Max Holloway-Frankie Edgar in March UFC main event, not Conor McGregor

Instead of a Conor McGregor return on the UFC 222 main event March 3 in Las Vegas, Max Holloway will defend his featherweight belt in the spot against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.

Hawaii’s Holloway (19-3) will seek his 13th consecutive victory after twice defeating former long-reigning featherweight champion Jose Aldo last year, capped by a third-round technical knockout in December.

Edgar (21-5-1) withdrew from that scheduled date against Holloway with an injury but has recovered.

Tickets go on sale Jan. 19.

The March card was seen as a possible return date for lightweight champion McGregor until UFC President Dana White said recently that the summer was more likely.

McGregor, after earning in excess of $100 million for boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in August, hasn’t fought in the UFC since November 2016.

Since he’s believed to be just getting back in the gym and interim champion Tony Ferguson required surgery following an October victory, the UFC could possibly put Ferguson in an April bout against No. 2-rated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov, with the winner positioned to fight McGregor.