Arnold Allen wins UFC predominant occasion as Calvin Kattar injures leg

English featherweight Arnold Allen picked up the most important win of his profession on Saturday, though it did not are available in a way he wished.

Allen (19-1) picked up his tenth consecutive UFC win contained in the Apex in Las Vegas, defeating Calvin Kattar (23-7) through second-round TKO. The 145-pound contest, which headlined UFC Combat Night time, prolonged Allen’s general win streak to 12. He signed with the UFC in 2015 on a two-fight profitable streak.

Allen, 28, regarded implausible within the opening spherical, however the end was nonetheless an unlucky one. Within the first spherical, Kattar appeared to endure an harm to his proper leg when he landed awkwardly after a flying knee try. He got here out for the second spherical, however rapidly fell to the ground after Allen threw a leg kick.

Afterward, Allen famous that featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski was on the lookout for fighters “to make a press release.”

“That is by no means a TKO by harm,” Allen stated. “I can not actually ask for a title shot off this.”

The scene was harking back to one other featherweight predominant occasion in July, when Yair Rodriguez defeated Brian Ortega by first-round TKO after Ortega suffered a dislocated shoulder. The result’s a convoluted scenario on the high of the division, with a number of the high title challengers coming off considerably unlucky victories.

Nonetheless, Allen was clearly profitable the battle on the time of the harm. He started to discover a rhythm together with his left hand halfway by the primary spherical and landed a tough mixture of punches to the pinnacle and physique up in opposition to the fence. His tempo was measured and assured, regardless of it being his first predominant occasion look.

Kattar, of Massachusetts, responded with some decrease leg kicks and his personal proper hand, however Allen nonetheless managed the early exchanges. In response to UFC Stats, he outlanded Kattar 22-14 in complete strikes and related on the next share of his makes an attempt.

Volkanovski (25-1), of Australia, has not booked his subsequent featherweight title protection, though he is anticipated to maneuver up in weight to problem newly topped light-weight champion Islam Makhachev for a second belt in February. That potential 155-pound title battle, nonetheless, isn’t but official.

If Volkanovski does transfer up, the UFC may choose to create an interim belt at 145 kilos in his absence. Allen referred to as for that chance on Saturday. He would doubtless be a candidate for the chance, together with Rodriguez and Josh Emmett.