The UFC will enter uncharted territory at UFC 208 on Feb. 11 in Brooklyn, New York, when Holly Holm squares off against Germaine de Randamie in the promotion's first women's featherweight title fight, according to UFC.com's Thomas Gerbasi.
The bout will present Holm with a shot to get back on track on a big stage. The 35-year-old—who turned heads with a vicious knockout win over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193—has lost two fights in a row.
After Holm secured the women's bantamweight crown thanks to her second-round knockout of Rousey, she was knocked from her perch atop the division when she squared off against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 in March.
Tate scored a win via a fifth-round submission (rear-naked choke), and Holm's skid continued when she was bested by Valentina Shevchenko via unanimous decision at a UFC Fight Night event on July 23.
On the flip side, the 32-year-old De Randamie has scored back-to-back UFC wins following a November 2013 knockout loss at the hands of Amanda Nunes.
Since then, the Dutch striker has defeated Larissa Pacheco via second-round knockout at UFC 185 and Anna Elmose via a first-round knockout at a UFC Fight Night showcase in May.
While it's unclear what the rest of the card at UFC 208 will hold aside from the women's 145-pound championship clash, Jose Aldo has been outspoken regarding his intent to fight Max Holloway in Brooklyn after the 25-year-old clinched a third-round knockout victory over Anthony Pettis on Saturday at UFC 206.
"He’s saying 'where's Aldo?' You have to talk to the UFC," Aldo said Monday, per MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz. "About the fight in February, I already knew that, I only didn't know who I would fight. It was between him and Pettis, whoever won the fight. It’s not something new. This fight will happen on Feb. 11."
If Aldo and Holloway can solidify their spots at UFC 208 along with Holm and De Randamie, fans should have plenty of reasons to get excited when the promotion makes its return to New York following a stellar show at Madison Square Garden for UFC 205.
