This is the first UFC event of the year and it kicks off with a fantastic main event. Former Featherweight champion Max Holloway takes on the ultra-hard-hitting Calvin Kattar on BT Sport 3. The prelim fights start from 6pm, with the main card starting from 8pm.
The odds suggest this is going to be a really close fight. Personally, I reckon Holloway will have too much for the Massachusetts native and the Hawaiian’s high volume of punches could decide this. Kattar struggled against Zabit Magomedsharipov in the stand-up battle and has only been the full five rounds once, and that was his last fight.
Holloway is coming off a two-fight losing streak and has been defeated in three from his last four bouts. However, his last fight was highly controversial as many think he won against Alexander Volkanovski.
Looking at the betting side of things my best bet would be Holloway to win on points, and, even if the price is not so attractive, it makes sense to back that. You can get big prices on a late stoppage for Holloway, and I won’t put you off that.
He isn’t known as a one-punch KO artist, but (as mentioned above) instead wins his bouts mostly with a high volume of strikes. Don’t forget, Brian Ortega never came out for the fifth round after a very one-sided beatdown from Holloway.
He has also stopped the great Jose Aldo (twice) and Anthony Pettis all very late in the game. Kattar. For his part, has never been finished by strikes and was only submitted once ever, in his fourth ever MMA fight back in 2008. That means I expect this to go into the ‘Championship rounds’ as they are known, but Holloway should get the win in the end.
Max Holloway v Calvin Kattar summary:
Holloway To Win
Holloway To Win On Points
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