Featherweight contender Calvin Kattar (21-4, 11 KOs, 2 SUBs) will meet prospect Dan Ige (14-2, 3 KOs, 5 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Ige on Wednesday, July 15 at UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The main card airs live on ESPN starting 6pm ET. The co-main event features former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (23-8-1, 7 KOs, 4 SUBs) in a matchup against Pedro Munhoz (18-4, 4 KOs, 9 SUBs). The prelims on ESPN+ feature six bouts.
Let’s take a closer look at the main event, which carries major implications in a loaded weight class.
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Calvin Kattar (21-4, 11 KOs, 2 SUBs)
Kattar is only seven fights into his UFC career, but he’s already fought some of the division’s top fighters en route to a 5-2 record. Along the way, he’s earned notable wins over Shane Burgos, Ricardo Lamas and Jeremy Stephens, with his only losses coming against Moicano Carneiro and Zabit Magomedsharipov. The fact that he wasn’t steamrolled by a top contender in Magomedsharipov shows that he can hang with title contenders. Now it’s all about stringing together a winning streak and scalping a few big names in the process.
While beating Ige won’t vault Kattar into the top 5 (he’s currently ranked No. 6), Kattar has a clear runway to a title shot. Josh Emmett is coming off a fight of the year contender in a win over Shane Burgos, and the MMA world is calling for the winner to meet Emmett. At this tier, almost any matchup could be seen as a potential title eliminator - it only takes one stellar performance to get the proper momentum.
As one of the best pure boxers in the division, Kattar needs to keep the fight standing and at his range. The UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Kattar as a huge -285 favorite, so obviously they’re leaning on him setting the tone with his piston-like jab.
Dan Ige (14-2, 3 KOs, 5 SUBs)
Don’t feel bad if you don’t know who Ige is - the 28-year old is hardly a known commodity right now. But peep his resume: after losing his UFC debut in 2018, “50k” has strung together six straight wins, most recently earning split decision wins over Mirsad Bektic and Edson Barboza. For context, Bektic is a powerhouse wrestler and Barboza is one of the most explosive strikers in the UFC, ever. Even if Ige barely squeaked by them, it’s impressive that it was even so close in the first place.
Like so many Hawaiian fighters, Ige loves to get into situations where the toughest guy wins. Against Barboza, Ige stayed right in the Brazilian’s face and wasn’t scared to go punch-for-punch when the situation called for it. 50k got hammered a few times, but recovered quickly, showing off an iron chin and that typical Island toughness. While Barboza and Kattar are different strikers, they play in the same ranges - Ige will likely use the same tactics here.
Striking Stats
Strikes landed per minute: Kattar 5.29 / Ige 4.14
Striking accuracy: Kattar 41% / Ige 49%
Strikes absorbed per minute: Kattar 6.46 / Ige 3.67
Striking defense: Kattar 55% / Ige 58%
Grappling Stats
Takedowns per 15 minutes: Kattar 0.42 / Ige 1.75
Takedown accuracy: Kattar 28% / Ige 28%
Takedown defense: Kattar 77% / Ige 61%
Submission average: Kattar 0 / Ige 0.19
UFC Picks
We really think that Ige has a better than his +218 money line would suggest. Ige has proven capable of beating high level opponents in this division. A small bet on the Hawaiian is worth a shot here. If you want to play it a bit safer, we like the fight goes to decision bet at +100. Kattar doesn’t have the highest finishing rate, and Ige has never been stopped. Even money that this goes to the scorecards is solid.
UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Ige Card & Odds
Featherweight- Dan Ige +238 vs. Calvin Kattar -315
Welterweight- Mounir Lazzez +254 vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan -340
Women’s Flyweight- Talia Santos -120 vs. Molly McCann -110
Featherweight- Jared Gordon -150 vs. Chris Fishgold -120
Women’s Flyweight- Liana Jojua +139 vs. Diana Belbita -175
Featherweight- Lerone Murphy +124 vs. Ricardo Ramos -155
Flyweight- Ryan Benoit -110 vs. Tim Elliott -120
Bantamweight - Aaron Phillips +431 vs. Jack Shore -650
Light Heavyweight - Andreas Michailidis +176 vs. Modestas Bukauskas -225
Middleweight- John Phillips +228 vs. Khamzat Chimaev -300
Featherweight - Jimmie Rivera -135 vs. Cody Stamann +105
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