Tag: Arnold Allen

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Jan. 28: Michael Chiesa making welterweight moves

Now 3-0 in his new weight class, it seems Michael Chiesa is coming into his own at 170 pounds.

Now 3-0 in his new weight class, it seems [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] is coming into his own at 170 pounds.

Chiesa (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) picked up a win over former UFC champ [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (29-13 MMA, 18-11 UFC) at this past weekend’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event in North Carolina, marking his third consecutive victory since moving up to the welterweight division. The effort was rewarded in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, with “Maverick” debuting on the 170-pound list at No. 13, settling just ahead of dos Anjos, who entered the week as a top-10 fighter but drops now to No. 14.

That wasn’t the only action to come out of UFC Raleigh. Heavyweight [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) also moved up the list following his big win over former champ [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC), while [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag] (11-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) each earned spots as honorable mentions in their respective categories following their octagon victories, as well.

And, of course, one of the sport’s all-time greats, [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (22-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), was in action this past weekend, as well, claiming Bellator’s women’s featherweight title with a TKO victory over [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) at Bellator 238.

Check out all the movement in the latest update to our rankings.

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Arnold Allen keeps winning, but not feeling much respect after UFC Raleigh

Take a look inside Arnold Allen’s unanimous decision win over Nik Lentz at UFC on ESPN+ 24 in Raleigh, N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. – [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] beat Nik Lentz with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 24 in Raleigh, N.C.

Take a look inside the fight with Allen, who won for the ninth straight time and improved to a perfect 7-0 in the UFC.

Result: Arnold Allen def. Nik Lentz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Updated records: Allen (16-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Lentz (30-11-2 MMA, 14-8-1 UFC)
Key stat: The striking totals were close – Allen won by just a 68-63 margin. But officially, he stuffed all nine of Lentz’s takedown attempts.

Allen on the fight’s key moment

“The first round, I felt like it could have gone either way. But the second and third rounds I felt confident were mine. I knew I had done enough to get the decision. Nik is basically the complete opposite of what we were prepping for with (Josh) Emmett. He’s not a one-punch bomber, but he’s a veteran and a strong wrestler who is going to try and grind you out. He did everything we thought he would, but I was also pleasantly surprised with his striking. He’s made a lot of improvements in his last few fights.”

Allen on working his way into contention

“I feel great. They took me out of the rankings, but as I always say, keep winning and everything will take care of itself.”

Allen on what he wants next

“I’m on the longest win streak in the featherweight division and I’m not even on the final prelim fight of the night and I didn’t even get an interview in the octagon, so it’s not really up to me (what I want next). I’ll keep winning and eventually they won’t have a choice.”

To hear more from Allen, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

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Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Curtis Blaydes, UFC on ESPN+ 24’s other key winners?

See who Curtis Blaydes should fight next after his victory over Junior Dos Santos at UFC Raleigh.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Junior Dos Santos after UFC on ESPN+ 24 loss?)

After every event, fans wonder who the winners will be matched up with next.

And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on ESPN+ 24’s most noteworthy winning fighters.

Those winners include [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), who defeated Junior Dos Santos (21-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC) by second-round TKO in the main event at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., as well as [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and [autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC).

* * * *

Sara McMann

Should fight: [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag]

Why they should fight: Former title challenger and Olympic silver medalist McMann returned from a two-year hiatus and ended her 35-month winless skid in a dominant effort against Lina Lansberg.

As is the case with many who meet McMann, the wrestling was no match and led to a lopsided result. Given McMann’s name value and achievements, that’s all she needs to move on an upward trajectory in the thin UFC women’s bantamweight division.

Inconsistency has been an issue for McMann, but perhaps this is her time to gain momentum and possibly get a rematch with champion Amanda Nunes, who beat her in 2015. McMann will need to take out at least one more top contender before that happens, though, and Pennington (10-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC), who is coming off a loss to Holly Holm at UFC 246, is someone always willing to take on a challenge.

Arnold Allen

Should fight: [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag]

Why they should fight: The strong start to Allen’s UFC tenure continued when he joined the shortlist of featherweights to start 7-0 in the octagon with a solid decision win over a veteran opponent in Nik Lentz.

Allen’s past two wins against Lentz and Gilbert Melendez shows he knows how to handle experienced opponents who have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. It’s what he should be doing as a highly regarded 25-year-old prospect, but now he needs a different type of challenge.

He was originally scheduled to fight Emmett (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on the card, but it fell apart when Emmett withdrew due to injury. That was the top 10 opponent Allen deserved given his streak, and considering how he handled Lentz, it’s more than clear he deserves that type of opportunity.

Michael Chiesa

Should fight: Winner of [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] vs [autotag]Demian Maia[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 28

Why they should fight: Chiesa earned the most significant win of his welterweight run, and perhaps his UFC career overall, when he outworked former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos to a unanimous decision. It wasn’t the prettiest of fights, but Chiesa is now 3-0 since bumping up from lightweight 13 months ago.

Chiesa made a solid callout of Colby Covington after his win, but for some reason that fight feels unlikely for him. He deservingly wants someone in the top five, but it remains to be seen how the top of the division will be booked in the coming months. Chiesa isn’t far off from being in that mix, though.

The matchup that would best suit him would be the winner of the March 14 contest in Brazil between Burns (17-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Maia (28-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC). If Maia wins, he would be on a four-fight streak and the type of highly ranked, established name Chiesa is looking for. Should Burns turn it in his favor, he would be much in the same position of Chiesa as someone who shot up the rankings by beating someone much higher. A pairing between them would see one of them take the next step.

Curtis Blaydes

Should fight:[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]

Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Blaydes should fight Volkov (31-7 MMA, 5-1 UFC) next after his main event victory.

UFC on ESPN+ 24 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Three veterans take home $20k

UFC on ESPN+ 24 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $169,000.

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 on ESPN+ 24 took place Saturday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. The entire card streamed ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 24 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Jordan Espinosa[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Hannah Cifers[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Darko Stosic[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Bevon Lewis[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Dequan Townsend[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Nik Lentz[/autotag]: $20,000

[autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Felipe Colares[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Lina Lansberg[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]: $5,000
def. [autotag]Tony Gravely[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’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 $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

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 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $334,000
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $31,338,500

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 24 with AC/DC, Ted Nugent and Whitney Houston

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 24 went with as their backing tracks in Raleigh, N.C.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24: Arnold Allen full post-fight interview

UFC on ESPN+ 24: Arnold Allen full post-fight interview

UFC on ESPN+ 24: Arnold Allen full post-fight interview

UFC on ESPN+ 24 results: Arnold Allen moves to 7-0 in UFC after decision over Nik Lentz

Arnold Allen continued the strong start to his octagon career at UFC on ESPN+ 24.

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] continued the strong start to his UFC career on Saturday when he defeated long-time veteran [autotag]Nik Lentz[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 24.

Allen (16-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) showed a more complete game than Lentz (30-11-2 MMA, 14-8-1 UFC), landing the more effective strikes and avoiding each takedown attempt that came his way to win by unanimous decision.

The featherweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN+ 24 preliminary card at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., and streamed on ESPN+.

Allen was sharp on the feet in the opening round. He handled Lentz’s pressure well in the first few minutes, landing some solid counters that caused swelling to the face. Lentz pushed for the takedown and got a hold of Allen, but he couldn’t do anything meaningful with it. Lentz had his moments while looking to close the distance, but Allen remained in control.

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It was more of the same in the second. Allen was patient and precise as he busted up Lentz’s face. Lentz, to his credit, remained persistent with his pressure and attempted to jump on any opening. Allen was in his groove already, though, and Lentz was out-pointed in another clear-cut round.

With the scales clearly tipped in favor of his opponent, Lentz needed to do something big in the final frame to sway the result in his favor. Allen didn’t allow a single takedown, though, and avoided taking any shots from Lentz. “Almighty” worked his effective striking down the stretch, taking the decision to stay unbeaten in the octagon.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 24 results include:

UFC on ESPN+ 24: Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz odds, picks and best bets

Arnold Allen and Nik Lentz fight at UFC on ESPN+ 24, with UFC betting odds, picks and best bets

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Arnold Allen and Nik Lentz will fight in a preliminary featherweight match at UFC on ESPN+ 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday evening. To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Allen (15-1-0) was expected to tussle with Josh Emmett, an up-and-comer who is ranked in the Top 10 in his weight class. However, Emmett was forced to pull out due to an undisclosed injury, so Allen and Lentz will be paired together.

The Briton enters this fight on a seven-bout winning streak, and he is actually fairly lucky that Lentz’s opponent pulled out, too, putting these two together. Lentz is in the twilight of his career, but still a tough veteran who can give Allen another feather in his cap if he can pick up the win. The southpaw Allen holds a huge advantage in takedown accuracy at 56.25 to 34.69 percent for Lentz. He also holds a two-inch reach advantage (70″ to 68″) over Lentz. He’ll be looking to take Lentz to the mat and keep away from the veteran’s significant strike advantage.

Want some action on Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz? Place a legal sports bet at BetMGM on this fight or other UFC on ESPN+ 24 matchups. Bet now.

Lentz (30-10-2) was expected to square off with Nad Narimani, but he also pulled out due to an undisclosed ailment. While Allen had the misfortune of a better opponent bailing on him, Lentz actually gets a higher-profile matchup as a result of the situation. While Lentz is a little longer in the tooth, and he has a slight disadvantage in reach, he does get to tap into a portfolio of experience, and he also holds an advantage in significant strike accuracy, and a slight advantage in significant strikes landed per minute. He’ll look to keep Allen upright and try to wail on him, but if he is forced to the mat he does hold a 1.27-0.53 submission average, too.

Also see:

Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz betting odds

Per BetMGM, Allen (-334) will force you to risk more than three times your return on investment, while Lentz (+230) is a rather heavy ‘dog on the 2-way line. I’ve been suggesting to many interested in the favorite, and in this particular fight that is the way to go, find at least one or two other fights to pair with this in a two- or three-fighter parlay to minimize your risk.

Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on Allen to win returns $3 in profit. A $10 bet on Lentz returns a profit of $23 with an upset victory.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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6 burning questions heading into UFC on ESPN+ 24

MMA Junkie senior editor Dave Doyle walks you through the key questions that could be answered at UFC Raleigh.

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The UFC’s traveling roadshow heads to Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday for UFC on ESPN+ 24. And while the card isn’t of the same significance as last week’s UFC 246, it still offers plenty of reasons for fans to tune in.

Like the main event, which is a classic clash of an up-and-comer trying to make his name at the expense of a former champion. Heavyweight standout [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] already has impressive names on his resume, but none would be bigger than former UFC titleholder [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag], who, for his part, is looking to prove he still belongs in the mix.

The co-headliner also has a former champion, but there’s a twist in this one. In this case, it’s former UFC lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos, who likewise wants to prove he still belongs among the elite. He’ll be taking on a veteran who has been knocking on the door for a long time in Michael Chiesa. The twist is that the bout is at welterweight, where RDA is trying to get back into the title mix and where Chiesa is showing signs he might reach greater heights than he ever did at 155 pounds.

UFC on ESPN+ 24 takes at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. The card streams on ESPN+.

Without further ado, here are six burning questions leading into the evemt. 

****

Is Curtis Blaydes ready for another run at the elite?

Curtis Blaydes at UFC 242. (Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)

Blaydes (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC)  went on an impressive run in 2017 and 2018, winning four fights that included names like Aleksei Olienik, Mark Hunt and Alistair Overeem. 

Then he met up with Francis Ngannou and, like many before him, that’s where Blaydes’ fun ended, as Ngannou finished him in just 45 seconds.

So the UFC did a smart thing in allowing Blaydes to regroup against lesser-ranked competition, and Blaydes responded with a strong pair of performances in victories over Justin Willis and Shamil Adburakhimov. 

Now he’s getting ready to fight the big dogs once again. This time, he meets Dos Santos (21-6 MMA, 15-5 UFC), who hasn’t been on the greatest run of late but also seems to perform well when counted out. Will this be the time Blaydes demonstrates once and for all that he belongs in the title mix? We’ll find out.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24’s Arnold Allen looking to pick up the pace in 2020

Arnold Allen hopes 2020 is the year he finally fights three times in the UFC.

RALEIGH, N.C. – [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] hopes 2020 is the year he finally fights three times in the UFC.

Allen (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has been with the promotion since June 2015, but he has graced the octagon on just six occasions. While he’s won all those bouts, 2019 was the first year in his UFC stint that he’s fought more than once.

With the potential to get the year off to a promising start with his featherweight matchup against Nik Lentz (30-10-2 MMA, 14-7-1 UFC) on Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 24, Allen thinks 2020 could be his year.

“Fighting in January, if everything goes the way I want it to go, then midyear, then the end of the year – three fights would be perfect,” Allen told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “It was kind of a blessing in disguise, the one fight a year thing, because I was improving at all time, my level has gone up.”

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Despite a feeling of lost time, Allen is still just 26. He’s coming off the most notable win of his career against former Strikeforce champ and UFC title challenger Gilbert Melendez at UFC 239 in July, and that performance lifted his confidence going into what could be a breakout year.

“I always believed I was there in that sort of top-tier competition,” Allen said. “Obviously he’s not where he used to be, as good as he used to be, but I believe these veterans never lose it. They got all this experience, they got all this ring time, cage time, all that stuff. It’s hard to go out there and beat those guys. However you may do it, it’s tough.”

Allen was supposed to fight a top-15 opponent in Josh Emmett on Saturday’s card, which takes place at PNC Arena and streams on ESPN+. A last-minute injury caused a shakeup, though, and now he meets Lentz, who is a 23-fight veteran of the octagon and also had his opponent withdraw.

Although Allen admits Emmett and Lentz have the “opposite style,” he’s taken the switch of opponent in stride and plans to perform.

“Not too much really ever changed,” Allen said. “The main focus is just to make sure I’m doing everything right. … Preparation you just have to switch a couple things and it’s done.”

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