Is Calvin Kattar next for a featherweight title shot with a main event win at UFC Moscow?

Looking back on his June victory over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 238, featherweight Calvin Kattar couldn’t be more pleased with how the fight turned out.

Not only did Kattar pick up a first round TKO, but defeating such a well-regarded fighter as Lamas could prove to be a turning point in the advancement of Calvin’s career.

“It was a big one for me,” Kattar told MMAWeekly.com. “They kind of referred to (Lamas) as one of the top title contenders that never really had the belt. He’s a big name, fought a lot of who’s who. For me it was a big way to start off the new contract.”

Following the win over Lamas, Kattar was looking to keep his momentum going in a hometown bout versus Zabit Magomedsharipov, but the fight ended up being delayed.

“You never really get worse with extra preparing for a guy, but it was bittersweet not having the fight in Boston,” said Kattar. “You can’t really get high with the highs and low with the lows.

“That was the tough part wanting to go out and compete in front of friends and family and them spending their hard earned money on a night out and then the fight fell through. All I can do is go to Moscow and do the fight. I just chose to focus on the positives.”

On Saturday in Moscow, Kattar (20-3) will finally get to face Magomedsharipov (17-1) in the UFC on ESPN+ 21 main event in a featherweight tilt.

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“I’ve just got to be me,” Kattar told MMAWeekly.com. “I’ve got to go out and be me and that should be enough.

“I’m excited about it. They’re (positioning Magomedsharipov) to be the next title contender, the next big thing, and a big win over him, where does that put me? Next in line. It’s important for me to go out and show that I belong with this opportunity.”

For Kattar, rewards of defeating a fighter like Magomedsharipov will come after the bout, so for now he’s just focused on the fight itself and nothing much after.

“We’re on to Moscow, I take him out, we’re sitting in good position, but there’s a lot of chips on my shoulders and that’s where I find my motivation,” said Kattar. “I’ll be bringing them into the fight with me. Right now my main focus is on Zabit and Russia.”