Arnold Allen doesn’t think Brian Ortega can hang with Yair Rodriguez on the feet.
Ortega faces Rodriguez in Saturday’s UFC on ABC 3 headliner, which takes place at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. The main card airs on ABC and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Allen acknowledges the dangers Ortega (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) brings with his jiu-jitsu, but doesn’t think he’ll be able to get Rodriguez (13-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in those dangerous positions.
“I think Yair wins it,” Allen told Michael Bisping on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “I think he wins it. I don’t think Brian’s going to be able to take him down, and I definitely don’t think he’s going to be able to strike with him – maybe catch onto a guillotine (choke) like he does, maybe even pull guard. I don’t know. I just don’t see him winning on the feet against Yair.
“He’s got sort of that flat-footed boxing style where if you shoot on him, it’s almost worse for you.”
Allen (18-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC), who’s riding an 11-fight winning streak, is currently sidelined due to a hand injury. He called out Calvin Kattar after stopping Dan Hooker in the first round at UFC Fight Night 204 in March, but is only concerned with moving up the featherweight rankings.
“Everyone wants to fight upwards, don’t they, on a win streak, and that’s the goal,” Allen said. “That is the goal: to fight upwards. I’m not too fussed who it is. I want to be the best, so you’ve got to beat the best guys.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 3.