Top featherweights Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens will look to get back on track in March when they meet at UFC 248.
MMA Junkie today confirmed with multiple people close to the situation that both Kattar (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Stephens (28-17 MMA, 15-16 UFC) have verbally agreed to the matchup, but bout agreements have not been finalized. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to officially announce the fight.
UFC 248 takes place March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims likely to air on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Kattar, No. 11 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA featherweight rankings, is coming off a narrow loss in his first UFC headliner. He suffered a decision defeat to Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC on ESPN+ 21 November. Prior to that fight Kattar, 31, had won 12 of 13 contests.
Stephens, 33, will also be hungry for victory at UFC 248, because he will enter the event on a four-fight winless skid. “Lil’ Heathen” hasn’t won since a knockout of Josh Emmett at UFC on FOX 28 in February 2018, dropping fights to Yair Rodriguez, Magomedsharipov and Jose Aldo since.
The latest UFC 248 lineup now includes:
- Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk – for strawweight title
- Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
- Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
- Polyana Viana vs. Emily Whitmire
- Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
- Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
- Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Quinonez
- Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens
