Tag: UFC on ESPN 44

UFC’s Pedro Munhoz: ‘It was shady’ how Sean O’Malley handled eye-poke fallout, but no hard feelings

Pedro Munhoz can see clearly that Sean O’Malley was being “shady” in the aftermath of their fight, but he’s not holding any grudges.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] can see clearly that [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] was being “shady” in the aftermath of their fight, but he’s not holding any grudges.

Munhoz returns Saturday at UFC on ESPN 44 from T-Mobile Center, where he’ll take on Chris Gutierrez on the main card. It’s Munhoz’s first action in nine months, when an inadvertent eye poke from O’Malley ended their UFC 276 bantamweight bout in a no contest in Round 2.

On Wednesday at UFC on ESPN 44 media day, Munhoz opened up about his recovery and the backlash he received on social media for not finishing the fight despite the fact he couldn’t see out of one eye.

“It took me completely two months to be able to train a hundred percent again,” Munhoz told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “It was kind of an injury that, it doesn’t seem too aggravating for the people outside, but you being there and literally not being able to see is something (to worry about). …

“I’ve been in this sport a long time and fought many people, but that was definitely the first time that I got so much hate on social media.”

Part of that hate from fight fans was fueled by O’Malley, who said during his post-fight news conference that Munhoz “100 percent” was looking for a way out. According to Munhoz, O’Malley had a different attitude about the situation when they spoke inside the octagon after the fight.

“I don’t know him on a personal level, but it says a lot when a person apologizes to you in the octagon for poking you in the eye – so it was something he was aware of – but then on the other hand he goes and makes fun of the situation,” Munhoz said. “I come from a generation of the sport where we fight for the honor and not much for the crowd, not much for that situation that you make fun of people, even though that he’s aware he hurt me, and goes behind to make fun just to get followers. It was shady.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

While Munhoz doesn’t appreciate the way things played out, he’s mostly taking the high road on the situation.

“No, I don’t have any bad feelings,” Munhoz said. “It is what it is. He has his way of seeing things, I have my way of seeing things, and I wish him the best.”

Aside from the no contest with O’Malley, Munhoz had lost four of his previous five bouts. He’s looking for his first win since February 2021 on Saturday against Gutierrez, who is on an eight-fight unbeaten streak with one draw.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.

Arnold Allen: ‘Nowhere else to go’ but title shot if I beat Max Holloway at UFC on ESPN 44

Arnold Allen will be 11-0 in the UFC if he beats Max Holloway in Saturday’s main event, and at that point a title shot is the only option.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The importance of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 main event is not lost on [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag].

Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) competes in the definitive bout of his career when he takes on former champion Max Holloway (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) in a five-round bout at T-Mobile Center, which airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

Despite putting together a 10-fight winning streak inside the octagon, Allen has never faced a former UFC titleholder. Holloway is the ideal opponent for the Brit to elevate his status into the undeniable next contender at 145 pounds.

“(Max is an) ex-champion, one of the greatest featherweights of all time,” Allen told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 44 media day. “His resume is nothing short of inspiring. He’s done all the things I want to do, and he’s set the path for the things I want to do too.”

[lawrence-related id=2626848,2599289]

The timing for Allen in this contest is quite ideal. His main event comes just three months before Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez are scheduled for a championship unification bout at UFC 290 in July, and Allen knows a win over Holloway would have him poised to face the winner.

“I think so,” Allen said of securing a title shot with a win. “I feel like it has to. There’s nowhere else to go then surely.”

Given the stage and the opportunity in front of him, Allen isn’t going into UFC on ESPN 44 looking for a ho-hum win. He wants to do something emphatic and is well aware what type of exclamation point he would be putting down if he became the first to knock down or knock out the durable Hawaiian.

“He’s rarely in a boring fight,” Allen said. The way he fights is going to bring the best out of myself. I’m looking forward to it. … It’s never a thought about trying to be the guy to put him down. It’s never the thought, whoever you’re fighting. You’re always thinking about the five rounds and doing the distance. Obviously the goal is always to try to finish, but the thought is to go five rounds.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.

UFC on ESPN 44: Make your predictions for Holloway vs. Allen

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 event in Kansas City, Mo., featuring Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen at featherweight.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 event in Kansas City, Mo.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN 44 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 44 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.

Max Holloway not counting out fourth fight with Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Never say never’

Max Holloway isn’t ruling out a fourth fight with featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski. First, he has Arnold Allen at UFC on ESPN 44.

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] is not ruling out a fourth fight with UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag].

Although Holloway (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) has lost to Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) three times, most recently at UFC 276 this past July, the former champion still thinks it’s possible for the pair to meet a fourth time.

Their first two outings were close, and Holloway and many others thought he won the rematch at UFC 251. But when they squared off the third time, Volkanovski shut him out, and Holloway offers zero excuses.

“He was just the better man that night,” Holloway told ESPN. “He looked super good, he felt super good in there, and that’s just it. Dogs (have) got their days. That was his day that day, and we’ll go from there. We’ll see what happens. Never say never.

“A lot of people are like, ‘It’s hard to get a fourth with him – there’s a lot of things that need to happen.’ I’m like, you could tell me whatever it is, I’m not even supposed to be here. I was never, ever supposed to be a UFC champion at any point in my career, supposedly. So at the end of the day, don’t count it out.”

[lawrence-related id=2632776,2626848,2608036]

Outside of his three losses to Volkanovski, Holloway has cleared out most of the division – including a win over current interim champion Yair Rodriguez in November 2021.

“Me and that man (Volkanovski), we’re in the division,” Holloway said. “There’s somebody (Rodriguez) that is one ranking above me that I won before I lost that last one. MMA is a wild sport – anything can happen. Don’t be surprised if you see a fourth with the dude, because I wouldn’t be.”

As he looks to earn another shot at Volkanovski, Holloway has to get past surging contender Arnold Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 headliner at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

“We’re not that far off,” Holloway said. “If it’s at ’45, if it’s at ’55, (Volkanovski and I) might run it back. But first things first, I’ve got to do my job. I’ve got to keep winning. He’s got to do his job. He’s got to keep winning, and we’ll go from there.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.

UFC on ESPN 44: How to watch Holloway vs. Allen, start time, fight card, odds

Here’s what you need to know to watch UFC on ESPN 44 with Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen in the main event.

The UFC is taking the show on the road Saturday with UFC on ESPN 44 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., with a key featherweight matchup atop the card.

Here’s how to watch UFC on ESPN 44, headlined by former champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag].

UFC on ESPN 44’s poster is right to the point with a featherweight legend in K.C.

For the first time in about six years, the UFC is headed back to one of middle America’s legendary cities for Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen.

For the first time in about six years, the UFC is headed back to one of middle America’s legendary cities.

UFC on ESPN 44 takes place next month in Kansas City, Mo. The promotion has been there just once before for UFC on FOX 24 in 2017, when Demetrious Johnson defended the flyweight title with a submission win over Wilson Reis.

This time, there won’t be a title on the line, but a former champion is at the top of the bill. Former featherweight champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) will take on fellow top contender [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) in the main event.

Holloway won the interim featherweight title in 2016, then unified the belts against Jose Aldo six months later. After defenses against Aldo, Brian Ortega and Frankie Edgaar, he lost the belt to current champ Alexander Volkanovski in December 2019.

Holloway has had two more cracks at Volkanovski, but is 0-3 against him with three decision setbacks. Most recently, Volkanovski outworked him at UFC 276 in July 2022.

Allen hasn’t lost since he arrived in the UFC in mid-2015. He’s gone 10-0 in that stretch, though in six of the calendar years starting with 2015, he’s fought just once. In his first UFC main event this past October, he beat Calvin Kattar with a TKO when Kattar suffered a knee injury just a few seconds into the second round. Before that, he had a bonus-winning first-round TKO of Dan Hooker in front of his home fans in London in March 2022.

UFC on ESPN 44 takes place April 15 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+. Check out the poster for the event above.

The latest UFC on ESPN 44 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET)

  • Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen
  • Tanner Boser vs. Ion Cutelaba
  • Edson Barboza vs. Billy Quarantillo
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Azamat Murzakanov
  • Chris Gutierrez vs. Pedro Munhoz
  • Bill Algeo vs. TJ Brown

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4:30 p.m. ET)

  • Zak Cummings vs. Ed Herman
  • Gillian Robertson vs. Piera Rodriguez
  • Rafa Garcia vs. Clay Guida
  • Matheus Nicolau vs. Brandon Royval
  • Bruna Brasil vs. Denise Gomes
  • Gaston Bolanos vs. Aaron Phillips
  • Lando Vannata vs. Daniel Zellhuber
  • Joselyn Edwards vs. Lucie Pudilova

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.

Arnold Allen expects Max Holloway to keep peppering him like he’s ‘a German sausage’

Arnold Allen says he doesn’t need to watch tape on Max Holloway because he knows exactly what’s coming in the UFC on ESPN 44 main event.

LONDON – [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] says he doesn’t need to watch tape on [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] because he knows exactly what’s coming.

Allen (19-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) meets former featherweight champion Holloway (23-7 MMA, 19-7 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 44 headliner on April 15 in Kansas City, Mo.

Holloway is known for the record-breaking output that he puts on his opponents, and Allen says he’ll be ready for it.

“He’s going to throw about a million punches, kicks, knees and elbows,” Allen said backstage at UFC 286. “He’s going to try and take my head off. He’s going to keep peppering me like I’m a German sausage or something, and I know what he’s going to do.

“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a very dangerous guy who’s beat a lot of top contenders, and he’s beaten them very well. He’s been world champion. He’s been pound-for-pound No. 1. He’s stepped up to lightweight and had wars with people like Dustin Poirier. So I’m very excited for the opportunity to challenge someone like that and show what I’m able to do.”

[lawrence-related id=2615009,2599289,2608036]

As much volume as Holloway throws, he also absorbs a large amount of strikes. But Allen doesn’t expect that to have an impact on his game plan.

“Mentally, I don’t think it’s affected him at all,” Allen said. “I think he’s fine. He’s going to keep coming with the same game plan. He’s not going to be deterred, and he’s going to do the same thing. He’s going to throw five – maybe you land four or whatever. He’s going to be happy with that. It’s science. It happens. It’s going to catch up to you. We’ve seen it with a lot of the athletes over the years. But he’s tough as nails, and I don’t think it’s going to change anything he does.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 286.