The UFC Vegas 63 main event between Calvin Kattar and Arnold Allen ended in gruesome circumstances as the American’s knee ligament snapped like a ‘rubber band’.
The featherweight pair, ranked #5 and #6 respectively going into the bout, exchanged blows in a lively first-round which ended with Kattar clutching his knee.
Despite regaining his composure and coming out for the second, Kattar collapsed to the canvas with a slow motion replay showing his ligaments appearing to snap.
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One horrified fan wrote on Twitter: “Omg that ligament just snapped like a rubberband.” A second added: “You can see it appear to snap on the outside of the leg.”
A third continued: “You can literally see Kattar’s ACL get blown out. Brutal sport.”
And a a fourth typed: “You can see Kattar knee pop from that one angle. That was nasty.”
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(Image: BT Sport)
Although it wasn’t the way he wanted to win, Suffolk’s Allen called for an interim title shot after moving to 19-1 with a 12 fight win streak – 10 of which have been in the UFC.
That streak is only bettered by two current fighters in the form of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, who praised Allen on Twitter.
That duo went face-to-face at UFC 280 ahead of a potential bout of their own, but Volkanovski was keeping a keen eye on the Vegas card.
(Image: BT Sport)
(Image: BT Sport)
He said: “Arnold Allen was looking great, Not the ending he wanted but was all class about it. Wishing Calvin Kattar a speedy recovery.”
Having said before the bout: “Looking for a statement!! #UFCVegas63.”
Ipswich-born Allen, who is currently level on the longest featherweight win steak in UFC history with Volkanovski behind only Max Holloway’s 13, now wants an interim shot.
(Image: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty)
“If Volkanovski’s going to be going up a weight (to fight Makhachev in 2023) give me the interim shot, I feel like I deserve it.”
Should Allen get his wish, the obvious potential opponents would be #2 Yair Rodriguez or #4 Josh Emmett, who are the only other challengers in the top six on winning streaks.
Allen also has his eyes on welterweight champ Leon Edward’s 2023 trilogy bout with Kamaru Usman, which is set to be held in a UK stadium in March.
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