This is the UFC 324 live blog for Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva, the main card featherweight bout Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The fighters are neck and neck in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings at 145 pounds, with Allen at No. 7 and Silva at No. 8.
This is a pivotal matchup for Allen (20-3), who recently returned to the win column with a unanimous decision nod over Giga Chikadze. Allen has had his hand raised in 11 of his 13 UFC appearances, but his rise to a title shot has been hindered by injury and key losses to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. He returns to action for the first time since July 2024.
Silva (16-3) looks to rebound from his first UFC loss to Diego Lopes, a setback that may have cost him a championship opportunity. The Fighting Nerds wild card finished his first five UFC opponents before being stifled by Lopes.
Check out the UFC 324 live blog for Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva below.
Absolute banger to start UFC 324. I’ve been touting this as the matchup that could set the bar for Fight of the Year in 2026, so don’t let me down, fellas!
A title shot could await…
OK, after sweet intro, a little bit of a musical interlude, and even more analysis, NOW the first fight is coming up.
Arnold Allen the underdog at +184, Jean Silva a significant favorite at -220.
You can feel the tension here.
Silva rifles in a body shot. He’s holding center as Allen circles and tags him with a leg kick. Allen wise to keep his distance, but Silva tags him with another body shot. Allen just pawing to establish the range. Another short leg kick from Allen lands. Allen with a straight left down the middle that backs Silva up. He lets the left hand go and scores again. Counter right by Allen.
Allen goes to the body and follows with a leg kick. Just mixing up his strikes beautifully. It’s the Allen jab giving Silva trouble now. Crowd starts barking, trying to get Silva going. Front kick from Allen to the body. Silva with little volume and he’s just being picked apart in Round 1. Another good combination from Allen. Silva rips the body and follows with a good left. Uppercut from Silva. Silva with a spinning back elbow, that might have caught Allen. Silva follows up with a flurry, but there’s the buzzer. We’ve got a good one.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Allen.
Silva attacks with a low kick. He’s pressing forward more already. Big right from Allen, but Silva shakes it off, so Allen tags him again. Right hand from Silva and he has Allen off balance and briefly takes him down. Back on the feet, Silva cracks Allen with a right, but Allen keeps coming forward. Silva landing hard punches in these exchanges.
Allen with a left hand across the chin. Silva answers with an uppercut. He goes back to the body. Combination from Allen and a straight punch gets through. Flying knee from Allen. Silva lands a clean 1-2. Defense becoming secondary in here.
Silva finds a home for that right hand again. Allen ties him up then fires a knee up into his jaw. These boys are cracking. Silva lands a glancing spinning elbow, Allen decides to try one himself. Inside leg kick from Silva, then another. He’s taken command in this round.
Silva bends back out of the way of a pair of flash Allen kicks. With a smile, Silva wants to high-five, but Allen shakes his head. Let’s just fight, guys. Another spinning elbow from Silva scores. They lock up for some aggressive wrestling at the end of the round.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Silva. Overall, 19-19.
Both corners telling their fighters to go hard in Round 3. This should be the decider.
Silva in right away with an uppercut, then a high kick. Allen wants to get back to circling, but Silva is doing well to cut off angles. Quick Left from Allen has Silva hopping out of distance. Body kick by Allen. Silva goes body-head. That body work is money for Silva and it’s opening up the rest of his offense. Allen gets a hold of Silva and wants to take the back, Silva blocking that effort.
Silva stays patient and eventually reverses position before separating. They’re back in the middle now. Silva with some tricky stuff, teasing an elbow and then switching to an uppercut. Silva with a short elbow and now he’s muscling Allen against the fence. He keeps finding sneaky ways to do damage. Takedown from Silva, Allen immediately back up. Another slam attempt by Silva, Allen rolls out and they’re back to striking with 90 seconds to go.
Silva goes back to the body then throws another wild spinning strike. Front kick to the body from Allen. He fires standing elbow in. Silva points to the canvas, Allen doesn’t bite, still over half a minute to go. Left hand over the top from Silva. high kick by Silva, then another that lands even cleaner. He tosses Allen down, then does a running jump off Allen’s back. Yes, you read that right. Goofy stuff, but I think Silva won anyway.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Silva.
Official result: Jean Silva def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
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