Max Holloway has revealed the praise he and Arnold Allen gave each other backstage after their fight at UFC Kansas City.
Holloway, 31, won a unanimous decision against Allen, 29, in Kansas City on Saturday as the Hawaiian put a dent in Allen's featherweight world title hopes. Suffolk's Allen was unbeaten in 10 UFC fights but finally met his match in a Holloway, a former champion with three successful title defences. The judges scored the fight 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47 in favour of Holloway as a late fightback from Allen wasn't enough to earn him the win.
'Blessed' caught up with Allen backstage just moments after their five-round fight and he revealed the nature of their conversation. "I told him he is a legend and he's tough," Holloway said. "We will probably see each other a bunch of times so I told him don't worry and keep training. He said he wanted to come to Hawaii to do some rounds, but maybe after our careers are over because I have a feeling that we are probably going to run it back.
"His IQ is super good, I thought he would be a bit inexperienced but he brought it tonight. He came five rounds and I thought he was going to be way more desperate but he's super smart. He's got a great team behind him, Firas Zahabi in his corner, the game-planning was there. I think he is up there for sure.
Holloway admitted that he found it difficult to engage in any pre-fight trash-talk with Allen because he is "the nicest guy ever". The Hawaiian likened Allen's body type to his former opponent and current champion Alexander Volkanovski, insisting the Brit looked like a "bodybuilder" during their fight.
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"I think he did really good, just an awesome guy," Holloway added of Allen. "He's a thick boy though, oh my gosh. He is pretty big, I was tripping out. Like a bodybuilder, no legs but just upper body like a tank. Almost like Volkanovski, it was pretty crazy. These guys are so weird with their body types, it's kind of confusing.
"I feel great, we are still here. The motto of this fight was we are still here, remind them. You are only as good as your last fight, I heard the same thing all over again about Arnold is going to break my chin and I'm too slow. We went out there and got to prove that wrong."
