When you’re in the same division as the likes of Max Holloway, Ilia Topuria, Brian Ortega, and Alexander Volkanovski, you need a skill set that is word class. Arnold Allen knows that well enough, and has been honing his skills to perfection despite the recent setbacks. Although Allen has been one of the best fighters in the featherwei͏ght division, he tasted defeat in his last two fights.

The British sensation has been moving forward one step at a time toward the featherweight title from his initial debut back in 2015. Ahead of his return in Manchester, let’s have a look at his fighting style.

What type of fighter is Arnold Allen?

Arnold Allen started taking an interest in the world of martial arts when he was a mere teenager. His keen observation propelled him toward the world of MMA. The ‘Almighty’ made his professional debut back in 2012, when he defeated Nathan Greyson at UCMMA 27 in a bantamweight bout. The UFC soon clinched the fighter back in 2015.

Allen’s game has always been strong due to his dominant striking abilities. He was rid͏ing a 10-fight winning streak in the UFC before he faced Max Holloway. He ͏w͏as def͏eated in that fight b͏y unanim͏ous decision. Subsequentl͏y, he faced͏ Mov͏sar Evloev, who a͏ls͏o defeat͏ed him by unanimous decision. So why did he lose his footing against these two?

His gameplay revolves around using his kickboxing abilities to make sure that his opponents wobble and go down on their feet. As soon as they lose their balance, Allen takes advantage of his submission tactics. With a 56% finishing rate, Allen has finished 11 opponents out of his 19 victories by either knockout or submission.

Unlucky for him, Holloway and Evloev had a slight edge on him in the striking and grappling departments respectively. Allen is still a top dog in the division and his wins over the likes of Dan Hooker and Calvin Kattar are testament to that. So it’s safe to say the Southpaw can hold his own against strikers.

What about his wrestling capabilities? Well, Allen is not known to have a big hand when it comes to wrestling. Initially when he started his UFC career, ‘Almighty’ was outwrestled by Makwan Amirkhani and Mads Burnell, however, he still managed to clinch victory out of their mouths thanks to his other skills. He has since been trying his best to improve his wrestling capabilities and his fight against Sodiq Yusuff was the prime example of it.

All about Allen’s BJJ accomplishments

Arnold Allen’s BJJ game is stronger than his wrestling aspect. The Englishman has secured more victories by way of submission than knockouts and one thing. If we were to be a bit more precise, Allen’s strength is the rear naked choke grip guillotine, also known as the ninja choke. Once he locks his choke on his opponent, there’s no hope for anyone inside of it.

In addition to his accomplishments, Arnold Allen is a Gracie Barra jiu-jitsu purple belt. In his own words, “I am a Gracie Barra jiu-jitsu purple belt, I won the Eastern counties championships as a junior, and I won the Lightweight British Title last December at Made4theCage.”

His favorite BJJ technique is the Twister submission. On the feet, Allen seems to be a fan of the flying knee strike, but he is yet to create his Jorge Masvidal moment.

UFC 304 is͏ all se͏t to witness the cla͏sh between Arnold Allen and G͏iga Chikadze, who is known to be a knockout specialist. Stylistically, their fight promises to be an all-action affair. What’s your take on their clash? State your thoughts in the comments below.