British featherweight contender Arnold Allen headlines UFC Vegas 117 this Saturday against Melquizael Costa, and this week had one of the most unique media day sessions in recent memory.
With the MMA world focused on Netflix’s Rousey vs. Carano card, Allen (20-4) had a little sitdown in front of UFC cameras, munching on breakfast, microphone stuffed in his shirt, wry sense of humor on full display.
He also had a little advice. “We’re all going to die some day, so live every day like it’s the last.”
On the lack of star power in the UFC
“People talk about now, ‘oh there’s a lack of star power in the UFC.’ I’m probably like top three superstars in the UFC. Who’ve you got, [Alex] Pereira, Ilia [Topuria], me? We’re probably the three big names when you think superstar. So headlining, obviously, again obviously. Life’s good man. The only thing that’s different is I’m making a lot more money. Got more of a team here, there’s more people. Going to the Trump hotels, get a suite sometimes. I bought a hat, USA let’s go. Things are good.”
Getting a quick turnaround for a change
“That’s the dream, to be active and fight. I have people messaging me thinking that I don’t like fighting. ‘Is it true you don’t like to fight?’ I’m literally in the UFC, I f*cking love fighting. If I’m not fighting, it’s because I literally cannot.”
Lessons learned from his Jean Silva loss
“Maybe I had too much fun, but I felt great in there, I felt like I dis enough. I felt too good, honestly I felt too good. I was like ‘f*ck this is sick, I feel great.’ Maybe that, yeah. Dunno, maybe don’t have as much fun.”
Thoughts on Melky Costa
“He’s fantastic man. Brilliant. He has a big record, a lot of fights, Muay Thai fights. Hard to know with Brazilians, because a lot of them have fought a lot of nobodies, so their records are very big. You know, people have gone over there and fought a lot of- Darren Till was one, he was over there, he was like 14-0. Maybe he did. But loads of guys are over there building their records up. But now he [Costa] seems to be getting better every fight. He’s fighting live fights, real fights, tough opponents and taking them out. He looks fantastic. So yeah he’s a great opponent.”
The full UFC Vegas 117 media session with Arnold Allen can be found above.
