Nearing UFC title shots, burgeoning New England Cartel aims to capitalize on big bookings

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – In April 2018, coach Tyson Chartier and UFC featherweight Calvin Kattar stood backstage during UFC 223 fight week.

After Chartier watched his fighter walk to the media day stage to square off with his opponent, Renato Moicano, the coach kept a close eye on then-UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway, who was supposed to compete in the main event vs. lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Holloway and Kattar stood in the same vicinity as the fighters were funneled through the backstage area. As soon as Holloway left, Chartier leaned over and said to Kattar, “Dude, we’re going to fight him one day.”

Almost three years later, his thought will become a reality. Kattar will fight Holloway in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Jan. 16 in a bout that could set him up for a title shot.

“We’re excited,” Chartier told MMA Junkie this past Thursday. “Calvin earned this opportunity. We came out of that last fight – we did our job. We fought down. We fought the guy that made sense on short-ish notice. We headlined a card and were able to show we are a true headliner. We were able to show we can finish big in the fourth and the fifth (rounds) and take out the surging prospect (Dan Ige). Now it’s our time to shift gears and be the surging prospect and fight the GOAT.”

During their journey to UFC contendership, Chartier and Kattar, along with UFC bantamweight Rob Font and coaches Sean Farley, Jack Manini and John Deupree, have dubbed themselves “The New England Cartel.” Their circle is close but tight with a one-for-all mentality.

Ever since Kattar entered the UFC in July 2017, Holloway has been on the Cartel’s mind, but so have major top-tier fights for Rob Font.

At UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19 in Las Vegas, Font will compete in his most high-profile fight to date against former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes – a fight that would land him in the title picture if he wins.

With Kattar entering a potential No. 1 contender fight, their high-paced, focused schedule has shifted into full gear. The countdown has started to what will perhaps be – and what Chartier thinks certainly should be – Kattar’s title shot-punching opportunity.

“If we turn around and beat Max, now we’ve beaten Max, Jeremy Stephens and Dan Ige,” Chartier said. “Since (our) Zabit (Magomedsharipiov) fight, he hasn’t fought anybody. They took a calculated risk back in August by saying no to fighting us because they were trying to push for a title shot. We said to them, ‘That’s fine. You can do that. But don’t be surprised if we turn around and get a big fight this fall … then we jump the line.’ If you beat Max Holloway, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be fighting for a title.”

Through ups and downs, it’s always been about sticking to the plan for the Cartel – and in the long term, it’s paid off. While positive reflection is needed every once in a while, Chartier attributes the team’s position in the 145-pound and 135-pound divisions to a lack of complacency.

“It’s hard because you get in this tunnel vision of fight camps,” Chartier said. “You’re moving, you’re moving, you’re moving. I have this line that I always say: ‘The white-belt version of myself would think what we’re doing is very cool right now.’ I used to look up to people that are doing what I’m doing right now. Sometimes you want to stop and smell the roses and appreciate where you’re at, but that’s not going to help us win these next two fights.

“… We’re only as good as our last fight. Fortunately, both of these two guys are coming off wins. We’ve got a tall task ahead of us. The recognition comes with success, and we’re just still trying to build it. It’s exciting, though. It’s exciting to see how far the New England Cartel has come and how far New England MMA as a whole (has come). It’s finally getting the credibility to do it on the national level.”