Tag: Arnold Allen

UFC featherweight Arnold Allen eyeing Yair Rodriguez or Brian Ortega in first quarter of 2025

Arnold Allen got back on track earlier this year following the first skid of his career.

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] got back on track earlier this year following the first skid of his career, but looking to the near-term future, one part of his potential picture may have faded away.

After his featherweight title loss to champion Ilia Topuria (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, ex-champ Max Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) said he’s all but certain to spend the rest of his career fighting at lightweight. Considering the first of Allen’s back-to-back losses was a close decision setback to Holloway in a headliner, he now knows it’s not likely he’ll get a chance to get that loss back.

“The goal is whoever’s got the title. That’s what I want. If he hasn’t got the title, he’s going up to ’55, then whatever,” Allen (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) said backstage at UFC Fight Night 246 on Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Allen’s loss to Holloway was his first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight winning streak that included back-to-back knockouts of Dan Hooker and Calvin Kattar – neither small tasks. Nine months after that, he failed to rebound with a close decision loss to Movsar Evloev.

But in July, at UFC 304, he outworked Giga Chikadze in front of his home fans in England, and that has him feeling like it’s time to get onto another streak once the 30-year-old clears some bumps and bruises.

Brian Ortega (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) and Yair Rodriguez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) are fights at featherweight he thinks could happen for him in the first quarter of the new year.

“Anyone above me (is who I want to fight). It’s been talked about a lot: Ortega is a guy that’s been talked about after Holloway. I asked for Yair or Ortega. There was never any sort of sniff of anything. But I mentioned it, so I’m sure that they’re more realistic now,” Allen said.

As for the champion, Allen thinks if he gets a shot at him some day, it’s a fight he can win.

“I want to fight the best guys in the world, and I feel like I match up pretty good with him,” Allen said. “Back-to-back, he beat (Alexander Volkanovski) and Holloway with knockouts. Those guys are around the top for forever, and no one could beat those guys. So he definitely can be (champion for a long time), but I think there’s always new people coming.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Belal Muhammad & Tom Aspinall’s UFC 304 title wins, UFC on ABC 7 preview, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses UFC 304, previews UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • The UFC welterweight division has a new king. [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] defeated [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] in a dominant decision win in the main event of UFC 304. This is a big shake up for the division. Who should be Muhammad’s first challenger? Where does Edwards go from here? We discuss.
  • In the co-main event of UFC 304, [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] retained his UFC interim heavyweight title by stopping [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] in just 60 seconds. Did Aspinall prove he’s the best heavyweight on the planet? How does this result impact the expected title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic? We break down the Englishman’s win, along with the state of the heavyweight division.
  • Aside from Muhammad and Aspinall’s wins, there were other important results at UFC 304. [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] viciously submitted veteran [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag][autotag]. [autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag] continued his unbeaten run, but may have seen his UFC career come to an end. [autotag]Gregory Rodrigues[/autotag],[autotag] Nathaniel Wood[/autotag] and [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] picked up important wins. We discuss it all.
  • UFC on ABC 7 goes down Saturday, and the UFC has brought many impressive matchups to Abu Dhabi. From its main event in [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag], to [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]’s return, the panel previews all the action.
  •  Beyond UFC 304 in Manchester and the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi, there has been plenty of news since the last Spinning Back Clique episode. We highlight the biggest headlines to close out the show.

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Arnold Allen calls out Giga Chikadze for ‘no excuse’ injury excuses after UFC 304 loss

It wouldn’t be an MMA event if a fighter didn’t say there was no excuse for the loss that just happened … and then gave excuses.

It wouldn’t be an MMA event if there wasn’t a fighter who got in front of a camera to say there was no excuse for the loss that just happened.

It also wouldn’t be an MMA event if there wasn’t a quick “But,” followed by some excuses for the loss. Sunday, mere hours after his win, [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) called out featherweight opponent [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) for a post-fight video posted to social media.

“This is not the way,” Arnold posted with a re-circulation of a video from Chikadze saying he tore his shoulder in the first round. And in the comments on the same post, Allen wondered how it was Chikadze got his medical diagnosis so quickly after the matchup, which opened the pay-per-view main card at UFC 394 in Manchester, England.

“Also how’s he know he needs surgery,” Allen posted. “I think I broke my hand in the first round too but I’m still waiting for an mri and xray etc 🤷🏼‍♂️ UFCs magic doctors must’ve screwed me”

Allen, fighting in front of his home fans in England, got back in the win column after back-to-back losses to former featherweight champ Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, which were his first setbacks in nearly a decade.

Allen nearly was a 3-1 betting favorite in the fight. In a strategic battle that played out on the feet, Allen outstruck Chikadze 61-39 and won with a trio of 29-28 scores from the judges. Allen said he chose to stand and trade with his opponent intentionally since many thought he’d likely wrestle him giving his striking skills.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

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UFC 304 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Leon Edwards, Tom Aspinall lead with $42,000

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall fetched maximum $42,000 payouts under the Promotional Guidelines Compliance for entering UFC 304 with belts.

MANCHESTER, England – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 304 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $307,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 304 took place at Co-op Live. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 304 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]King Green[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gregory Rodrigues[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Christian Leroy Duncan[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Daniel Pineda[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Bruna Brasil[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Caolan Loughran[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Oban Elliott[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marcin Prachnio[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Sam Patterson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mick Parkin[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Shauna Bannon[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Alice Ardelean[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,575,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $27,312,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

UFC 304 results: Arnold Allen elects to stand, outpoints Giga Chikadze in fun battle

Arnold Allen kickboxed with the kickboxer for 15 minutes at UFC 304 – and won.

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s path to victory Saturday was a bit unexpected but he got the job done in statement making fashion.

In case there were questions, Allen (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) proved he could stand with one of the division’s best strikers, as he defeated [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-29, 29-28). The featherweight bout opened up the UFC 304 main card at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

Allen seemed to improve as the fight went on. After a close round that the judges scored for Chikadze, Allen pressed the action for the remaining 10 minutes. It was death by a thousand papercuts for Chikadze, who was slowly bloodied and bruises by Allen’s aggressive attack.

There were no knockdowns or significant damaging blows, but Allen’s change of rhythm and diverse striking arsenal puzzled the former Glory Kickboxing kickboxer Chikadze until the final bell.

With the victory, Allen snaps a two-fight skid comprised of defeats to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. Those two losses were the only of his UFC tenure and came after a 12-fight winning streak.

As for Chikadze, he loses for the second time in three outings. In his fight previous to Saturday, he defeated Alex Caceres by unanimous decision. That fight was in August 2023. Chikadze had not competed since then due to injury.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 304 results include:

Arnold Allen def. Giga Chikadze at UFC 304: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Arnold Allen’s unanimous decision win over Giga Chikadze at UFC 304.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] at UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. (Photos by Ben Roberts, Getty Images; Reuters; UFC; MMA Junkie)

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC 304

Arnold Allen might be the higher-quality fighter in every phase, but Giga Chikadze will be a tough out at UFC 304.

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] and [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 61-54-3

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 preview

Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) ascended through the ranks of the UFC featherweight division by winning his first 10 fights but then crashed, losing back-to-back fights to former champ Max Holloway and top contender Movsar Evloev. Allen should be motivated to get back on track. … Injuries have prevented Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) from being active as he fought just once in 2022, once in 2023 and is about to make his 2024 debut. After being overwhelmed by Calvin Kattar in 2022, Chikadze rebounded to defeat Alex Caceres by unanimous decision in his most recent fight last year.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 expert pick, prediction

Despite usually ripping the UFC matchmakers for this selection of the main-card opener, I’ve got to give them credit for finally going back to Joe Silva’s surefire card formatting signature of shunning heavyweight slop-fests to the prelims while using lightweights and featherweights to properly kick off the featured fights.

This week, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby smartly chose a fight between Allen and Chikadze to start the paid portion of the card.

Although Allen is currently riding a two-fight losing skid, it’s important to remember that those losses came to two of the very best in the division (and was arguably a big moment or two away from beating Movsar Evloev last time out).

Whereas Chikadze, who is currently trying to build on a win over Alex Caceres, has gotten much more favorable matchmaking than the Englishman. But that aside, both men pose interesting stylistic threats for the other.

I rate Allen as a higher-quality fighter in almost every phase. The 30-year-old tends to operate in a range that suits Chikadze and his kicking repertoire.

For that reason, things could get tricky if Allen fails to pressure or counter at the proper times. That said, I suspect that Allen will be able to score consistently down the stretch after navigating what should be a sketchy first round.

So long as he doesn’t give away too many of the “big moments” that tend to fool the judges and Gen Pop alike, then I see Allen taking a competitive but clear decision on the scorecards.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are siding with the Englishman, listing Allen -230 and Chikadze +184, according to FanDuel.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze start time, how to watch

Allen and Chikadze are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Video replay: UFC 304 press conference

You can watch a live stream of the UFC 304 press conference in Manchester, England right here on MMA Junkie.

The UFC 304 pre-fight press conference takes place Thursday, and you can watch a live stream of the event in the video above. The press conference takes place at Co-Op Live in Manchester, England, which also hosts Saturday’s fight card.

UFC 304 is built around two title-fight rematches involving British champions as [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] puts his welterweight title on the line in a rematch with [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag], while Tom [autotag]Aspinall[/autotag] and [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] run it back for the interim heavyweight belt.

Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 304 press conference.

What time does the UFC 304 press conference start?

The UFC 304 press conference starts at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, which is 6 p.m. local time in Manchester.

Who’s taking part in the UFC 304 press conference?

Eight fighters from four main-card bouts are slated to participate in the UFC 304 press conference: Edwards, Muhammad, Aspinall, Blaydes, [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag], [autotag]King Green[/autotag], [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag], and [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]. In addition, ranked flyweights [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] and [autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag] are expected from the early prelims.

UFC CEO Dana White will oversee the UFC 304 press conference.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

For UFC 304’s Arnold Allen, sh*t happened – and it was a good thing

Arnold Allen was, uh, backed up heading into UFC 304 – until he wasn’t and let the world know.

MANCHESTER, England – You just never know what might happen to a fighter’s body during training camp. In [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s case heading into UFC 304, he was, uh, backed up.

“I didn’t sh*t for about two days for some weird reason and then just suddenly had this absolute monster come out of me,” Allen said during UFC 304 media day. “It was quite pleasant.”

In fact, Arnold’s bowel movement was so pleasant and such a relief that he just had to share the news on X after it happened last Friday. But don’t worry: He was never going to cross any lines.

“I did it, and I took straight to Twitter,” Allen said. “I was like, ‘You know, the people need to know this. Everyone needs to know what just happened.’ But I (wasn’t) gonna put a photo out there or anything like that.”

Hey, sh*t happens, but Allen thinks “it’s gonna be a positive” moving forward.

Things have taken a turn for Allen in the wrong direction lately as he heads into UFC 304 on the first two-fight skid of his career following unanimous decision losses to former featherweight champion Max Holloway and most recently Movsar Evloev this past January.

On Saturday, Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) takes on Giga Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) in the UFC 304 main card opener (ESPN+ pay-per-view) at Co-op Live, a fight he very much is looking forward to.

“It’s a good fight,” Allen said. “We’re both two strikers. I like the matchup. It’s fun. It’s a fan-friendly fight. I’m looking forward to a fun fight to be honest.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Unfortunate circumstances: 15 unforeseen injuries that ended UFC main events

Injuries are part of the game in MMA, but there’s nothing worse than one ends a marquee UFC fight.

While the term “freak injury” might not be appropriate to use when discussing a sport that is inherently dangerous, 14 UFC main events have ended in unforeseen injuries – broken legs, separated shoulders, eye pokes, etc. – that don’t typically come in the sequence of MMA combat.

Scroll below to see a chronology of UFC main events that ended in that nature.

Note: Injuries sustained on a TKO due to strikes or tapout due to a submission are not included, nor are retirements on the stool due to extended fight damage or exhaustion. Laceration-based stoppages also are not included since they come as an intentional result of the opposition’s attack.