'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Some fighters in their climb to the top do so loudly. They live for the pop and circumstance. Then there are those that do it quietly. That is "The Boston Finisher" approach to do things. Neither is wrong, you just tend to be a product of your environment. And it's hard to find a more workman like area than Massachusetts.
Calvin Kattar has risen quietly and is zeroing in on a title run now. He's bookended two tough decision losses around four impressive KO finishes over Shane Burgos, Chris Fishgold, Ricardo Lamas, and most recently Jeremy Stephens. He's more than proven he can take a shot and fire two back in return.
The losses to Renato Moicano and Zabit Magomedsharipov are two that he absolutely wants to get back, and in time will most likely get that opportunity - especially against Zabit, who is making his own run at the gold.
This is the second time in three fights that he will be in the main event. For that and his hard work, the UFC has awarded him a new and favorable contract, which includes a six-fight package. The fight with Dan Ige is one that he cannot be taken lightly. Ige is even more stone cold faced than Calvin is, and right now the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert is on a six-fight win streak. He's gone to the score cards in his last three and four of the six. That's something that probably won't happen here.
There's no secret to Kattar's gameplan in this one. Get into a firefight. He has a decent size and reach advantage to work with as well. But if the fight gets to the ground, the 6th ranked featherweight could be in trouble. Although in the Mirsad Bektic and Edson Barbosa fights, he showed decent resilience in taking a shot.
A win for Kattar will give him one of two things. Either the rematch with Zabit for a number one contender fight, or a title shot against either Max Holloway or Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway's output is legendary, but how much longer does he want to continue to cut to 145. Volkanovski is feisty and is well rounded.
Both may be a bit much for Kattar but when a snowball is rolling downhill, it's hard to stop the momentum. And that's what Calvin Kattar is hoping to continue.
