METHUEN — Calvin Kattar thought he was done fighting. After graduating from Methuen High, Kattar did what normal 18-year-olds do, he went off to college.
But the former Ranger wrestler discovered the competitive fires were difficult to extinguish.
In the winter of 2006, after his first semester at Middlesex Community College, Kattar attended an MMA (mixed martial arts) card that featured Dave George, a good friend of his sister.
He was hooked.
"It was perfect timing," said Kattar, who fights Andrew Montanez in the main event of American Steel Cage Fighting's card at the Salem Icecenter tomorrow night. "I missed it. I missed the competition that I had from wrestling."
Kattar has found a new love in MMA. With a 7-1 record, including five knockouts, Kattar will fight for the vacant NABC MMA East Coast lightweight title tomorrow.
Of his seven wins, all have ended in the first round.
"From Montanez's standpoint, he wants this fight to go the distance (three five-minute rounds)," Kattar said. "He finishes fights too, but he's going to try to test my stamina because all of my fights have ended early. He's going to try to weather me in the first round and take me out in the second and third rounds, if we go that far. He has the ability, he knows how to tuck his head and he'll try to finish me.
"Me, I want to end this thing early. I want that first-round knockout."
Kattar's following in Methuen is impressive to say the least. All of his local fights are filled with fans donning the blue and white colors of the Rangers. Even in Kattar's only loss - a submission defeat to Binky Jones in Newark, N.J. - the fans were there in large numbers.
The Jones fight aired on CBS as part of Elite XC's fight with renowned street fighter Kimbo Slice, who is now vying for a heavyweight spot in UFC.
"The people are unbelievable," Kattar said. "Obviously, if you're in this game, you want to be a world champion, but I love fighting around here. No matter where I go, it seems that there is a crowd of Methuen people everywhere, but up the street in New Hampshire, it will make for a great atmosphere.
"I'll make my way to the cage and look out and see Methuen faces just going crazy and it really gets you pumped up and motivates you. They are spending their hard-earned cash to come out to a show and they want to see me win. Friends, family and everyone else, you can't let those people down. That's what I think about when I'm training, putting in long hours and at the fight. It makes it all worthwhile."
Kattar must be careful of Montanez' deadly rear-naked choke, which has earned the New York native four of his seven victories.
"He has some moves that he goes to a lot," Kattar said. "Mainly, I'll be looking for his uppercuts because that's what he'll try to take me down with. He's a survivor, but I'm a finisher."
While his wrestling background opened the first doors into MMA, Kattar's surprisingly stiff punches have made him an intriguing prospect.
Kattar uses his wrestling background in ground attacks and submissions, but a powerful punch allows him to attack no matter where the fight goes.
Despite none of his fights lasting past the 4:49 mark of the first round, he isn't worried about stamina either.
"I test my stamina in training everyday," he said. "With all of my wins, the guys haven't made it past my flurries in the first round. If he gives me an opening to knock him out, watch out, because I will. I know I can go the distance but if it's up to me, I want to finish him fast. I hate leaving things to chance by putting it in the judges' hands.
"I'm a finisher. Like a shark, when I smell blood, I go for the kill."
Tale of the Tape
Calvin Kattar%%Andrew Montanez
Record %7-1-0%7-10-1
Wins%5 KO, 2 submissions%2 KO, 4 submissions, 1 decision
Height%5-11%5-8
Weight%156%165
Age%21%24
Hometown%Methuen, Mass.%Mineola, N.Y.
Analysis: Montanez's last four fights have gone a full three rounds and he'll try to force Kattar, who has never had to go to his corner in eight fights, to do the same. In June at WCF 7 in Wilmington, Kattar went up against Rodrigo Almeida, who entered the fight undefeated with three decision wins. When Almeida tried to take the fight to the ground, Kattar snapped on a guillotine choke to force a submission just 2:16 into the fight.
Montanez is vulnerable to the knockout. Three of his losses have come via KO.
American Steel Cage Fighting 2
Where: Salem Icenter
When: Tomorrow, 8 p.m.
Tickets: Priced at $75 (ringside), $60, $40, and $30. Available at the Icenter box office or by calling 603-893-4448 or e-mailing info@the-icenter.com
Locals: Methuen's Calvin Kattar fights Andrew Montanez for the NABC East Coast lightweight championship in the main event. Another Methuen resident, James Quinlan, makes his MMA debut against Fabrio Terra and Salem's Tyson "Psycho" Akl will make his MMA debut against Colin Schrader.
Other fights include:
Doug Gordon (10-7) vs. Eric Henry (8-6)
James Quinlan (0-0) vs. Fabrio Terra (0-0)
Lamont Lister (6-8) vs. Jorge Bezzera (2-1)
Kenny Foster (2-1) vs. Jose Adrianno (2-1)
Tyson Akl (0-0) vs. Colin Schrader (1-0)
Also, three amateur fights
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