UFC: Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar betting odds and preview
January 12th, 2021
The UFC will return to Fight Island for a featherweight clash between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar on Saturday night.
These two are going to bring the blood, and we have a preview and pick for their January 16 showdown.
Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar
Not quite a crossroads clash
There is an argument that Holloway got robbed in his two losses against Alexander Volkanovski, but he is a huge step up for Kattar.
Kattar has earned some respect with his recent run, but Holloway has, up until recently, been considered the best featherweight in the world. Kattar is up against it, despite the close nature of the odds.
Tale of the tape
| Max Holloway | ----- | Calvin Kattar |
|---|
21-6 | Record | 22-4 |
29 | Age | 32 |
69" | Reach | 72" |
2-3 | Last five fights | 4-1 |
Iron chin | Key intangibles | Reach |
Holloway is an active striker, with solid power and accuracy. Even when he has defensive lapses, his chin has yet to be cracked. Kattar’s slight advantage in reach will help him if Holloway takes it slow, but he is going to take the fight right to Holloway.
.@CalvinKattar aims to become the first man to knock out Max Holloway in Saturday's #UFCFightIsland7 headliner. 💥👀
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 11, 2021
@MikeBohnMMA's interview: https://t.co/pNuajtC9uV pic.twitter.com/NbA4PMQyhQ
Can Kattar’s wrestling make a difference?
From a striking standpoint, Kattar isn’t going to get much done against Holloway.
Kattar is too easy to hit and doesn’t have a style troubling enough to give Holloway pause, so he might have to explore his options on the ground. Kattar hasn’t utilized his wrestling often, but it might be the key to limiting Holloway’s output and maximizing scoring chances.
In a straight-up fight, Kattar will lose. We’ve seen him get outworked against fighters with decent accuracy, and he looked absolutely lost at times during those bouts.
Mauling Holloway and wrestling him to the mat could buy Kattar enough scoring opportunities in a five-round clash to pull off a decision win.
Holloway is still the class of the division
This fight is going to come down to who has the better striking, and that is undeniably Holloway. He may be on a two-fight skid, but he hasn’t lost his form and is far better than anyone Kattar has faced.
When volume strikers fight each other, the fighter with the better technique gets their shots off first and lands the harder shots.
These guys are not going to knock each other out, but Holloway will outclass Kattar.
The fight will go the distance (-175) and end with Holloway winning a wide decision (+120) on the cards.
MMA free pick: Holloway
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