Arnold Allen
Age: 24
Nationality: American
MMA Record: 12-1
UFC Record: 3-0
Notable Wins: Makwan Amirkhani, Yaotzin Meza
Notable Losses: None
Last Fight: Decision win over Makwan Amirkhani
Fighter Profile: A former standout in Cage Warriors, Allen has looked really good so far in the UFC as he’s won all three of his fights in the Octagon. The young Brit is a well-rounded fighter with a solid ground game and a passable striking attack and considering he’s just 24 he should continue to improve. Allen’s biggest issue has been his level of inactivity as he’s on average only fought once a year. If he can get back on a more consistent schedule he should have the ability to make a run up the featherweight ladder but he really needs to stay healthy. He gets the chance to improve upon his five-fight win streak when he takes on Mads Burnell this weekend in what should be a pretty good fight.
Mads Burnell
Age: 24
Nationality: Danish
MMA Record: 9-2
UFC Record: 1-1
Notable Wins: Mike Santiago
Notable Losses: Michel Prazeres
Last Fight: Decision win over Mike Santiago
Fighter Profile: One of the top featherweight prospects in Europe, Burnell made his UFC debut on short notice and lost via submission to Michael Prazeres. At the time that loss didn’t look too good but now that Prazeres has won seven-straight fights it’s not bad at all. The fact he was able to bounce back with a decision win over Mike Santiago showed the loss to Prazeres didn’t phase him much which is good to see. Burnell is a strong grappler who has won five fights by submission so far in his career. His striking isn’t overly impressive but he definitely has some impressive grappling chops and he’s a guy to keep and eye on going forward, though he may have been the victim of a bad draw here against Allen.
Fight Breakdown: I think this should be a pretty grinding affair between two guys with solid grapplng skills, but ultimately I give a slight edge to Allen. I just think he’s a bit more dynamic of a fighter and has a bit more potential as a prospect in this sport. I also like the fact he’ll be the hometown fighter in this bout, which helps in what should be a close one on the judges’ scorecards. I just feel like Allen is going to do a bit more in this fight on the ground and on the feet and I think he takes home a decision at the end of 15 minutes.
Prediction: Arnold Allen via decision
