A British UFC fighter says he was punched on a Montreal street simply because he didn’t speak French. Arnold Allen – the 31‑year‑old featherweight who trains at Montreal’s Tristar Gym under coach Firas Zahabi – shared the story on his YouTube channel ahead of Saturday’s UFC 321 card.
The clip shows Allen with a few bruises on his face, including small welts under each eye. “Those are the beat‑ups,” he said. “I got jumped because I wasn’t using French.” He didn’t give many details about the attack, but he made it clear the bruises came from the street fight.
Allen’s comments came as he was talking to fans about his upcoming fight. He has been in the UFC’s top ten featherweight rankings for some time, but he hasn’t stepped into the octagon since July 2024, when he beat Giga Chikadze in Manchester, England. He has a record of 20 wins and 3 losses, and his last two bouts were victories over Dan Hooker (first round KO, March 2022) and Calvin Kakkar (TKO, October 2022).
The fighter noted that his two 2022 fights were rare for him—he usually only fights once a year. “I picked the fight because I wanted to prove my place in the division,” Allen said. “If you’re ranked, you have to face the guys above you.”
His past includes a five‑month suspended prison sentence for a bar fight in Ipswich, England, where he was charged with public fighting after getting drunk and attacking a bar owner. While defending his girlfriend, he pleaded guilty to the offense.
As fans turn up for UFC 321, Allen’s claim of a language‑based attack has added an unusual headline to the event’s story. The UFC remains the platform that can bring fighters like Arnold Allen into the spotlight—not just for their wins, but for the off‑the‑mat stories that generate interest from audiences worldwide.
Source: New York Post
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