LAS VEGAS – Arnold Allen is looking to break into the top of featherweight contention after scoring a marquee win on Saturday.
Allen (17-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) extended his overall winning streak to 10, including eight in the UFC, when he defeated Sodiq Yusuff in the co-main event of UFC on ABC 2, and already he has an idea of what he’d like next.
“Al Mighty” wants the winner of the Chan Sung Jung (16-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) vs. Dan Ige (15-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) main event matchup on June 19.
“I’d like to push forward,” Allen said at the UFC on ABC 2 post-fight news conference. “I don’t know if this pushes me up because I think I was No. 10. I don’t know if this pushes me up the rankings or what, but yeah, definitely I wanna go up. I don’t wanna stay No. 10. I don’t want to fight backwards. I want to fight guys above me. The end of 2021, I’d like to be sitting in the top five.”
He continued, “Something like ‘Korean Zombie.’ I was always a big fan of him, so accidentally I’ve studied him my whole life, and he’s flat-footed, he doesn’t move great, he doesn’t deal with someone moving around him, and I move very well. But I know he just booked a fight, Dan Ige, so maybe the winner of that fight in the future if they’re above me in the rankings. That’s something that would be cool.”
Sporting a bag of ice on his left hand, Allen said he doubts his hand is broken and hopes he can return by the end of summer.
“I haven’t been home in a while, but you know what, I want to fight again,” Allen said. “I’m getting old. I’m 27 years old now, so I’d like to fight again in – this (looks at hand) will probably take a couple of weeks, a few weeks maybe. I’d like to get back in August or something, summer.”
Arnold Allen targets ‘Korean Zombie’ vs. Dan Ige winner following UFC on ABC 2 win