5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 13: Calvin Kattar a contender, UFC newcomers shine, more

What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 13 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi? Here are a few post-fight musings …

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1. Calvin Kattar proves he belongs

Calvin Kattar left no doubt about his position as a top featherweight with his win over Dan Ige in the main event. Yes, we knew he was good before the unanimous decision, but the performance answered some critical questions about exactly where he fits in.

Kattar’s win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 249 was a highlight-reel finish, but “Lil’ Heathen” is on a five-fight slide, so it’s hard to quantify what that really means. Ige, meanwhile, brought a six-fight winning streak into the matchup and all the momentum a fighter could ask for.

That momentum was brought to a halt by Kattar, who showed off his slick boxing, durability and conditioning to go five rounds at a strong pace. Those are all tools “The Boston Finisher” will need if he wants to make it to the very top of the stacked 145-pound division. Kattar has solid fight IQ and knows how to fight to his strengths, though, and that will take him a long way.

At this point it’s almost impossible to pick a bad fight for Kattar when sifting through the rest of the division’s contenders. That’s a credit to his style, and unless something dramatic changes, Kattar is going to be part of the conversation at featherweight for years to come.