Coming off a knockout victory in May and trending towards the upper echelons of the featherweight division, Calvin Kattar surprised somewhat by accepting a match-up this week with Dan Ige.
He hasn't needed to justify that to himself, though.
“Main event? Fight Island? Hesitation? Hell no,” he told reporters in Abu Dhabi.
The headline bout at UFC Fight Night 1, the second of four events on the inaugural Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, was enough to get Kattar to seal the deal. The American, 21-4 in professional mixed martial arts and 5-2 in UFC, earned the spot following his most recent win, when he knocked out Jeremy Stephens in a stunning performance at UFC 249.
Now, with a serious move up the standings in mind, the No 6-ranked challenger is looking to make up for lost time – starting in the capital.
“I wanted to have a busy year this year, especially the way I finished off last year in November,” Kattar said. “I want to go 3-0 this year. I took a little late start. We were supposed to fight in March, then April, then it turned out May.
“A quick turnaround puts me right back on schedule. That’s it. I’m happy to have a big opportunity here: main event, Dan Ige. I got the green light from my manager and we took it. We jumped.”
Ige, ranked 10th in the featherweight division, represents a dangerous obstacle to overcome. The Hawaiian (14-2 MMA) has won all six of this fights since losing on UFC debut, most recently overcoming Edson Barbosa in a split decision in May.
“He’s a tough kid, man,” Kattar said. “He’s done what he’s had to do to the last six guys. I think we’re similar in the fact we’ve both been overlooked most of our careers. Here we are, main event, Fight Island.
“I’m not like the last six guys he’s fought. I won’t overlook him. He’s got my full attention. Come [Thursday], I’m going to take him out.”
Do that, and he should be right there for a title shot. Especially, given he feels there’s too little action going on above him.
“You're damn right, they’re all talking," Kattar said. "A win over [Ige] puts me in that mix, where if you want to fight, you’ve got to stay busy. If there’s one thing I’ve shown, it’s that.”
Ige, however, is seeking to throw a rather large spanner in the works. On Thursday at Flash Forum, he will contest his first UFC main event, a position he believes catapults him into title contention. At present, Alex Volkanovski is the guy with the gold having defeated former champion Max Holloway in their rematch at UFC 251, the Fight Island opener on Sunday.
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Best photos from UFC 251
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“A big win over Calvin Kattar, I make a big statement win, could easily very well get me a title shot,” Ige said. “Maybe the people won’t say I deserve it, but I will fight anyone, anywhere, any time to get what I want.
“That’s a world title. I know Volkanovski wants to fight the No 1 contenders. I’ve watched all of his interviews; I study every guy in the division. I know he has his eyes on me and he’ll have his eyes on this fight. We’ll see what happens.”
And Ige’s not exactly coming in cold, far from it. He’s competed six times in the past two years.
“I really want to go out there and show I’m a true contender, that I’m champion-worthy,” he said. “I can very well do that. I have a huge opportunity, a big platform to do so.
“With the way the division is tied up right now, these guys in the top five are not active. These guys, a lot of them haven’t fought in one year, two years, and they’re still up there in the top ranking in the world.
“This is big opportunity for me, I’ve been working my whole entire life for this, made a lot of sacrifices to be here and I’m just super grateful. I’m happy, I’m pumped up to go out there and showcase what I have to offer and bring out the best version of myself.”
And, just like Kattar did in agreeing to the fight, surprise somewhat.
“I do respect him, but in the cage I don’t," Ige said. "I’ll do anything to win - if I’ve got to bite his jugular I’ll bite his jugular. I’m different; I’m out there, I’m going to try to win, try to take your head off every second of the fight.
"But he’s definitely talented, he’s skilled, he’s slick, he’s a finisher. So he’s dangerous. I feel like I’m counted out, which is kind of nice. I’m going to go out there and shock a lot of people.”
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
