Arnold
Allen might be the most underrated talent in the Ultimate
Fighting Championship’s featherweight division.
The 27-year-old Tristar Gym representative earned his eighth
consecutive victory at
UFC on ABC 2, taking a three-round verdict over fellow
145-pound prospect Sodiq
Yusuff in Saturday’s co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas.
“Two prospects trying to break through is always going to be a
tough fight,” Allen said. “It’s not like when you get a young
prospect fighting an old veteran. Sometimes the prospect blows away
the veteran and stakes his claim. When it’s two prospects, it’s
usually a tight matchup. All respect to Sodiq. He’s tough as
hell.”
On two occasions, Allen appeared to be on the verge of stopping his
opponent. In the first round, “Almighty” dropped Yusuff with a
counter left hand and in Round 2, he rattled the Nigerian fighter
with a head kick. However, both times, Allen didn’t display enough
of a killer instinct to get the finish as Yusuff was able to
recover. By the time the final five minutes rolled around, Allen
didn’t have enough left in the tank to close with a flourish.
“In the first, I wanted to feel his power a little bit to get his
timing. He hits hard and is tough, but he is a little slow. I could
see the shots coming. I was able to block them and I dropped him. I
chased the finish and didn’t get it, so I ended up clinching,”
Allen said. “The second round, same thing. I noticed he was
dropping his hands, so I was able to put that kick through. I tried
to finish him again. This dude is tough. I spent a little too much
energy chasing two finishes. In the third, he came out and
pressured. I fought a bit safe knowing I was two rounds ahead. I
was a little bit tired from hunting the finishes. Adjustments to
make for the future.”
That said, Allen acknowledges that he needs more signature moments
to truly make an impact in the UFC because six of his eight
triumphs have gone the distance.
“I haven’t had a knockout finish in a while,” Allen said. “I
know how hard I hit, but I haven’t proven it to the world yet. I
need to prove it. There was a lot of pressure on myself to get that
finish.”
Some interesting figures emerged from Allen’s victory against
Yusuff. He was outlanded by 26 significant strikes in victory,
according to UFCStats.com. That ranks as the fifth-largest deficit
for a winner in a featherweight bout in promotion history. Even
with a win over a highly-touted prospect, Allen might not yet get
the recognition he deserves because of the manner in which it was
achieved.
“When I fight people, I don’t think they give me a lot of respect,”
Allen said. “Do I get the respect off this fight? I don’t know,
maybe. Whatever’s next.”