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Strength and durability are attributes revered in combat sports, but this ability comes at a cost, too.
During the main event of UFC Fight Island 7 on Saturday, Calvin Kattar flaunted all of this and more as he emptied a five-round battle against Max Holloway while absorbing 445 breathtaking meaningful strikes in 25 minutes.
The fourth round in particular became difficult to watch at times as Holloway was just blowing up Kattar, who refused to come down while eating a series of punches, kicks and elbows from the former featherweight champion.
Even UFC president Dana White got annoyed looking at the side of the cage as Kattar was stuck against the fence as Holloway had just unloaded himself on him with a series of devastating combinations that would likely have ended the game. most featherweight. In fact, White went to the corner of Kattar to speak to them as the fight drew to a close.
“I thought the fight should have been stopped in the fourth round,” White said on Saturday night. “I was panicking a bit. I said [to his coaches] he won’t stop and speak to no one. We’re going to take him straight to the ambulance and send him to the hospital.
“Then I went up to him and I said ‘you are so tough what an amazing performance’ and he said ‘that’s not what I want to be known for’. He said “but I’m not going to give in to anyone” and I said we were going to send you straight to the hospital now. I don’t want you to talk to anyone or do anything. He laughed and thought it was funny. He is in a good mood, his head is clear.
There were several moments during the fourth round in particular where the commentary team working on the UFC broadcast asked for the fight to be stopped, but Kattar refused to give up while still finding a way to survive. .
Referee Herb Dean watched the action closely as he saw Kattar show an incredible heart to endure some of those combinations that Holloway triggered throughout the bout.
“I’m not the referee,” White said. “Herb Dean tonight was the guy who made that decision. I thought it should have been stopped in the fourth round. I hate to see a child continue to be punished like this. But he seems to be doing well, and as long as he is doing well, that’s the referee’s job, not mine.
Despite all the strikes Kattar absorbed in five rounds, White admitted that talking to the New England native after the event helped calm his nerves over the decision to allow him to continue fighting until the end. .
“Our interaction made me feel better,” White said. “Everything is fine and everything I hear is good so far. This kind of fighting scares me.
“He was completely coherent, clear, speaking perfectly. But we put him in an ambulance and had him examined.
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