A UFC Featherweight Championship bout between current champion Max Holloway and former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar headlined the event. The pairing has been scheduled twice before, first at UFC 218 and then again at UFC 222, but in both instances the fights were scrapped at the time due to both fighters suffering respective injuries. A women's flyweight bout between former Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion Lauren Murphy and Mara Romero Borella was initially scheduled for this event. However on June 20, promotion officials elected to move the bout a week later at UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Lawler. A heavyweight bout between Tanner Boser and Giacomo Lemos was scheduled in the event; however, it was reported on July 25, 2019 that the bout was scrapped due to Lemos testing positive for an unspecified banned substance.