Calvin Katter gets unanimous decision over Dan Ige
Calvin Kattar continued his campaign to get over his loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov last November and reassert his position as one of the best featherweights in the world.
Having defeated Jeremy Stephens in May, Kattar took on an in-form Dan Ige who had won his last six fights – including a split decision victory over Edson Barboza in May.
Due to their recent fight activity despite lockdown, both men brought the fight to each other and kept up a good pace.
Ige had success in his first time headlining a UFC event – most notably with a left hook which appeared to break Kattar’s nose in the second round – and was always competitive.
But Boston’s Kattar was unrelenting, keeping Ige on his heels with pressure and a consistent jab.
Kattar’s constant advancing and heavier hands eventually wore on Ige.
In the last round, Kattar landed a nasty elbow which almost closed Ige’s eye completely shut.
In an effort to quell his opponent’s offense and perhaps steal a round, Ige tried to get a takedown. That was promptly rebuffed by Kattar, who ended the bout on top and raining down some ground and pound until the final horn sounded.
After a few strange judging decisions of late, Kattar was relieved to hear he was rightly awarded a unanimous decision win.
Tim Elliot edges Ryan Benoit in competitive encounter
Tim Elliott snapped his three-fight losing skid with a closely-contested unanimous decision victory over Ryan Benoit.
It wasn’t by any means plain sailing for Elliott, though.
Benoit looked to get the better of the striking exchanges over Elliott in the first round – most notably a big head kick which the latter somehow wore without even flinching.
The Ultimate Fighter season 24 winner was in serious bother in the second round as Benoit rolled into a deep-looking kneebar – not long after Elliott was close to submitting “Baby Face” with a guillotine choke of his own. Grimacing throughout, Elliott somehow found a way out that precarious position.
Elliott also had to gut through a hand injury in the third round, but that didn’t stop him and Benoit from going hell for leather in the last minutes of their fight. Both men landed strikes and hurt their opponents in a final bid to win over the judges.
However, the three judges sat cageside scored the fight in Elliott’s favour, with 29-28 scores across the board.
UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige full results
Featherweight: Calvin Kattar def. Dan Ige by unanimous decision after five rounds
Flyweight: Tim Elliott def. Ryan Benoit by unanimous decision after three rounds
Featherweight: Jimmie Rivera def. Cody Stamann by unanimous decision after three rounds
Women’s Flyweight: Taila Santos def. Molly McCann by unanimous decision after three rounds
Catchweight: Mounir Lazzez def. Abdul Razak Alhassan by unanimous decision after three rounds
Middleweight Khamzat Chimaev def. John Phillips by submission (D’Arce choke) at 1:12 of round two
Featherweight: Lerone Murphy def. Ricardo Ramos by TKO (punches) at 4:18 of round one
Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas def. Andreas Michailidis by TKO (elbows) at 5:00 of round one
Catchweight: Jared Gordon def. Chris Fishgold by unanimous decision after three rounds
Women’s Flyweight: Liana Jojua def. Diana Belbiţă by submission (armbar) at 2:43 of round one Bantamweight: Jack Shore def. Aaron Phillips by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:29 of round two