Arnold Allen opted to test his striking ability against Giga Chikadze tonight at UFC 304 and fought his way to a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Body kick for Chikadze to start. He throws another kick and then again. Now down to the leg and then back up for a head kick attempt that’s blocked. Allen crashes the distance and tries to work a potential takedown, but nothing doing on this occasion.
Allen just missing with an overhand. Allen looking to pressure, but Chikadze’s movement is good too off the back foot and he lands another body kick. Allen looking for a body kick of his own now. Now a head kick attempt from Chikadze.
Allen gets through with a punch upstairs and then tries to go to the body too. Spinning head kick from Chikadze misses. Another high kick comes off the guard.
Allen undeterred by Chikadze’s lightning quick kicks as he continues to press forward looking to apply constant pressure and look to land punches.
Chikadze with a front kick to the chest. Clean straight left lands hard for Allen, but Chikadze wore it well.
Right hand lands for Chikadze and Allen misses with a counter. Flying knee upstairs from Chikadze just grazes Allen’s face towards the end of the round.
Round Two:
Jab from Allen. Lots of circling from Allen, but he’s having a hard time bringing Chikadze into striking range.
Low kick from Allen as Chikadze throws a punch. Punch to the body from Allen as Chikadze works the jab.
Calf kicks exchanged. Jab for Chikadze. Left hand from Allen. Another nice clean left for him. One-two for Chikadze.
Left hand from Chikadze, but then a left hook lands for Allen in response. Front kick from Chikadze. Head kick attempt is blocked.
Allen stalking, but Chikadze grazes him with a head kick attempt. Punch for Allen. Another left hand from him.
Jab to the head and then body from Allen. Punch for Chikadze. Now a couple of high kicks from him. Solid left lands for Allen.
Another head kick from Chikadze is blocked and Allen retaliates by stepping in with a good straight punch down the pipe.
Allen again steps in with a punch off a Chikadze kick. Allen pressuring late in the round and tries a head kick off his own late in the round.
Round Three:
Allen right back to putting Chikadze on the back foot, but that’s not a position where his opponent is uncomfortable. Allen has more confidence now though and he starts to land his jab.
Body kick for Chikadze. He goes for it again and has to avoid punches from Allen. Body kick for Allen.
Left hand for Chikadze. Body kick from Allen. Grazing jab from Allen. Solid body punch for Allen. Body kick from Chikadze.
Straight left for Allen. Both men land the jab. left hand from Allen has Chikadze reaching for his face for a moment.
Body kick from Chikadze. Allen trying for an uppercut. Body kick for Allen. Left hand gets through for Allen. Chikadze thinks about a spinning backfist but doesn’t commit to it.
Body kick for Chikadze. Glancing left hand from Allen. He lands with a cleaner left hand soon after. Still the constant pressure from Allen and lands a jumping knee in the final few seconds of the round.
Decision:
A competitive fight then, but while Chikadze got the better of the first round action, Allen’s refusal to stop applying pressure paid off in the rounds that followed as he started to find a home for more of his strikes, and so he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
