Talk about a triumphant return for Massachusetts striker, Calvin Kattar. Enduring a brutal beating at the hands of former featherweight champion, Max Holloway just a year ago — the #5 ranked contender returned to the Octagon tonight with a vengeance, bloodying, slicing, and battering the promotional-perfect, Giga Chikadze over five gruelling rounds to land his own unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-44) win at UFC Vegas 46.
Managing to capitalize on a slip from Chikadze who had previously landed some blistering kicks in the opening round, Kattar stole the first frame on all three judge’s scorecards with a well-timed takedown, in tandem with some top control.
From rounds two until five, however, the New England Cartel standout established and then further built up a considerable lead over his Kings MMA featherweight counterpart, slicing and bloodying with countless step-in and upward elbows.
Chikadze, hugely fatigued beyond the second round, attempted to fight back, but with constant pressure on the ticket from Kattar, the Tbilisi native faltered for the first time in his eight-fight UFC tenure, as The Bay State product returned to the winner’s enclosure in emphatic fashion.