Max Holloway outpointed Arnold Allen in a closely contested 5 round battle in the headline event at UFC Kansas City on Saturday night. Allen, who had been on an impressive 10-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC, suffered his first MMA loss due to Holloway’s superior striking output.
Despite the outcome, UFC President Dana White was impressed with Allen’s performance, however he criticized the British fighter and his coaches for not gunning for the finish earlier on. Coming on too late, both in terms of intensity and urgency, cost Allen the fight. White commented that “if he’d have fought the way he fought in the fifth round from the third round on, he would have had a better chance of winning that fight….there should have been a sense of urgency earlier.”
Although Allen put up a great fight and came close to finishing the bout, Holloway’s higher-volume striking attack and diversity of techniques saw him win the majority of the rounds. The loss takes nothing away from Allen’s impressive achievements in the UFC for which White gave him ample praise. “He handled [the pressure] well. He’s obviously talented enough. He went five rounds with Max Holloway, one of the best ever”, commented White.
Holloway, being one of the top-rated UFC fighters and a former featherweight champion represented the stiffest test of Allen’s career and he passed with flying colors. His performance, although ultimately unsuccessful, gains him massive respect. For Holloway, his impressive win was essential to keep his UFC title ambitions alive.
The potential for a future title fight for both Holloway and Allen is still on the cards. With his win, Holloway is a step closer to getting a title bout, whilst Allen’s near-perfect performance in a losing effort only enhances his already impressive portfolio.
While the result might have been a disappointment for Allen, he and his coaches can use UFC Kansas City experience as a learning tool. As for Holloway, he continues his quest for another title shot with a clear blueprint as to how to overcome any future obstacles.
Source: >MMA Fighting.
