Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens will look to return to win column when they meet in an exciting featherweight clash at UFC 248.
According to an initial report by MMA Junkie, both featherweights have agreed to fight on March 7 at the T-mobile Arena at the UFC’s third pay-per-view offering for 2020.
The 33-year old Stephens, who has been with the promotion since 2007, currently ranks eighth in the official UFC featherweight rankings.
In 2019, he failed to capture a single win in the UFC as he suffered back-to-back losses to Zabit Magomedsharipov and Yair Rodriguez and a controversial no-contest against the Mexican.
“People duck and dodge me all the time,” Stephens told MMA Fighting in September.
“Brian Ortega has ducked me four or five times. These guys don’t want to fight me. They have to fight me.”
His most recent win came in February 2018, where he knocked out Josh Emmett at UFC Boston.
Meanwhile, Kattar, who made his promotional debut in 2017, has gone 4-2 in six fights.
His most recent outing was against Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC Moscow, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss.
The 31-year old featherweight believes he is ready for the big lights as he feels his time to make a name in the UFC has come.
“I feel like it’s my time and it’s the right timing,” said Kattar prior to his showdown against Zabit, per UFC.com.
“I’m 31 years old, and I didn’t ask for an opportunity like everybody else when I was first starting out.”
“I felt like I waited until I was ready and now I’m making a strong run. It’s been a quick turnaround, but look at (UFC middleweight champ Israel) Adesanya right now.”
“Some guys just rise quick, and I’ve taken every opportunity that I could get in front of me and it’s led me to this point.”
“And as far as the moment being too big, I don’t think it is. I think I’m ready for it and I’m excited to go and prove why I belong in this position.”
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Here is how the UFC 248 fight card shaping up:
Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk – for strawweight title
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
Polyana Viana vs. Emily Whitmire
Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Quinonez
Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
A middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero has been rumored to headline the PPV event, with the ‘Last Stylebender’ recently claiming the bout is already done.
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar)