Arnold Allen Doesn’t Think UFC on ESPN 44 Foe Max Holloway Has Lost a Step

Arnold Allen has gradually worked his way up the featherweight ladder during his tenure with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, compiling a 10-bout winning streak as quietly as one possibly can.

The 29-year-old Englishman will be impossible to ignore if he wins his next matchup, a main event clash with former featherweight champ Max Holloway at UFC on ESPN 44 on April 15.

“Mentally I feel fantastic. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Allen recently told assembled media at UFC 286. “It’s a very dangerous guy who’s beat a lot of top contenders, and he’s beaten them very well. He’s been a world champion, he’s been pound-for-pound No. 1. He’s stepped up to lightweight and had wars with people like Dustin Poirier. I’m very excited for the opportunity to challenge someone like that and show what I’m able to do.”

Holloway is regarded as one of the sport’s top 145-pound talents of all time. The Hawaiian known as “Blessed” was an established commodity as Allen began working his way toward the top of the division earlier in his career. As a result, “Almighty” is pretty familiar with what his opponent does well without the benefit of additional tape study.

“As a featherweight, I’ve always watched Max. He’s very exciting. Everyone enjoys his fights; he seems like a cool guy too … I know what he does,” Allen said. “He’s gonna throw about a million punches, kicks, knees and elbows. He’s gonna try and take my head off. He’s gonna keep peppering me like I’m a German sausage or something. I know what he’s gonna do, so I don’t need to watch it. I know what I need to do to get a win, and all I’m doing is working on that.”

While Holloway has beaten a who’s who at featherweight over the years, one adversary who’s had his number is Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway fell to 0-3 against the reigning featherweight champion following a clear-cut unanimous decision loss at UFC 276 last July. UFC on ESPN 44 will mark the Hawaiian’s first Octagon appearance since then, but Allen disputes the sentiment that Holloway might have lost a step.

“I think he took a lot of damage in the fight. He didn’t necessarily look offbeat, I just think Volkanovski looked a level above,” Allen said. “A lot of people, fans, contacted me saying how he’s washed up, he’s done. Is he? It’s just Volkanovski’s on another level. I thought he beat Islam Makhachev the other day as well. It’s Volkanovski, he’s just running away. He’s getting better and better. I don’t think Holloway is a step behind [the time] when he was champion… Volkanovski is just that good.”

However, Allen does acknowledge that the mileage of years of fights might eventually take its toll on Holloway. That said, the Tristar Gym representative expects his opponent to maintain an offensive-minded approach come fight night.

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

While Volkanovski appears to have a future date with interim 145-pound champ Yair Rodriguez, Allen knows that defeating Holloway will eventually get him to where he wants to be.

“If you want to be world champion, you have to beat the No. 1 guys. And for me, outside of the champion, Max Holloway is the No. 1 guy,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any other guys calling Max Holloway out. I was asking for that fight. That was the fight that made sense to me and fortunately we got it.”