UFC 249 Odds: Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar Prediction

The lone featherweight fight on the UFC 249 main card Saturday from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., features Jeremy Stephens battling Calvin Kattar in a non-title bout.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar UFC 249 Odds

Alexander Volkanovski is the current featherweight champion with Stephens (28-17) ranked No. 7 and Kattar (20-4) No. 9. Neither looks likely to get a title shot anytime soon.

The 33-year-old Stephens (+180 on the UFC odds board) is among the all-time leaders in UFC bouts as he joined the organization way back in May 2007 with a loss to Din Thomas at UFC 71. Stephens is also among the all-time UFC leaders in total losses. It could be close to the end for “Lil’ Heathen” as he’s winless in his past four, albeit against very good competition.

Stephens was a slight favourite in July 2018 against former featherweight champion Jose Aldo but lost by first-round TKO. Then Stephens fought current No. 3-ranked featherweight Zabit Magomedsharipov and lost by unanimous decision. Stephens’ past two fights were against No. 5 Yair Rodriguez. At UFC Fight Night 159, it was called a no-contest just 15 seconds in because Stephens was accidentally poked in the eye. The two turned around less than a month later for a rematch and Stephens lost by unanimous decision.

When Stephens loses, it’s usually by decision (71 per cent of defeats). When he wins, it’s usually by KO/TKO (69 per cent). He has just two victories by submission. That Stephens wins by KO, TKO or disqualification on Saturday is +375 on the MMA odds board and by decision +550. Stephens lands an average of 3.09 significant strikes per minute.

Kattar, 32, is nicknamed “the Boston Finisher” so we won’t even bother saying where he hails from. He is 4-2 since joining the UFC and comes off a loss to Magomedsharipov last November by unanimous decision. Kattar, who is a -240 favourite, wins 45 per cent of the time by KO/TKO and 40 per cent by decision. Kattar lands an average of 5.12 significant strikes per minute. Three of his four losses were via the judges.

UFC 249 Predictions: Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar

The overall favoured method of victory in this fight is Kattar by decision at +110 followed by Kattar by KO, TKO or disqualification at +300. The over-under rounds total is 2.5, with the over a -180 leader. That it does the distance is -155. We like Kattar by decision in what might be a contender for Fight of the Night.