Calvin Kattar may be going through the roughest patch of his MMA career, but if you ask him, it’s just another chapter in the fight game. The seasoned featherweight fighter is set to return to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 251 in Las Vegas, determined to turn things around after three tough losses. Standing across from him will be Youssef Zalal, who’s been on a hot streak with three consecutive wins since rejoining the UFC last year. But for Kattar, the past is the past—his focus is solely on what lies ahead.
A Fighter’s Mindset: No Looking Back
“Definitely not the way we want things going,” Kattar admitted during Wednesday’s media day. But he refuses to dwell on his recent setbacks. Losses to Josh Emmett, Arnold Allen, and former champ Aljamain Sterling have put him in a tough spot, but he’s not making excuses.
“I mean, I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I thought I won that first fight of the three with Emmett,” he explained. “Then the way things worked with Allen with the knee, just unfortunate. I feel like that fight didn't even happen. Lost a fight to a former champ, and all of a sudden, here we are, 0-3, you know?”
That’s just the reality of the sport. But Kattar knows that fixating on the past or stressing over the future is a dangerous game. “It’s dangerous kind of focusing too much behind you and too far ahead of you. Right now, we got Youssef Zalal on Saturday. Tough opponent, four-fight win streak – that’s not easy to do in the UFC.”
The Road Back to the Top
For Kattar, Saturday’s fight isn’t just about snapping a losing streak—it’s about proving he still belongs among the best in the featherweight division. And while he’s faced top-tier competition, he isn’t bothered by taking on an opponent further down the rankings.
“I don’t give a f*ck about that,” Kattar said bluntly. “Because everybody’s tough. I just don’t care either way. A fight’s a fight, you know? I don’t care who it is, who it’s against. Give me some time for it, I’ll be happy for that. It doesn’t always happen, but for this one, we got time.”
For a veteran like Kattar, the name across from him matters less than the opportunity itself. Every fight is a test, a proving ground. And at 35, he’s fully aware that time waits for no one. “I’m not getting any younger, and it’s about testing myself and proving to myself that I belong at the top of the division. These guys are just an opportunity for me to do that.”
Betting Against the Odds—Again
It’s not the first time Kattar has been an underdog, and it probably won’t be the last. His last win came in January 2022, a unanimous decision over Giga Chikadze—a fight where many counted him out. Once again, he’s stepping into the octagon as the betting underdog against Zalal, though this time, the odds are even steeper.
But that’s just another challenge he’s willing to embrace. “I let the manager kind of deal with all of that sh*t. I just focus on beating the guy in front of me every time.”
Saturday Night: A Fight to Prove Himself
Zalal has been on fire lately, stringing together wins and making a strong case for himself in the featherweight division. Beating someone like Kattar would be a massive statement for the Moroccan fighter. But Kattar? He’s not about to let that happen without a war.
“I’m ready to go out and give him a fight come Saturday night,” Kattar declared. “Tough opponent, four-fight win streak—that’s not easy to do in the UFC. Definitely deserving of a top 10, top 15 challenge.”
For Kattar, it’s all about stepping into that cage and proving—if only to himself—that he still belongs among the best in the world. The losses? They don’t define him. The doubters? They don’t bother him. The fight in front of him? That’s all that matters.
On Saturday night, under the bright lights of the UFC Apex, Kattar will have one mission: show that he’s still one of the best featherweights in the game. And if history has shown us anything, it’s that you should never count out Calvin Kattar.
Login