UFC Vegas 63 will be headlined by two contenders in the men’s featherweight division, Calvin Kattar and Arnold Allen. Come Saturday, the winner of this fight may very well be one step away from the title shot.
Arnold is currently on a nine-fight win streak and much of the public attention is on him after his impressive stoppage of Dan Hooker, while Calvin lost a very close decision to Josh Emmet. So what do the numbers say about this fight? Let’s take a look. I don’t see why not.
It is fair to assume that most of this fight will occur on the feet. Kattar, in that regard, is a prolific striker with excellent output. He is not the best boxer in the UFC, as he once suggested, but he is up there with the best. 5.19 strikes landed per minute, great footwork, head movement, and a clean jab.
What is not spoken about enough is that Kattar is a powerful puncher. Five of his opponents hit the canvas after getting punched, and four were stopped. Are there any advantages on the Allen side when it comes to striking? Few, and those come with asterisks. Allen is sound defensively, as he absorbs 2.22 strikes per minute, but to beat Calvin, he needs volume, and Allen doesn’t have it on the paper. Landing 3.31 strikes per minute is not enough to beat Kattar.
Power-wise, Arnold is somewhat of a heavy hitter, but outside of the Hooker TKO at UFC London back in March, nothing suggests he will stop Kattar. I believe the opposite will transpire. Calvin Kattar will pressure Allen, land harder, and eventually, find a finish in the later rounds.
Official Prediction: Calvin Kattar by TKO in Round 5
UFC Vegas 63 takes place this Saturday, October 29, 2022 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Calvin Kattar meets Arnold Allen in the main event on ESPN+.
