A collision can be most violent when it's a meeting of two objects -- or fighters -- on the move in opposite directions.
Such is the case with Saturday's UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas, which pits Calvin Kattar against fellow featherweight Giga Chikadze. The main card is on ESPN starting at 7 p.m. ET, with all of the fights -- including the 5 p.m. prelims -- also streaming on ESPN+.
Chikadze (14-2) has won nine fights in a row, the last seven of which have come in the UFC. His last three wins have been TKOs, most recently a third-round finish of Edson Barboza in August. Chikadze clearly is on an upward trajectory.
The direction that Kattar (22-5) is headed is not so clear. He was rising in the 145-pound ranks until a year ago, when he ran into former champion Max Holloway and was beaten up and dominated for five rounds. Still, Kattar is No. 6 in the ESPN men's featherweight rankings.
Saturday's main event at UFC Apex, headlining the promotion's first card of 2022, could help clarify the 145-pound hierarchy. Kattar and Chikadze are meeting to determine whether Chikadze's rise in the division will continue or Kattar can get back on track.
How to watch the fights
Watch the main card on ESPN and stream all of the fights on ESPN+: Download the ESPN App
Don't have ESPN+? Get it here.
There's also FightCenter, which offers live updates for every UFC card.
Saturday's fight card
ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET
Men's featherweight: Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze
Heavyweight: Jake Collier vs. Chase Sherman
Men's flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Rogerio Bontorin
Women's flyweight: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia
Lightweight: Dakota Bush vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Men's featherweight: Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito
ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET
Middleweight: Jamie Pickett vs. Joseph Holmes
Welterweight: Court McGee vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Men's bantamweight: Brian Kelleher vs. Kevin Croom
Lightweight: TJ Brown vs. Charles Rosa
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