Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway and British contender Arnold Allen have both been slapped with medical suspensions after their five-round battle on Saturday night.
The 145lb duo went the distance in Kansas City, with Holloway handing the Ipswich native his first loss under the UFC banner after an impressive 12-fight winning run. Ultimately, the striking of the Hawaiian meant that he won the tight decision, leaving the top of the division up in the air.
Holloway and Allen will both have a month to reflect on the bout after being hit with standard 30-day suspensions following their bouts, for which they can count themselves lucky. Fellow featherweight Billy Quarantillo was knocked out by Edson Barboza in the co-main event, and has been suspended for 60 days, 45 of which must be no contact.
Ten other fighters were handed bans, with Tanner Boser, Clay Guida, Matheus Nicolau, Ed Herman, Piera Rodriguez and Lando Vannata all suspended for at least 45 days with 30 days no contact. Nicolau and Herman, both of whom were knocked out, were given 60 days with 45 no contact.
The card delivered a number of highlight reel finishes, with Quarantillo's perhaps the most surprising after a razor-close start to the pair's co-main event contest. And the state of Missouri came in for some questioning with judges handing out peculiar scorecards for a number of fights.
Holloway now remains in a sort of limbo, with next to no chance of him getting a fourth shot at Alexander Volkanovski. As such, he should be hoping that Yair Rodriguez can defeat the Australian in their touted July meeting, otherwise a move to lightweight may be on the cards. Allen remains in his No.4 contender spot despite the loss.
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“I just said to him like, ‘Get out of my division, and stop beating up my contenders'.” Volkanovski told The MacLife. “I’m saying stuff like that to him. Again, a lot of people are going to sit there and before last night, ‘Oh you know, he’s fallen off,’ and all this type of stuff.
"I’m like, ‘Nah, it’s not that. Trust me.’ You wait till he fights again, you’re gonna forget about that the next time. And he proved it [against Allen on Saturday]. He looked great. Max is a cool dude, as well, great fighter But it’s just whether you’re going to go there. Like do I see – how can it happen, right? It’s hard enough to do a trilogy when you’re [ahead by] two.
"A lot of people were like, ‘What are you doing? Why?’ At least there was still a bit of history and things like that where now the third one, obviously it doesn’t make sense. So it’s a tricky situation for Max, that’s for sure.”
