Toronto – UFC featherweight Movsar Evloev intends to test Arnold Allen’s takedown defense when they face-off at UFC 297 on Saturday night.
Allen hasn’t been taken down successfully since 2018 a stat which Evloev raised an eyebrow to.
“Because nobody tried to take him down maybe. He never fought with a guy with my level wrestling,” Evloev told Cageside Press on Wednesday.
The matchup with Allen is a welcomed one for Evloev who knows he has to build his resume up to earn a title shot.
“Yeah I’m so excited because this fight can give me big opportunity to be next contender for the title,” he told reporters.
Now a win here getting him a shot at the winner of Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is another matter.
“Depends (on) the way (that) I can finish him. I think I’m next,” said Evloev.
“I have another style, I win my fights without mistakes and (my) style (of) wrestling is not easy. My style is not Jiu Jitsu or striking. I’m a street wrestler. The next fight I’ll show everybody I can do other things too.”
Now that he’s training primarily in Florida Evloev is making his return back to very cold temperatures in Toronto.
“I’m from Russia bro. I used to being in cold weather. Even here is like more soft,” Evloev said with a smile.
One fight that Evloev has wanted for a long time is a matchup with former featherweight champion Max Holloway. That matchup may be in danger of being pushed back quite a bit or possibly not even happen with Holloway getting a fight with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.
“I think Max (is) a big legend in our division. My big dream (is) a fight with him and I hope he’ll come back from lightweight to featherweight. We’ll see,” said Evloev.
Watch the entire media day scrum with Movsar Evloev above. He takes on Arnold Allen at UFC 297.
