At UFC 249, rising featherweight contender Calvin Kattar took on Jeremy Stephens in an epic clash. Kattar was known for his boxing, and Stephens for his power and grit, so this fight had all the makings to steal the show.
It was evident early on in the bout that the game plan of Stephens was to attack the legs of Kattar. As for Kattar, he took his time finding his range, landing clean combinations on “Lil’ Heathen”. Stephens continued to land heavy leg kicks, taking advantage of Kattar’s slow starting pace. Once Kattar found his groove, he would respond to Stephens’ hard kicks with combinations of his own.
Watch Kattar’s Spectacular Elbow KO On UFC Fight Pass
With no intention to take the action to the ground from either man, the two were relentless with their striking. Kattar would catch Stephens with a fast and clean elbow that landed flush on the jaw. Following up with the left elbow on the ground, Stephens was dazed and cut. Kattar got that signature win he was looking for, sending a message to his division that he was a real contender for the title.
Don’t miss a single round of UFC 273: Volkanovski vs Korean Zombie live from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, April 9 on ESPN+. The Early Prelims will air at 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, followed by the Prelims beginning at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. Main card begins at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
