On its face, this matchup profiles as a technician versus an unpredictable force, but as it goes in mixed martial arts, there is plenty of nuance within that.
Despite Silva’s antics and unpredictability, the Brazilian is quite a crafty fighter who fights in a way that conveys immense confidence in his timing and power. His 2.24 knockdowns per 15 minutes is good for third all-time among featherweights, and he connects on half of his attempted significant strikes.
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On the other end, Allen is a mindful mixed martial artist. His 61.6 percent significant strike defense is tied for fifth-best among featherweights, and he achieves that through sharp distance control and a modified high-elbow guard from his southpaw stance. He’ll mix in grappling on occasion, which could help slow Silva down a bit should he start gaining momentum, but Silva does boast a 78 percent takedown defense and some wicked submissions from defensive positions.
If the fight looks like an up-tempo brawl, that’ll probably favor Silva, although Allen has obliged in such fights and come out the other end on top. A technical affair might seemingly favor Allen, but Silva has the skills to pick his shots with the best of them and still find the opportunity for the fight-ending shot.
All told, this is a sneaky banger tucked in the main card at UFC 324 and not one to miss.
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