- Calvin Kattar commented on being said to be the favorite over Josh Emmett
- “The Boston Finisher” knows what it takes to get a title shot
Calvin Kattar wants to secure another decisive win to position himself as the next UFC featherweight title contender. His next test is to get past No. 7 contender Josh Emmett and despite being viewed as a favorite heading into the fight, “The Boston Finisher” is not sleeping on his foe.
A low-key top-5 fighter
In a recent interview on Brendan Schaub’s podcast, Kattar. who is coming off a huge victory over Giga Chikadze earlier this year, let everyone know that, unlike others, he’s not overlooking Emmett. In fact, he even maintains his “underdog mentality” leading up to the fight.
“For me, everyone’s probably overlooking him [Emmett],” Kattar said. “They say I’m the favorite but I keep that underdog mentality and I know it’s a dangerous one to have, I’m sure Josh has it now. And I’m not looking to let him build any momentum off it.”
There’s only one way
Kattar currently sits at the No. 4 spot in the official UFC rankings. Having given former 145-pound division king Max Holloway a tough five-round battle a year and a half ago, “The Boston Finisher” is confident the UFC gold is still within reach.
With Emmett being a lower-ranked fighter, chances are Kattar would still need another win over a top-5 guy, considering he get past his upcoming opponent. According to the 34-year-old, none of that matters because nobody could doubt him as long as he keeps on winning.
“You keep winning, they can’t deny you,” he pointed out. “That was my mindset getting into the UFC and that is my mindset getting’ to that title fight. They can’t deny if you keep on winning.”
Kattar vs. Emmett will headline UFC on ESPN 37 happening this weekend. Both fighters are well-known for their striking, but could also finish their opponents on the ground. More importantly, the result of the fight will surely have an effect on how the chase for UFC featherweight title contention will shape up.
