Arnold Allen and Sodiq Yusuff faced off in a Featherweight clash tonight (Sat., March 20, 2021) inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC Vegas 23.
Allen circled the outside of the cage early before catching a kick and converting it into a takedown. Yusuff fished for a guillotine with his back flush to the mat. It took some time, but Yusuff used the choke to reverse and stand. Yusuff pushed forward hard and landed some kicks, but Allen ripped powerful counter punches to the head and body. Big overhand left scored for Allen, but Yusuff fired back. Another big left! One more, and this one drops Yusuff! Allen hides a takedown behind a left and gains top position briefly. The fight moved into the clinch. Yusuff landed a nice body shot before the end of the first round.
Yusuff was undeterred by the previous knockdown, opening the second round with further pressure. Yusuff put together a solid combination, but Allen blocked a fair portion of it. Allen left hand landed. Yusuff adjusted his right hand and landed more as a result. Allen slipped on a high kick, but the strike still stunned Yusuff! He did the chicken dance, but somehow Yusuff survived and prevented Allen from following up with anything particularly devastating. Solid body kick from Yusuff. Allen pressed his foe into the fence from the clinch. Yusuff blocked a couple high kicks near the bell, but he needed something major with five minutes remaining.
Allen drove into an early takedown attempt along the fence. Yusuff escaped, went on the offensive, then defended another takedown attempt nicely. Yusuff pressed his foe into the cage, and the two separated with three minutes remaining. Good right hand from Allen, who continued to clinch and wrestle in an apparent attempt to run the clock. Yusuff was too willing to engage in the clinch as the clock ticked away. The fight stalled out along the fence, and there would be no late-fight finish.
As he has repeatedly done on his current win streak, Allen fought smartly and maximized his skill set to pick up the victory.
Result: Arnold Allen defeats Sodiq Yusuff via unanimous decision
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