LAS VEGAS – Calvin Kattar has been around the block in the UFC, and though he’s mired in a skid for the first time in his career, he has a chance to do something he hasn’t done before.
Kattar (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) on Saturday will go after his first win in more than two years when he takes on former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (23-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in a featherweight bout on the UFC 300 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) prelims.
Sterling is making his debut at 145 pounds, where Kattar has fought since 2011. It’s been 18 months since Kattar’s main event against Arnold Allen ended quickly into the second round when Kattar blew out his knee.
The recovery process was quick as far as MMA injuries are concerned, and now Kattar wants to get back to the days when he ripped off three straight Fight of the Night bonuses before the Allen fight – and to do it against Sterling will mean playing a spoiler against an ex-champ. In January 20021, he lost a Fight of the Night to former 145-pound champ Max Holloway, which was his first meeting with an ex-UFC titleholder.
“Things work out the way they do for a reason, and I feel like the timing’s right for UFC 300,” Kattar said at Wednesday’s media day ahead of the card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “It’s such a historic card. It’s an honor to be a part of it. … (It’s a) big opportunity fighting a former champ. If you want to be great, and you want big-moment opportunities, those are the guys you’ve got to compete against. I’m grateful I have another opportunity to step in there against a high-level opponent and show why I’m amongst the best in the division.
“I’m planning on fighting the best Aljamain Sterling that steps foot in the octagon. In my mind, he’s going to be at his best version, and I’m prepared to go wherever the fight takes me.”
You can watch Kattar’s full media day session in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.