UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Kattar Tips, Predictions & Preview

Sep 1, 2023

UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Kattar will take place at UFC Fight Island, Abu Dhabi on Sunday, January 17 at 7:00am AEDT.

Here are our best bets and predictions for the main card and prelims for UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Kattar on ESPN. Read on for Holloway vs Kattar tips.

Max Holloway Last 5 Fights ?

Date	Result	Opponent	Method
July 12, 2020	Loss	Alexander Volkanovski	Decision (split)
December 14, 2019	Loss	Alexander Volkanovski	Decision (unanimous)
July 27, 2019	Win	Frankie Edgar	Decision (unanimous)
April 13, 2019	Loss	Dustin Poirier	Decision (unanimous)
December 8, 2018	Win	Brian Ortega	TKO (doctor stoppage)

Calvin Kattar Last 5 Fights ?

Date	Result	Opponent	Method
July 16, 2020	Win	Dan Ige	Decision (unanimous)
May 9, 2020	Win	Jeremy Stephens	KO (elbows)
November 9, 2019	Loss	Zabit Magomedsharipov	Decision (unanimous)
June 8, 2019	Win	Ricardo Lamas	TKO (punches)
October 27, 2018	Win	Chris Fishgold	TKO (punches)

Max Holloway vs Calvin Kattar

The rise of Max Holloway between 2014 to 2018 was phenomenal as ‘Blessed’ bounced back from a decision loss to Conor McGregor with a 13-fight win streak that would see him become the UFC Featherweight champion. Holloway didn’t back down from a challenge either as he fought against anyone standing in his way.

Competing for the interim UFC Featherweight Championship in December 2016, Holloway would win via third-round TKO against Anthony Pettis. Holloway would then announce himself as the number one man in the division by winning and unifying the UFC Featherweight Championship against Jose Aldo in June 2017. Following that third-round TKO victory, Holloway would defeat Aldo in the rematch as he once again stopped Aldo in the third round.

At his second title defence, Holloway would force the doctor to stop the fight at the end of the fourth round as rising star Brian Ortega suffered his only career loss to date.

Looking to become a two-division champion, Holloway would compete for the interim UFC Lightweight Championship against Dustin Poirier. The rise in weight class wouldn’t work out for Holloway with Poirier the better fighter on the night.

Holloway would return to his winning ways with another successful title defence against Frankie Edgar. That would be his last win before a pair of losses.

Australian fighter Alexander Volkanovski would take the title from Holloway in December 2019 at UFC 245 winning via unanimous decision. This victory was decisive with Volkanovski deserving the belt for his efforts.

In the rematch at UFC 251, Volkanovski would once again walk away with the belt, but this time via split decision. Two judges scored it 48-47 for Volkanovski while the other had it 48-47 for Holloway.

Can Holloway bounce back from two straight losses? He has lost three of his past four fights and desperately needs a win if he has ambitions of competing for the title in 2021.

Calvin Kattar fought twice in 2020 for a pair of victories. He knocked out Jeremy Stephens inside two rounds before a five-round decision victory over Dan Ige. Kattar boasts a 22-4 record but this is a huge step up in competition to take on the former top dog of the Featherweight division.

Despite recent losses, Holloway doesn’t appear to be slowing down; he arguably could be the champion right now and that is bad news for Kattar. In saying that, if Kattar is victorious over Holloway, then the current #6 ranked Featherweight contender puts himself into the title picture against Volkanovski.

The best striker should come out on top here and that appears to be Holloway. Kattar should have his moments though as ‘Blessed’ can eat a number of shots in a fight. Overall, Holloway should prove too slick for his opponent as his cardio will ensure he has a big enough gas tank should the fight need to go the full five rounds.