Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen set for upcoming UFC Fight Night headliner
A fantastic featherweight matchup between top-five ranked fighters Max Holloway and Arnold Allen is set as an upcoming UFC Fight Night headliner.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto was the first to reveal that Holloway vs. Allen will headline a UFC Fight Night card set for April 15 at a location and venue that have yet to be revealed. The fight will be a five-rounder, and it could very well serve as a potential title eliminator at 145lbs.
The return of Blessed. And a big one for Arnold Allen. Per sources, UFC is finalizing Holloway vs. Allen to headline a Fight Night on April 15. pic.twitter.com/OBI7wj72Nm
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 31, 2023
Holloway (23-7) is the No. 1 ranked featherweight in the UFC. The former featherweight champ was last seen in the Octagon last July when he lost a clear unanimous decision in his trilogy fight against the champion Alexander Volkanovski. Prior to that loss, Holloway had defeated Yair Rodriguez and Calvin Kattar to re-emerge as the top contender at 145lbs. On paper, he is still the top contender in the division, but with three losses to Volkanovski, Holloway is in a tough position in the division right now when it comes to getting another title shot.
Allen (19-1) is the No. 4 ranked featherweight in the UFC. Since making his UFC debut in 2015, Allen has won all 10 of his fights inside the Octagon. He was last seen in the cage this past October when he defeated the aforementioned Kattar. He is well deserving of a title shot, but the UFC wants him to get one more win over Holloway before he gets his crack at the belt.
With Volkanovski fighting Islam Makhachev in February at UFC 284 for the lightweight belt, the featherweight division could be much different several months from now, especially since Rodriguez and Josh Emmett will meet at the same event for the interim belt. That’s why this fight between Holloway and Allen is so important to both of their future title aspirations.
Who do you think wins this five-round featherweight bout between Max Holloway and Arnold Allen?
