Featherweight prospect Sodiq Yusuff is riding quite the winning streak ahead of his UFC on ABC 2 matchup with Arnold Allen. That said, he does not expect to meet much resistance, as he plans on finishing Allen rather quickly.
Since winning on Dana White’s Contender Series, Yusuff has been on quite the tear throughout the 145lb division. He has not lost inside the Octagon across his four fights in the promotion, and looks impressive with every outing.
His most recent appearance against Andre Fili, back at UFC 246, saw him propel into the top 15. This has set him up for a major fight in his next outing, despite it having been more than a year since that fight.
What Happened To The Edson Barboza Fight?
It seemed like Sodiq Yusuff was going to get that major opportunity, by facing longtime veteran and fan favorite Edson Barboza. However he was forced out of the October contest, with the reasons being undisclosed at the time.
Speaking in an interview with MiddleEasy, “Super” Sodiq explained that it was Visa issues that prevented him from competing. Due to the travel restrictions from the global pandemic, and a failure to secure his Visa, he was unable to gain entry into Fight Island.
“It was all signed and everything. What happened with that was just Visa problems, man, because of the corona stuff and everything that happened,” Yusuff said.
“Right before the Andre Fili, I passed my citizenship test and became a US citizen. They took my Nigerian passport, and that was literally maybe two weeks before I fought Andre. After that, I’m not going to lie, it completely skipped my mind that they took my passport…
“The pandemic happened and they shut down the immigration services. What they told me was the only way I was going to be able to get a passport for the Edson fight, was if I could prove that somebody’s life was in danger if I didn’t make it to Abu Dhabi,” Yusuff continued.
“I tried my best and it didn’t happen. I didn’t get my passport until like a month after that.”
Sodiq Yusuff Predicts Arnold Allen Fight
Now with his Visa issues settled, Sodiq Yusuff is set to return to action against fellow prospect Arnold Allen. Both these men are in similar positions, as they are each riding undefeated UFC records, and are situated close in the rankings.
This UFC on ABC 2 matchup promises to be an exciting one, and Sodiq feels that he matches up well with Allen. Knowing how similar they are, in terms of their UFC runs, he knew this fight would happen sooner or later.
“(We match up) very well. All this stuff I think is happening at the perfect time. I really feel like a lot of goodness is going to happen from my performance in this fight, I really think I’m going to impress a lot of people,” Yusuff explained.
“It’s a great matchup. I understand his name isn’t as big as the rest of the guys in the division, but everybody in the division kind of knows who we are. Both of us were going to meet up sooner or later, so meeting up at ten and eleven is not that bad… I feel like if I can get a win over Arnold, that will put me right in that top five.”
Of course, Sodiq Yusuff is feeling ultra confident about this matchup, and how it will go down. As for a prediction for the fight, he feels certain that this bout will not go all three rounds.
“I honestly feel like I’m going to get the finish, like that second round TKO. A lot of things are clicking for me right now, and this is probably the best that I’ve felt going into a fight, ever,” he said.
“My cardio feels good, my technique feels good, my defense feels good, and I can’t wait. I woke up feeling very gracious this morning, and I just can’t wait. Honestly, I wish the fight was this weekend, but it’s just a matter of waiting now.”
Sodiq Yusuff will be taking on Arnold Allen at UFC on ABC 2, on April 10th. It will be exciting to see this highly touted prospect back in the Octagon, and watch how this fight will go down.
