Latest news with #Kattar
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steve Garcia OK losing his finishing streak in the name of big-picture UFC ascension
Garcia's KO streak snapped at five, but wins keep coming Steve Garcia kept a streak this past Saturday, but lost one, too. When his MMA timeline gets long enough, though, the 33-year-old featherweight suspects his unanimous decision win over Calvin Kattar at UFC on ESPN 70 in Nashville will have a pin in it as a key moment on his resume. Garcia (18-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC) put on a dominant and well-rounded standup display in his win over Calvin Kattar (23-10 MMA, 7-8 UFC). And though Kattar is in the midst of a hefty slump – five straight losses after Garcia was done with him, and six setbacks in his past seven – he's long been considered a stiff test in the division. Garcia had to go the distance to get his hand raised for the first time since 2018 – before he was in the UFC. Going into the Kattar fight, in which he was nearly a 2-1 favorite, he had five straight finishes. But with that streak snapped, he thinks he proved he's got more than just knockout power. "I've been wanting a fight like this for a while," Garcia told MMA Junkie Radio. "I thought I was going to get it with Edson (Barboza) in February (before Barboza pulled out), but that's OK. Timing's everything. We got Kattar, and Kattar's a phenomenal striker. I think I was the better boxer, though. "I think everyone wants to set the bar high. That's what I was trying to do: I was trying to knock out Kattar. … That's just how I fight. I always go for the KO. But I get a lot of backlash because everyone thinks I'm reckless or I don't know how to fight properly. … But I just knew with a veteran like Kattar, you go with someone like that who's been in the game for such a long time, who's knocked out people, such a vet – you can tell the difference in there. He's always dangerous." In his five knockouts leading into the fight with Kattar, Garcia had three post-fight bonuses in wins over Chase Hooper, Seung Woo Choi and Kyle Nelson. And those are great. But at his gym, Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., he's being told to not obsess and tie emotion to wanting to finish fights. It's a message he's trying to take to heart. With six straight wins, and increasing levels of opponent quality on paper, Garcia knows he's creeping up on title contention – but he's not trying to insert his name into the conversation ahead of schedule. That's why a win over Kattar was so important, and despite no knockout, it showed, he thinks, that he can compete with the elite at 145 pounds. "I came into this sport to be at the top," Garcia said. "I didn't really boast about any of my accomplishments leading up to any of this. … You guys understand how deep the 145 bracket is. To even have that conversation about a main event or pushing toward a title shot, it just seemed so far out of reality that I wasn't going to stumble over all that conversation and even make that a situation until there's actually some substance behind that. "I wanted to make sure we got to this position before we could even have this legitimate conversation. The five-rounders are a very high possibility now. I believe I can compete with anybody at the top."
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Calvin Kattar issues statement on UFC Nashville loss after breaking foot early
A post shared by calvinkattar (@calvinkattar) Calvin Kattar had to battle through some early adversity at UFC on ESPN 70. Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Steve Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in their featherweight bout this past Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Once on the cusp of title contention, Kattar now has lost five fights in a row. The 37-year-old took to Instagram to open up on the loss, revealing that he injured his foot badly in Round 1. "Thankful for my family, team and those that came out or tuned in to the fight," Kattar wrote. "Pushed through a lot just to get to the fight and even more when it started. Broke my foot in the first round in two places but content that I was able to make it through to the end even though came up short. Congrats to my opponent on top 15, well earned. Time for some recovery." Kattar hasn't won a fight since defeating Giga Chikadze in the UFC on ESPN 32 main event in January 2022. He holds notable wins over Dan Ige, Jeremy Stephens and Ricardo Lamas.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 70
Tomorrow #GarciaGang makes it 6 finishes in a row😁🥳 Calvin Kattar and Steve Garcia meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 70 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 2-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 64-48-1 Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia UFC on ESPN 70 preview Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) needs to snap out of the worst stretch of his career, as he enters on a four-fight skid. The last victory for Kattar, 37, came against Giga Chikadze in January 2022. Since then, he has recorded losses against Josh Emmett, Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal – which is a very strong lineup of opposition. ... Conversely, Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) comes in hot on a five-fight winning streak, all by stoppage. On his current run, Garcia finished Chase Hooper, Shaylian Nuerdanbieke, Melquizael Costa, Seung Woo Choi and Kyle Nelson. Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia UFC on ESPN 70 expert pick, prediction Despite the UFC matchmakers continually dropping the ball on their card formats, I guess I should just be grateful that they at least go the best fights on the main card – and this battle between Calvin Kattar and Steve Garcia is one of them. Although some very defensible caveats contextualize some of Kattars losses in this latest losing streak, there's no denying that New England Cartel alum has been missing more than a step in recent years. Garcia, on the other hand, has been on a borderline all-time knockout streak after knocking out his opponent in his last five fights, earning MMA Junkie's Under the Radar Fighter of the Year. Outside of being a dangerous southpaw, Garcia is also one of the few fighters who can match Kattar in the elbow department. Both men have deceptively experienced regional runs and have never shied away from wars, but I believe that Kattar, despite his notorious durability, is undeniably the man with more years and mileage in this matchup – and that could bode badly for him. Moreover, Kattar, who officially stands at 0-1 opposite UFC-level lefties (losing to Arnold Allen), has traditionally struggled with southpaw kicks and crosses due to his boxing-centric guard and stance. It's an undeniable step up for Garcia, but I'll stick with the "Mean Machine" as a youth pick in this potential crossroads fight. The pick is Garcia to force a stoppage via strikes by Round 2. Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia UFC on ESPN 70 odds The oddsmakers and the public slightly favor the younger fighter, listing Garcia -150 and Kattar +118 via FanDuel. Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia UFC on ESPN 70 start time, how to watch Kattar and Garcia are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:40 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN and ESPN+.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Calvin Kattar opens up on losing skid ahead of UFC Nashville
Calvin Kattar will aim to snap a four-fight losing skid at UFC on ESPN 70. Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) meets rising featherweight Steve Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on Saturday's main card (ESPN, ESPN+) at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Once on the cusp of title contention, Kattar has struggled in the octagon as of late. He explained what he needs to change to ensure that he returns to the win column. "I've just got to get started a little earlier," Kattar said in an interview with the UFC. "I'm kind of used to that later pace, that five-round fight still. Tough, the way the last few of them went. But just being able to cut off the cage a little better when these guys get on their bikes and just run around, being able to corner them a little bit better. Other than that, each time you step in there, you've got to kind of reset. Even off a win, I wouldn't really be focusing on the last fight. We've got this one in front of me, and he's got my full attention." Garcia has knocked out his past five opponents in a row. His past nine wins have all come by finish. "Aggressive, great fighter – he's done what he's had to do with his opponents," Kattar said of Garcia. "He's doing his thing right now. He's got a lot of momentum, and we've both got some streaks going into this fight. On Saturday, my plan is to go out and put an end to both of them." Kattar finds himself as a slight underdog against Garcia. However, the 37-year-old is no stranger to stopping rising contenders, after snapping both Dan Ige and Giga Chikadze's win streaks in the past. "I feel like the higher up you climb, the harder it gets," Kattar said. "Each check point, you kind of re-evaluate where you're at, and for me, I think we're at a crossroads where he's on his way up and people might be counting me out because of my last performances. But I think it's going to make for a hell of a fight because I don't see myself on my way out. I think I've got something to prove. I've got a chip on my shoulder, and that's when I usually perform at my best."
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC books Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia for Nashville
UFC books Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia for Nashville Steve Garcia wanted a big name next – and he's gotten one with Calvin Kattar. At the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for July 12 and expected for Nashville, Tenn., Garcia (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) will collide in a three-round featherweight bout. Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Garcia, 32, currently holds the longest finishing streak in the UFC with five knockouts/TKOs in a row. Wins in that stretch include Chase Hooper, Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, Melquizael Costa, Seung Woo Choi, and Kyle Nelson. Garcia was scheduled to face Edson Barboza in February, but the bout was scrapped after Barboza withdrew. Kattar, 37, enters the fight in need of a win perhaps now more than ever. Through his first 28 professional fights, Kattar had never lost back-to-back. However, since then, he's lost four straight, including defeats to Josh Emmett, Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling, and Youssef Zalal. Current UFC Nashville lineup
