphere.

Ariel Helwani knew about the clash beforehand

R͏enow͏͏n͏e͏͏d͏͏ jo͏u͏rnalist Ariel͏ Helwan͏͏͏i͏͏ was͏͏ ͏the ͏first to call out th͏e͏ ͏ru͏mor of ͏Ma͏x ͏H͏ol͏l͏o͏w͏a͏͏y͏ vs. ͏Il͏ia Top͏ur͏ia at U͏FC͏ ͏͏306.͏ U͏po͏n learning ͏of͏ t͏he͏ ͏r͏umor,͏ Helwan͏͏i͏ t͏o͏o͏k to his socia͏l͏ me͏dia͏ to ͏͏ass͏ert͏ ͏that͏͏ Dana ͏White wo͏͏͏uld ͏n͏ever r͏͏e͏veal͏͏ a͏ll of͏ his cards at ͏once.͏ H͏el͏wani ͏stated th͏at t͏he U͏F͏C ͏would͏ ͏not a͏͏l͏locate͏͏ ͏a s͏pe͏cia͏͏l t͏heme͏d e͏v͏e͏nt f͏or͏ this m͏a͏tch͏u͏͏p͏͏; ins͏tead, ͏he ͏be͏liev͏ed ͏͏t͏͏͏h͏a͏t th͏e͏ sta͏r ͏͏p͏o͏wer of t͏h͏e f͏ighter͏s alone͏ would be ͏eno͏u͏g͏h ͏t͏o dri͏v͏e PPV s͏al͏es.

“The plan was always the [Alexa] Grasso title defense as she told us a couple of weeks ago…Then the other plan would be Ilia [Topuria] vs. Max [Holloway] most likely on the October 5th Utah card, which hasn’t been officially announced yet,” said Helwani. For now, not even a single fight has been officially scheduled by the UFC for the Noche card, but it is kind of sure that Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili will headline the card.

What’s your take on the new timeline of Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria rivalry? State your thoughts in the comments below.