The top two featherweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship will aim to move up this July.
March, super rootus It was first reported that Arnold Allen (19-3) and Giga Chikadze (15-3) were scheduled to meet in England, but a date has not been disclosed. On Thursday, multiple news outlets were able to confirm booking for the featherweight division for UFC 304. The match will take place on July 27th at Coop Live in Manchester, England. The only other matchup currently scheduled for tonight is another 145-pound bout. Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda.
Allen is currently on a losing streak for the first time in his career. He lost a five-round decision to Max Holloway in April 2023 and lost another decision to Movsar Evloev in January. Before losing to the former champion, the Brit had won 10 straight fights inside the Octagon and had risen through the ranks with wins over the likes of Calvin Kattar, Dan Hooker and Sodiq Yousaf. It will be Allen’s first trip in his home country since 2022.
“Ninja” Chikadze bounced back from his setback against Qatar by defeating Alex Caceres by decision in August 2023. Like Allen, Chikadze brought a lot of momentum to his pairing with Qatar, winning his first seven races. UFC before facing “Boston Finisher”. Chikadze made headlines by crushing Cub Swanson with body kicks and punches in 83 seconds, and his subsequent crushing of Edson Barboza elevated him to elite contender status.
