LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Kyle Nelson[/autotag] hopes he will cross paths with Calvin Kattar again down the line. But for now, he’s focused on Steve Garcia.
After stringing together three consecutive victories in the featherweight division, Nelson (16-5-1 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC) was positioned for a big step up against Kattar on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 242 card at the UFC Apex (ESPN+). The matchup was derailed and, as a result, Garcia (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) stepped in.
Nelson admits he was let down by the withdrawal because facing Kattar (23-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) would’ve been a potentially career-altering opportunity, but the Canadian was able to get over it and realize he’s got an equally tough task ahead.
“(I was) a little bit disappointed,” Nelson told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 242 media day. “I wasn’t expecting like a top-15 opponent anyways, so when they offered me Kattar, it was a bit of a surprise, but I thought it was a great opportunity for me, a great matchup, the opportunity to jump into the top 15. But I think Steve is probably going to be just as tough of an opponent as Kattar, just maybe not as much recognition.”
Garcia, 32, enters the clash, 33, with Nelson on a four-fight UFC knockout streak, which is the longest of any active fighter on the roster. Nelson considers himself a dangerous striker as well, so he is expecting entertainment for the fans – it’s just a question of for how long.
“We’re definitely prepared for a three-round war,” Nelson said. “I think Steve’s going to come forward and be throwing a lot of big shots, and I’m going to be throwing big shots back. So it’s just going to be whether or not he can weather the storm. I know in my last fight with Bill (Algeo) I was expecting a war as well, and he stood toe-to-toe with me and I was able to land some big shots and put him away. We might see something similar with Steve, or he might be able to eat some of the shots and it’s going to turn into a war.”
If Nelson is able to get through Garcia this weekend, he said he would relish the chance to put the fight with Kattar back together – perhaps when the octagon returns to his native Canada for UFC Fight Night in Edmonton on Nov. 2.
“Absolutely (I still want to fight Kattar),” Nelson said. “I don’t want to look past Steve or this fight, but definitely looking forward to trying to rebook the Kattar fight. I know UFC is coming to Canada here soon, so that wouldn’t be bad, either.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 242.