UFC 223's Calvin Kattar on title talk: 'What good is getting there if you're not ready?'

Don’t ask UFC featherweight Calvin Kattar to declare himself the next title contender. Let others do that for him.

Ideally, his promoter.

“That’s above my pay grade,” Kattar told MMAjunkie Radio. “I just try to go out and get the job done every time.”

Kattar (18-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) already has usurped Andre Fili and Shane Burgos on his way up the ladder. Now, he’ll attempt to take out another prospect in Renato Carneiro (11-1-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) when they meet at UFC 223, which takes place April 7 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Kattar vs. Carneiro fight serves on the pay-per-view main card after prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

With two UFC fights under his belt, Kattar would rather be matched against opponents that build him as a fighter than get a title shot. The big opportunities and bigger paychecks will eventually come.

“A lot of guys are in a rush to get there,” he said. “What good is getting there if you’re not ready, anyway? If you can’t beat the guys they’re putting ahead of you, then you’ve got no business getting there.”

Kattar earned his spot in the UFC, in part, because he was able to exercise patience. Instead of fighting against another local prospect, current UFC bantamweight Rob Font, he forged an alliance that helped both get to the big show. The two continue to train together as their octagon careers develop.

“I have a great team around me,” Kattar said. “At that moment (prior to the UFC), I didn’t really have all pieces of the puzzle I have now. I feel confident right now taking on anyone in front of me.

“Replace his name with anybody, and I feel confident to go out there, and I think we’ll make it a fight for anybody.”

Moicano is a choice opponent for Kattar because he occupies the No. 11 spot in the promotion’s featherweight rankings as well as the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA featherweight rankings, where he’s an honorable mention. A win over the Brazilian would ensure a jump to top-10 opposition.

“Right now, he’s a tough test,” Kattar said. “I’d like to get a top-15 win under my belt. I know we’re both ranked there right now. I want to go take out this No. 11 spot, and then go out and chew on some top-10s.”

There are plenty of those around big UFC events, of course. Asked whether a quick turnaround at July’s UFC 226 might be of interest, Kattar stressed he’s taking things one fight at a time.

“I keep it with the Patriots mindset,” the 29-year-old Massachusetts native said. “We’re on Renato Moicano, and after that, we’ll see what’s ahead of us.”

For more on the UFC 223, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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