![]() Then again, Holloway has only been stopped once by submission, and he’s been taking the best 145-pounders in the world, unlike Kattar. He has taken punishment well, and never being KO’d after all these years is impressive. He is pretty cagey in the octagon, a result of a lot of experience fighting a lot of different opponents. Very capable and natural with his hands, Kattar looks like he could have been a boxer. His boxing might be the best in the division. Kattar has a lot going for him skill-wise. With that fight happening in this same venue, Kattar is at least adjusted to this setting. Since joining the UFC, he is 6-2, his last fight a decision win over very tough Dan Ige in July. So we can see that he is durable and capable. In a 13-year pro MMA career, he has been stopped just once-a submission loss back in 2008. From 2010 to 2018, he was undefeated, fighting on the regional level and then moving into the UFC. Kattar has been around a while, having turned pro in 2007. So, there’s some conflicting data here, to say the least, as it pertains to Holloway. But did you think he lost that last Volkanovski fight? A lot of people feel he should still be champion. Can he still make 145 and be near peak form? Some of this might seem damning. The division around him is getting better. If Holloway gets to the top of the 145-pound class again, it will be against a better roster of opposition.Īgain, it’s a little difficult to rate Holloway in his current incarnation. Whereas there were only a few genuine threats when Holloway began his championship-run, the division is now packed with major talent, guys like Kattar who might not be well-known but represent a higher level of competitor. It’s just food for thought.Ī standout in this division for a long time, Holloway has seen the landscape around him change. And again, this is not to suggest that Holloway is shot or that he doesn’t have some big fights left in him. They can start becoming a little brittle. It’s just hard to not get concerned at a fighter who is sucking down in weight who has a lot of mileage. Another element is his weight, being that Holloway has been at 145 his whole career, a weight that gets harder to make when you’re pushing 30. Maybe it’s starting to show a little bit. I think a few things are troubling about Holloway’s outlook from this point. So it’s not like he’s finished, at least not based on anything we’ve seen in the octagon. First of all, a lot of people thought he won the rematch with Volkanovski, which would make him still the best or at least one of the best featherweights in the world. There are a few elements of concern with Holloway’s post-title prospects. After a decade in the UFC, most of it spent fighting a who’s-who of featherweight standouts, he is at a crossroads. ![]() It’s hard to find a more-weathered 29-year old than Holloway. The weird thing is that Kattar is actually three years older at 32. Will it be a moving in of the young and moving out with the old? To do so, he will have to beat a fighter in Kattar who lacks Holloway’s popularity but is actually quite a skillful combatant. After a pair of losses to current featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, Holloway is looking to bounce back. Calvin Kattar, 22-4 (11 KOs, 2 Submissions), (+150)įormer 145-pound champ Max Holloway defends his belt against rising contender Calvin Kattar in the UFC Fight Island main event on January 16. The winner moves on to big things, and the loser goes more toward the back of an ever-growing pack of 145-pounders looking to make their mark. We have former UFC Featherweight Champ Max Holloway, looking to reclaim his championship form against worthwhile contender Calvin Kattar. UFC Fight Island 7 in Abu Dhabi features a featherweight main event that could have long-lasting ramifications. Where: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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