Former UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway proved he’s still a level above every other contender in the division.
In the main event of UFC on ESPN 44, Holloway (24-7 MMA, 20-7 UFC) turned in another skillful performance against Arnold Allen. The event took place Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. and aired on ESPN.
Allen (19-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC) proved to be a tough out, but when the time expired after five rounds, Holloway was declared the winner by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.
Allen looked to start the action with a series of leg kicks as Holloway measured from the outside. One of the kicks went south, pausing the action momentarily. When the fight resumed, Holloway fired off a few fast punching combinations as the crowd chanted his name.
A big left hand from Allen cracked, but Holloway didn’t seem bothered as kept his same demeanor. A few more heated exchanges followed, but Holloway appeared more comfortable as he circled and picked his shots well.
The left hand was the tool of choice early in the second round for Allen, who came out aggressive and landed the punch to punctuate a few hard combinations. Holloway responded well in the second half of the round, but Allen set the tone for the frame with his power in the opening exchanges.
Staying light on his feet while circling remained a key strategy for Holloway in the third. Holloway added in more kicks to his offense, especially a few flush to the body, while switching stances repeatedly to keep Allen guessing.
In the fourth, Holloway’s experience in championship fights began to shine. While Allen’s offense slowed initially in the frame, Holloway took advantage with crisp combinations and clean counters. However, Allen did find a home for a few big strikes in the later moments of the round.
Allen’s corner told him he needed to go for a finish, and he came out hunting for it aggressively. After landing a few nice shots, Holloway reset and got back to controlling the pace of the action. Allen initiated a clinch momentarily, but opted to go back to the striking game, and landed more nice punches and a head kick. After a clinch stalled the action, the fighters separated and emptied the tank. Holloway clipped and dropped Allen right before the horn, but the judges would have their say.
RIGHT TO THE BELL 😤 #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/mJjMVufAob
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 16, 2023
All three cageside judges agreed the former champ did enough to earn the victory on the scorecards. With the result, Holloway returns to the win column after his title challenge loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 276.
Holloway also set a unique milestone during the fight, as he became the first fighter in UFC history to land over 3,000 significant strikes, according to a stat shown during the broadcast.
Allen walks away with the first loss of his UFC career. He entered on the heels of back-to-back stoppages of Dan Hooker and Calvin Kattar, but had his momentum halted by one of the best in the division’s history.
Full results of UFC on ESPN 44 include:
- Max Holloway def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
- Edson Barboza def. Billy Quarantillo via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 2:37
- Azamat Murzakanov def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ion Cutelaba def. Tanner Boser via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05
- Pedro Munhoz def. Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Rafa Garcia def. Clay Guida via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Bill Algeo def. TJ Brown via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:40
- Brandon Royval def. Matheus Nicolau via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:09
- Zak Cummings def. Ed Herman via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:13
- Gillian Robertson def. Piera Rodriguez via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:21
- Daniel Zellhuber def. Lando Vannata via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27)
- Denise Gomes def. Bruna Brasil via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:42
- Gaston Bolanos def. Aaron Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Joselyne Edwards def. Lucie Pudilova via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
