UFC boss Dana White ordered Calvin Kattar to go to the hospital after he was dominated by all-action fighter Max Holloway
- The UFC boss Dana White ordered Calvin Kattar to go to hospital after he was dominated by Max Holloway in an all-time great MMA performance.
- Kattar displayed teak toughness in the 25-minute battle, but was beaten in every minute of every round.
- 'The Boston Finisher' reportedly laughed when he was told to go to hospital, but accepted he had to get checked-out by a doctor.
- Kattar's injury list included a broken nose, staples in his head, and bruising.
FIGHT ISLAND - UFC President Dana White told Calvin Kattar he had to go to hospital after he was dominated Saturday by the relentless Max Holloway.
Kattar lost every minute of every round in a 25-minute battle in front of a small crowd inside the newly-built Etihad Arena on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
'The Boston Finisher' displayed teak toughness and had moments of success in the third round, but was ultimately out-gunned from beginning to end, absorbing a UFC record 447 strikes from a total of 746 thrown from Holloway.
The sheer volume of Holloway's merciless attacks took its toll on Kattar who, despite not going down once, suffered sustained damage. He was so injured that White said he told Kattar to his face that the UFC was sending him to a local hospital to get checked out.
Kattar reportedly laughed but did not put up a fight, and accepted that he had to get checked-out by a doctor.
The ESPN MMA reporter Brett Okamoto tweeted that Kattar's injury list included "staples in the head and a broken nose and bruising."
The beating freaked out the UFC boss White
White told reporters at a post-event press conference Insider attended that he felt like the fight could have been stopped in the fourth round.
As the fight was permitted to go the distance, Kattar took an additional 84 strikes from 142 thrown by Holloway, and therefore sustained additional damage.
But having spoken to Kattar after the fight, White said his concerns lessened, as Kattar was speaking clearly and seemed alright despite the defeat.
"I thought the fight should have been stopped in the fourth round," White said.
"I was freaking out a little bit. I said [to his coaches] he's not going to stop and talk to anybody. We're going to take him straight to the ambulance and send him to the hospital.
"Then I went over to him and I said: 'You're so tough, what an unbelievable performance,' and he said: 'That's not what I want to be known for.'
"He goes: 'But I'm not going to back down to anybody,' and I said: 'We're going to send you straight to the hospital right now. I don't want you talking to anybody or doing anything.'
"He started laughing and thought that was funny. He's in good spirits, his head is clear."
White continued: "Our interaction made me feel better. All's good and everything I'm hearing is good so far. Those kinds of fights freak me out.
"He was completely coherent, clear, speaking perfectly. But we got him right in an ambulance and have him going to get checked out."
After the loss, Kattar's pro MMA record fell to 22 wins (11 knockouts, two submissions, and nine decisions) against five losses.
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