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A highly intriguing featherweight tilt is slated for UFC Boston in October.
The UFC’s return to Boston has its co-headlining fight, and it’s a doozy.
Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that rising featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov will take on fellow top-ten fighter Calvin Kattar, a Massachusetts native who will have the home crowd behind him.
Magomedsharipov (17-1) is a highly touted and heavily hyped prospect who’s thus far dazzled in his brief UFC career. Most recently, he prevailed by unanimous decision against veteran Jeremy Stephens at UFC 235. His top highlight-reel finish occurred at UFC 228, when he submitted Brandon Davis via Suloev stretch.
Kattar (20-3) is on a two-fight winning streak and 4-1 overall in the UFC. He’s coming off a spectacular first-round KO of former title challenger Ricardo Lamas at UFC 238 in June. Kattar has also scored stoppages over Shane Burgos and Chris Fishgold, and notably pulled off a short notice upset of Andre Fili in his Octagon debut back at UFC 214 in July 2017.
UFC Boston will air live on ESPN on Friday, October 18th. Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman is expected to headline against Dominick Reyes, in what is Weidman’s light heavyweight debut.