Issue 138
February 2016
Dubbed the strongest young Englishman in MMA, Arnold Allen is in the UFC to finish fights early
Arnold Allen
UFC Featherweight
Alias: Almighty
Age: 22
Team: BKK Fighters
Record: 10-1
With 80% of his wins having come by way of knockout or submission, it’s easy to see why UK fight fans are getting excited about featherweight prodigy Arnold Allen. Ask any of his former training partners or foes about his credentials, and they all have the same opinion of him: “strong,” “dynamic,” “heavy-handed” and “future world champion.”
Yet another red-hot prospect with ties to Firas Zahabi’s Tristar facility in Montreal, Canada, Allen actually only turned to mixed martial arts a couple of years ago, after he “got bored with boxing” – but he’s since rapidly run up a formidable 10-1 pro record.
The Octagon finally came calling last spring when a slot opened up on the UFC Fight Night 69 card in Berlin. And despite having just one week’s notice, he weathered the storm of two heavy rounds of leather from Alan Omer before sinking in a fight-ending guillotine choke early in the third. And now he’s got his sights on a big homecoming performance in London in February.
“I want knockouts,” he tells FO bluntly. “It’s what fans pay to see. I’m also a fan and I want to see knockouts and submissions. Nobody pays to watch MMA to see a boring grappling match. And it makes me happy to get the finish.
“If I don’t finish my opponent, I don’t feel satisfied. The fights when I never got the finish, even when I’ve had 10-8 rounds, they eat away at me. I watch those fights back more than any others, and sit picking holes in my game, trying to figure out why I didn’t get the finish.”
In Germany last May, the finish looked some way off. Veteran Omer started stronger, caught Allen with UFC stars in his eyes, and was ahead on all three judges’ cards before Allen came to life in the third and found the submission. The 22-year-old admits the late call-up caught him cold, but he’ll show his true colors next time.
He says: “When the Berlin card was initially confirmed, and there were six featherweights on it, I kind of had an inkling something might happen. I’d been told I was going to get a chance at some point, so I was in camp. But, even though I was waiting for the phone to ring, I really only had one week’s notice for the fight.
“Six days out, I was walking around Berlin trying to compose myself. Come fight night I was all over the place, if I’m honest. But I got the finish in the end and I’ll be a different animal in London. With a full camp behind me for once, I’ll be able to focus both mentally and physically.”
Despite a father who was training and competing inside the cage, Arnold was anything but a lock in for MMA growing up. In fact, as recently as 2008, he admits he looked down on the sport as ‘uncool’ because dad Pacer was immersed in the fledgling British fight scene.
He reveals: “My dad was a strongman, but he also fought mixed martial arts, although when he fought it was called cage fighting. I used to box at first, when I was about 11, so I never really liked MMA then because my old man did it. I didn’t think it was cool at all. But eventually I got bored with my boxing and it just felt natural to move into MMA.”
It was watching video tapes of Wanderlei Silva in Pride and late-night live UFC broadcasts featuring Dan Hardy that, Allen reveals, eventually inspired him to step into the cage. Although he does have his father to thank for one of his best attributes.
“I definitely get my strength from my dad,” he concedes. “Even though I’m probably one of the smaller featherweights out there, I’ve never felt overpowered at this weight and I’ve always been able to take fights where I want them. Half my wins have been knockouts too, so it’s safe to say there’s some power there.” And UFC fans look destined to see much more of it in 2016 and beyond.
London calling
Capital opportunity
“Fighting at the O2 Arena in London will be pretty special,” Allen says. “The first UFC event I ever went to was there, when Jimi Manuwa fought Alexander Gustafsson (UFC Fight Night 37). To step into the Octagon at that venue with all my family and friends in the crowd will be pretty special.”
Allen will face Californian Yaotzin Meza in the English capital on February 27th, alongside a sprinkling of exciting homegrown talent, and he’s eager to show what the next generation of UK UFC talent has got to offer.
“I guess it’s our turn now, to push the UFC forward again in the UK. The likes of Bisping and Hardy were killing it at one stage, but they’re careers are winding down now. So it’s on us to get the fans going again and excited.
“We have to give them something new and that will be the plan when myself and Tom (Breese) and any other Brits make that walk. I’ll be looking for a fight-finishing performance bonus for sure.”
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