"He's just missing the big marquee name" - Dan Hooker on UFC London opponent Arnold Allen not being in title contention despite 8-fight win streak
Dan Hooker will be returning to featherweight competition this weekend at UFC London. He will be fighting Arnold Allen, who is currently on an eight-fight win streak in the UFC.
During an interview with Christopher Reive of The New Zealand Herald, Hooker acknowledged Allen's impressive run. Furthermore, 'The Hangman' says the only reason Allen's not in title contention is because of a lack of big names in his resume.
Hooker feels he has the opportunity to steal his opponent's momentum with an emphatic win this weekend:
"The move down was enough of a motivating factor. But to get [an opponent] like Arnold Allen, it is impossible to deny a guy on a 8-fight win streak, who is not in title contention. He's just missing the big marquee name and me, I just need to completely steal someone's momentum."
'The Hangman' concluded by stating that the winner of Saturday night's fight will position themselves for a title shot in the featherweight division:
"So, I have the name value but I don't have the momentum. He has the momentum and not the name value, so winner takes all, winner moves on and winner positions himself for a title shot."
Check out Dan Hooker's comments on Arnold Allen below:
'I have the name value but I don't have to momentum; he has the momentum and not the name value, so it's winner takes all'
Dan Hooker with a glimpse into what's on the line in his bout against Arnold Allen at #UFCLondon https://t.co/pH6h5u5cvz
Arnold Allen believes a win over Dan Hooker would put him in a great position in the featherweight division
Arnold Allen recently spoke to ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto.
He feels that a win over someone like Dan Hooker will bring him closer to a title fight in the 145 lb division:
“You know, [with] a win here, it’s only up, isn’t it? Like, you’re not gonna go, ‘Alright. You beat Dan Hooker. Now, you’re fighting No. 8.’ So, it puts you in that top-five sort of title eliminator talk. So, that’s exactly what I want. And that’s how I look at this fight.”
Watch Arnold Allen’s conversation with Brett Okamoto in the video below:
Arnold Allen will be heading into UFC London on the back of a unanimous decision win over fellow featherweight prospect, Sodiq Yusuff. The win over Yusuff was Allen's only fight in 2021. He had secured a unanimous decision victory over veteran Nik Lentz the year before.
It could be said that Allen's fight against Hooker this weekend at UFC London will be the biggest challenge of his career so far.