Ahead of UFC Vegas 63, we take a look at the odds, and predictions for the main card
UFC Fight Night returns this weekend with a packed card in the UFC Apex Facility in Las Vegas Nevada. The event is set to be headlined by a featherweight showdown between UK’s finest, Calvin Kattar and Arnold Allen. The fighters are currently ranked at No.5 and No.6 respectively. With the lack of viable options to test the reign of featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, fans have high hopes for the young prospects who have been in good form recently. The event will be co-headlined by a welterweight clash between Max Griffin and Tim Means. In another featured bout, heavyweight legend Andrei Arlovski will stand across the octagon against Marcos Rogério de Lima.
Calvin Kattar vs Arnold Allen
Kattar made his UFC debut when he replaced Choi Doo-ho against Andre Fili on July 29, 2017 at UFC 214. The Brit won the fight by unanimous decision.
He next faced then-undefeated prospect, Shane Burgos, on January 20, 2018 at UFC 220. Kattar won the fight via technical knockout in round three. Both fighters also earned the Fight of the Night bonuses.
Kattar went on to face Renato Moicano on April 7, 2018 at UFC 223. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Kattar faced promotional newcomer Chris Fishgold on October 27, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 138. He bounced back from his previous loss and won the fight via technical knockout in the first round.[20] By the bout, Kattar fulfilled his first four-fight contract with the UFC.
Kattar faced Ricardo Lamas at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019. He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Currently, Kattar has lost two of his last five fights. His last fight inside the octagon was against Josh Emmett, a fight he lost by split decision. The decision was met with polarizing reactions only since large section of the MMA community scored the fight in favor of Kattar.
Interestingly, the Diaz brothers played a role in the life of Calvin Kattar as a mixed martial artist. He got a chance to train with Nick and Nate Diaz when he was 19 years old, and how that influenced his way of training, stating:
“I got like three bloody noses a day. I’m out there dogging it out. I’m by myself. But it was a great opportunity. Long term I was able to see these guys and how they train on the West Coast. Watching the Diaz brothers train at 1 a.m. and realizing you can lie to yourself and say guys aren’t training like that, but somewhere they are. I was exposed to that, which is great.”
His opponent Arnold Allen is a fellow English pro-MMA fighter with a near perfect record of 18 wins in 19 fights. He made his UFC debut on 20 June 2015 as a short notice replacement filling in for an injured Mike Wilkinson against Alan Omer at UFC Fight Night 69. Arguably Allen lost the initial two rounds but rallied to win the fight via submission in the third round. He was also awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.
Allen was issued a five-month suspension after he pleaded guilty to affray, for his role in a an alteraction near Ipswich which left a man and five women injured. As a result, Allen could face travel restrictions due to the conviction.
His last fight came against Dan Hooker at UFC London, a fight that he won by TKO in the first-round.
Odds: Calvin Kattar (+105) vs. Arnold Allen (-115)
Prediction: Calvin Kattar is a slight underdog in the fight. If Allen utilizes his grappling, he can create a substantial advantage that will help him coast through victory. Both fighters are incredibly well-rounded. However, while Allen has the edge if the fight hits the canvas, Kattar is a better striker between the pair. Hence it all comes down to where the fight plays out. With that in mind, we give the slight edge to Calvin Kattar for his sheer experience fighting the best in the division.
Other Fight Odds
Phil Hawes (-170) vs. Roman Dolidze (+144)
Marcos Rogerio de Lima (-225) vs. Andrei Arlovski (+190)
Jun Yong Park (-240) vs. Joseph Holmes (+200)
Chase Hooper (-255) vs. Steve Garcia (+215)
Max Griffin (-180) vs. Tim Means (+155)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (-195) vs. Jared Vanderaa (+165)
Josh Fremd (-170) vs. Tresean Gore (+145)
Dustin Jacoby (-170) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (+145)
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