Former headliner Calvin Kattar is back to fighting at the UFC Apex.
The #10 UFC Featherweight contender has his back to the wall after three losses, looking to rebound in his first fight since UFC 300 in April. According to a report from MMA Junkie, Kattar is targeted to face rising star Youssef Zalal at a UFC Fight Night event on Feb. 15 in Las Vegas.
Zalal is knocking on the door of the Top 15 rankings, and why wouldn’t he be – the 28-year-old is unbeaten in his last seven fights. “The Morrocan Devil” was actually let go by the UFC in 2022 but fought his way back, retiring Jack Shore in his most recent performance last month.
It’s quite the opportunity for Zalal to make good on his momentum, as a victory over a perennial contender like Kattar is just what he needs to insert himself into the mix at 145lbs.
New England’s Kattar has seen better days at 36, sometime removed from a fight cancellation, two year-year layoff and three-straight losses. Granted, Kattar lost to a near-perfect Aljamain Sterling the last time we saw him at UFC 300, managing to see the distance against the former bantamweight champion.
While it’s been a minute, Kattar has showcase wins over the likes of Giga Chikadze, Dan Ige, Jeremy Stephens, and Ricardo Lamas – proving his place among the best in the world.
