Calvin 'The Boston Finisher' Kattar has faced significant challenges over the past eighteen months.
His last bout dates back to October 2022 when he faced Arnold Allen. In a critical moment during the first round, Kattar attempted a flying knee, but upon landing, his right leg appeared to buckle, signaling a potential injury. Despite enduring the round, Kattar's knee failed him just eight seconds into the second round.
After an extensive period of rehabilitation, the 36-year-old is finally poised to return to the octagon, marking his comeback on the momentous UFC 300 card scheduled for this Saturday (April 13).
Recovering from such an injury wasn't just about the physical rehabilitation; Kattar acknowledged the mental strain of being away from training and competition for an extended period. Reflecting on his hiatus, he shared his experience with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour:
"When you said mentally, where was I? Because that's what it is. The long layoff, it's a big mental game, and unfortunately, but fortunately for me, I had Rob go through it not long ago and he was able to kind of give me some advice going through it and help prepare me for that moment and yeah, all I could do is just focus on recovery. My life then became recovery for the last year and some change."
In anticipation of his return, Kattar will be facing former Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in the Featherweight division. Despite Sterling's impressive resume, Kattar remains undeterred and views this as an opportunity to face a formidable opponent in his comeback:
"Not much to be honest, a little bit in the fact that, yeah, he's a former champ. You know, that's great. And you need tough opposition to get these big, bold opportunities. So, you know, and shoutout to him for making this fight happen on such a historic night, I'm blessed. Honored. But it'd be the same as fighting anybody. The next fight is always the biggest, no matter who's against. And I really didn't put too much stock in who I'm fighting."
With the injury now behind him and his comeback looming, Kattar is thrilled to return to the spotlight, eager to showcase his skills at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night:
"I've had that rollercoaster ride of emotions but man, I'm feeling mentally strong now that I got this opportunity to get back in and I'm ready to go deliver a performance worthy of such a historic card."
