UFC Fight Night: Calvin Kattar vs. Dan Ige preview

Two fighters with mean streak and leaky defense will face off when Calvin Kattar tries to maintain his momentum against the streaking Dan Ige, in what should be a brutal UFC Fight Night main event July 15.

There is doubt this fight will go the distance, so if you missed the Fourth of July fireworks, make sure you tune in for this one!

Kattar and Ige have been shaky

Kattar and Ige are both coming off shaky performances in their last bouts, but unlike Ige, Kattar had to deal with a fighter who missed weight and still stopped him.

Ige may be in the middle of a five-fight win streak, but he was very lucky to get split decisions in his last two fights.

The big question here is if Ige can swarm Kattar, expose his awful defense, and stay out of the line of fire. Kattar can land a big counter shot, even as he absorbs punches, so Ige will need to get in the pocket and disengage safely.

Ige brings a willingness to work on the mat, something Kattar has avoided during his UFC tenure.

Ige needs to strike first

Ige is the more accurate striker and has been very successful in his takedown attempts over his last five fights. Mixing it up will be critical to his success in this fight. Neither fighter will enjoy a significant physical advantage, but Ige doesn’t want to get walked down by a strong puncher. He will need to fire first and disrupt any counter shots with clinches or takedowns.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see this fight get chippy from the get go. Ige will almost immediately look for takedown opportunities once he starts to get out-struck, but if Kattar can stuff his takedowns and out-muscle him in the clinch, the question will be how much Ige can take before he gets put down.

Ige will succumb to Kattar's superior striking 

There is a chance Ige can cut Kattar up with accurate shots, which would give the appearance that he is doing quality work, but he won't be able bully Kattar around without taking some heavy leather in the process.

After a competitive start with plenty of action, expect Kattar to work Ige over with his superior striking power and walk out the octagon with a decision victory.

MMA free pick: Kattar (-295)

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