Chaos Ahead: Why Arnold Allen Is Ready to Get ‘A Little Crazy’ at UFC 324 | INTERVIEW

Last Updated:January 23, 2026, 15:23 IST

After 18 months of injuries and reflection, Arnold Allen returns at UFC 324 to face chaos striker Jean Silva, armed with perspective, change, and renewed ambition.

Arnold Allen.

When Arnold Allen steps into the cage at UFC 324 in Las Vegas this weekend, it will mark the end of an 18-month stretch that tested him in ways the Octagon never has. Injuries, layoffs, and the quiet frustration of watching from the sidelines while the featherweight division moved on without him.

Now, against Jean Silva – one of the most unpredictable strikers at 145 pounds – the Englishman is ready to remind the world why he was once considered a future champion.

Yet, Allen isn’t really concerned about ring rust or overly pumped for the return. Instead, he is banking on perspective.

“Being on the sidelines is sad," Allen tells News18 Sports in an exclusive conversation. “But it also gives you an outside perspective. You can look at things from a different lens. It made me appreciate my career more and appreciate my training a little bit more."

“It was very depressing being injured and being off and having to sit on the sidelines watching everyone compete," Allen admits. “But I’m just grateful to be back. Back in competition."

A Long Wait Ends in Las Vegas

At 31, with a professional record of 20-3 and a UFC resume that includes victories over Calvin Kattar, Dan Hooker, and Giga Chikadze, Allen remains one of the most technically accomplished featherweights in the world. But the road back will not be straightforward.

Silva, ranked 10th in the division, has built his reputation on explosive, unorthodox striking – the kind of style that can make experienced fighters look foolish. The Brazilian throws combinations from angles that defy conventional technique, and he has finished 11 of his 16 professional victories by knockout or TKO.

‘Kill or Be Killed’: Why Allen Expects the Same Silva

Silva’s last outing, however, ended in defeat. Diego Lopes stopped him in September 2025, handing the Brazilian his first UFC loss. But Allen does not anticipate a change in strategy from Silva.

“I don’t think he has that kind of weak mindset," Allen says. “He’s always going to come in trying to take your head off. I think whatever happens to him, he’s going to do the same thing next time."

Silva absorbed significant punishment against Lopes – moments that would have broken lesser competitors – but not Silva, and Allen concedes he will be a tough nut to crack.

“A lot of people would have been finished in some of those moments or would have quit on themselves," Allen says. “But he’s mentally strong. He’s very tough. His mentality is kill or be killed. I don’t think anything is going to change."

Yet Allen knows he will be in for a brutal fight, and he has no plans to back down.

“Sometimes you have to embrace the chaos. When someone wants to be wild, it’s easier to get wild and join the storm rather than fight the storm. So maybe we’ll get a little bit crazy too," says Allen when asked what he expects from Silva.

Lessons From Defeat, Not Doubt

Allen’s career trajectory has been defined by rapid progression punctuated by harsh lessons. After winning his first 10 UFC fights (a 12-match undefeated streak overall), he faced Max Holloway in April 2023 – a five-round battle that ended his unbeaten run but proved he belonged among the division’s elite. The loss to Movsar Evloev three months later was harder to accept.

“I don’t really think about the back-to-back losses," Allen says, before clarifying his position. “I honestly feel like I won one of those fights. I felt like I was robbed by the judges and a referee mistake. There were a whole slew of things."

The Evloev defeat clearly lingers. Allen acknowledges it stung, but not in the way losses typically do.

“It wasn’t something I had to go home and learn from. It was more frustration. In my opinion, I felt screwed over. So I don’t really carry that as a loss in my head."

Performance Over Position

However, Allen is at a stage in his career where momentum is key, and performance matters more than rankings. He views a decisive victory over Silva as more than a step back toward contention – it could be the springboard to a title shot.

“The rankings don’t really matter," he says flatly. “The numbers are just there for fun. It’s about performances and making noise. With a good performance here, I don’t see why I couldn’t be in that number-one contender position. I want to remind everyone how good I am."

Allen says he has also added a new dimension to his skillset – change. And for opponents studying his old fight tapes, that preparation may no longer be as useful.

“With that time out of the gym, I was able to look at things differently," Allen explains. “I watched my own game. I’ve made a lot of big changes. People like to watch tape. And all the tape they’re watching is old tape. I’ve drastically changed myself."

Beyond the Octagon

Away from the cage, Allen remains disarmingly self-aware. His social media presence blends self-deprecating humour with genuine authenticity – most notably through Almighty Cooking Blighty, a cooking series where the elite striker attempts British recipes with varying degrees of success.

“I’m just a silly guy," he says when asked who he is outside fighting. “I like to have fun and goof around. I don’t take myself too seriously. I like to have a laugh. I’m definitely not the most serious character outside of fighting."

However, the injuries and layoff have not dimmed Allen’s ambition.

“I still feel like I’m making improvements the way I train, the team I train with, the way we look at things," Allen says. “There’s no complacency."

And come January 25, on the first UFC fight card of the year, Allen cannot afford to be complacent against Silva. After months of waiting, he is ready to meet chaos head-on.

Watch UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett on January 25, 2026, from 7:30 AM IST, live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD.

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