Calvin Kattar’s slick and assured striking helped him to secure a unanimous decision victory over Dan Ige in the main event of UFC On ESPN on Fight Island tonight.
Round One:
The featherweight main event is underway on Fight Island.
Ige probes at Kattar’s defenses with his jab. Ige darts in with a few punches. Now a body punch for him.
Again Ige wades forward with a couple of punches. He does so again and then lands a leg kick. Left hook for Ige. Kattar just biding his time here.
Kattar feeling out with the jab now, but not landing on the target so far. Body punch from Ige and a left hook counter from Kattar.
A punch apiece lands from both men. Kattar lands nicely. Ige tries for a takedown, but doesn’t get it and ends up on his back with Kattar dropping a few hard strikes down.
Ige stays on his back but then gets to his feet. Front kick to the body from Kattar. Nice right hand counter from Ige. Body punch from Ige. Kattar catches a kick and Ige lands a body punch before being takedown down.
Ige back up, but Kattar lands a hard body shot as he does so. However Ige lands a punch to the midsection of his own.
Side kick lands for Kattar. Nice body punch and hooks from him. Now it’s Ige who connects cleanly with a punch to the head. Final seconds of the round and Kattar steps up the action with a flurry of strikes including a jumping knee to the head that lands.
Round Two:
Jab for Kattar. One-two from Ige comes off the guard. Good body punch from him and tries to work a hook behind it.
Kattar working the jab. Body punch for him. Jab lands. One-two for Kattar. Ige tries to press forward with a flurry, but Kattar moves out of range.
Kattar connects with a one-two as Ige pressed forward. Ige lands a big punch to the nose and Kattar starts touching it afterwards which suggests it’s hurt.
Ige with another flurry. Another darting attack from Ige with a body punch and then one upstairs. Body kick for Kattar.
Ige peppers out the jab. Hard jab coming back now from Kattar. Body punch for Ige. Again he lands, this time doubling up to the body.
Crisp jab again for Kattar and then solid punches behind it. Ige moving backwards slightly off-balance now. Kattar pressing forward with more offense and there’s a big knee attempt in there that just misses.
Round Three:
Jab for Kattar and glancing hook in return from Ige. Push kick to the body for Kattar. Kattar feeling out with the jab then lands a leg kick.
Nice uppercut from Kattar. Side kick to the leg from Ige. Good outside leg kick from him. Another kick connects. Chopping hook from kattar.
Front kick attempt from Kattar. Good body punches from Ige. Now a right hand for him and then back to the body.
Leg kick for Ige. Body punch from Kattar. Glancing left hand for Ige. Body punch. Another two punch combo to the body.
Kattar with a couple of heavy blows. Now a nice jab. Ige with a body punch. Leg kick for him. Good straight right for him. Jab for Kattar.
One-two from Kattar as he rushes forward and then another punch behind it. Aggressive work from Kattar. Leg kick for Kattar.
Ige lets a couple of punches go and Kattar responds with one of his own. Body kick for Ige. Kattar misses with a head kick, but lands one to the leg as the round ends.
Round Four:
Body punch for Ige. Kattar sticking out the jab. Ige suddenly rushes in on a takedown attempt, but Kattar stuffs it.
jab for Kattar. Big right hand from Kattar. Leg kick for Ige. Kick for Kattar to the body. Ige trying to get the fight to the mat, but Kattar ends up on top and trying to work a little ground and pound. Then they stand back up quickly.
Jabs for Kattar. Front kick to the body for him. Superman punch from Ige misses. Inside leg kick for Kattar.
Overhand right from Ige, but it’s blocked. Solid connection lands for Kattar. Now back to the jab. Overhand right again from Ige.
Leg kick for Kattar. Another leg kick. And again to the inside of the leg. Big hook for Ige. Inside leg kick from Kattar and Ige slips to the mat and gets back up.
Right hand for Kattar. Outside leg kick for him now. Left hook for Ige. Leg kick for Kattar. Ige attempts a takedown, but Kattar shrugs him off. Flying knee attempt from Kattar just misses. Side kick from him to end the round.
Round Five:
Kattar trying a front kick upstairs. One-two for Ige comes off the gloves. Nice right hook counter from Kattar as Ige came forward.
Spinning kick attempt from Ige fails as he slips. Nice jab from Kattar. Good leg kick for Kattar and a hard counter punch from Ige that comes off his opponent’s guard.
jab for Kattar. Now a leg kick as Ige throws a punch. Missed head kick from Kattar. Body punches from Ige.
Exchange of punches from both men at close range. Kattar stuffs an Ige takedown attempt nicely. Inside leg kick for Kattar.
Body punches for Ige. Inside leg kick from Kattar. Spinning kick to the body from kattar misses. Ige pressing forward with punches, but Kattar backs out of danger.
Body punches for Ige again. Ige with a leg kick and jabs. Now a left. Ige attempting a takedown, but doesn’t work out.
Final 10 seconds and Kattar lands a good knee upstairs and then another. Ige goes to the mat and Kattar rattles him with some big punches to end the round with an exclamation mark.
Decision:
A good fight then, but while ige had his moments, Kattar appeared to have the edge in the striking action for much of the 25 minute bout and landed the more telling, damaging blows on his way to a unanimous decision victory (49-46 x2, 48-47).
