- Arnold Allen takes on Max Holloway in the main event of Fight Night in Kansas
- The British star has taken a long road to the top and is humble and unassuming
- He says a new era is here, where fighters do not need to be ‘cocky loudmouths’
Flipping tables at press conferences, Twitter tirades and angry confrontations with rivals – it is the unfortunate currency many fighters deal in, but Arnold Allen pays his own way.
The 29-year-old from Ipswich is one of Britain’s most exciting talents in the UFC and it says plenty that he remains somewhat underrated and understated even on an incredible 12-fight winning streak.
The combat sports world accelerates careers of those willing to play along with the pantomime, but if you win enough, it becomes impossible to ignore.
Allen has never once been tempted to throw his toys out of the pram and sensibly sees absolutely no point in antagonising an opponent, especially when they’re about to be locked in the octagon together.
In fact there was a typically British awkward moment this week when he bumped into Max Holloway – the UFC legend he is fighting this Saturday – at the fighter hotel in Kansas City.
‘I’ve already seen Max and have spoken to him in the hotel, we weren’t in each other’s face shouting and calling each other names,’ he exclusively told Sportsmail.
‘I’ve been in hotels where guys are fighting and in the toilets and guys are kicking the toilet doors off, everyone is different but usually the elite guys aren’t smashing their hotel rooms up.
‘I walked into the wrong workout room in the hotel and Max was just sat there! I was like, “I guess I’m in the wrong room, sorry about that”, I just walked in and he was the first guy sat there, I couldn’t believe it.’
Holloway, like Allen, is known for being respectful outside of the cage and is by far the biggest challenge of the Brit’s career. A win over the Hawaiian would almost guarantee him a shot at the featherweight title, where he would be looking to follow in Leon Edwards’ footsteps.
‘Rocky’ became the second British champion in UFC history last year and defended his belt in a rocking O2 Arena against Kamaru Usman last month.
Edwards is a cool customer, an introvert and exists as reassuring proof to Allen that fans can grow to love you even without a tailwind of controversy and soundbites.
‘I was training with him at Renegade (gym in Birmingham) so to see him in that camp, earn the title and then to go and defend it was very motivating,’ he says. ‘Those are the things I want to do in the future.
‘He’s a very humble guy, doesn’t talk crap or all that, the support he had (in London) and the crowd cheering and supporting him, it shows the kind of support you can get without being a loudmouth cocky character.
‘It’s refreshing to see. Maybe it is a new era for MMA in the UK. The fans are becoming more educated, more understanding, there is an element of the wrestling side of things when it is pantomime (booing). I’m not about that.’
Allen’s unassuming nature should not be taken as a lack of personality. His YouTube page charts workouts with his dad, Pacer, a former English strongman, who made a brief foray into MMA.
Allen is also famed for his love of the great British lunch option – the Meal Deal – and rates combinations fans send him. He is a normal 29-year-old with an extraordinary life.
It’s one he’s dreamed of since he started training aged 12.
‘This is many years in the making,’ he explains. ‘I turned professional at 18 and I’m 29 now, training since I was about 12-years-old. I always had this vision of America, travelling the world with friends and family and team-mates and now it’s happening.’
So what can be expected against Holloway? ‘Blessed’ has more than six hours cumulative time in the cage, the third most of all time despite being only 31. It is an astonishing statistic and underlines his achievements at a young age.
He’s regarded as one of the stars of his generation and the self proclaimed ‘best boxer in the UFC’ will have almost everyone in T-Mobile Center behind him this weekend.
‘Holloway is definitely going to be a Hall of Famer, to get a win over someone like that will be remembered and I think it guarantees a title shot,’ says Allen.
‘You can’t always predict how the UFC will operate but I’d say it guarantees a title shot.
‘It’s going to be a good fight, two stand-up fighters, high paced fight, he always brings it and I just think I’m going to win, I’m too smart on the feet, I think I’m going to get the win.
‘The goal is to be a world champion and to beat Holloway puts you in good stead to get that opportunity so that’s a motivator. It’s all about fighting my fight, doing what I do and exploiting weaknesses.
So what are those spots for Allen to exploit? ‘He doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses! Some of his strengths are his weaknesses… it’s hard to say without giving the game away.
‘Certain things he’s very good at and I’m very good at too and I’m looking to exploit those things. It has the makings of a great back-and-forth fight, we’re both predominantly stand up fighters, predominantly strikers, you’re going to most likely not see two guys go out and wrestle.
‘Obviously Holloway is a fan favourite and as a fan of the sport I’ve always enjoyed watching his fights, every time he fights, he brings the heat. He tries to pour it on you, out-will you.
‘You know what you’re getting, how good he is and what he’s done. I always believe the better opponent I have, the better I’ve done and it will bring out the best. The most danger you’re in, the more it will bring out the sharpest, fastest skills.’
If Allen, who comes into the fight as a betting underdog, is as sharp as he thinks he’ll be, the flamboyant, creative Yair Rodriguez or Australian dynamo Alexander Volkanovski will lie in wait.
Both would present an acid test of his title credentials but Allen simply wants to fight whichever of the duo wins their scheduled match-up in Jully.
He continued: ‘Yair is kind of like a hand grenade, very unpredictable. Can knock you out close range, long range, submissions off the back.
‘Saying that, Volk is too smart, too tactical and strategic. I think Volkanovski gets it done, he’ll go through it and get the win, pretty dominant. Whoever is the champ is the guy you want and at the moment that’s him and he’s doing great work.’
Allen will have the mic stuck in his face if he manages to upset Holloway in a career-best win on Saturday, but don’t expect him to scream, shout or plead his case.
He’ll be the same Arnold as ever and one step from the greatness he’s craved since he was 12.
He’s taken the slow road to the top and nothing has been handed to him.
There will always be a place for pageantry and showmanship in combat sports, but Allen has shown fighters can be themselves and forge their own way to the top. In the era of YouTube fights and celebrity white collar match-ups, that feels important.
You can follow all the action from Holloway vs Allen with Sportsmail’s live blog from Kansas at 12am on Saturday night.
