Earlier this year, Montreal, Canada’s bustling metropolis, grabbed the spotlight as Dana White and his team returned UFC to the city after a decade-long hiatus. UFC 315, headlined by Jack Della Maddalena vs. Belal Muhammad, marked a highly anticipated comeback for the promotion. But just five months later, Montreal has made headlines for far more troubling reasons. UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen recently revealed on his official YouTube channel that multiple people in Montreal assaulted him just because he “wasn’t using French” while in the city.

The revelation quickly rippled through the MMA community on social media, with Arnold Allen’s story picked up by major outlets such as the New York Post and Daily Mail. Many of these media giants appeared to run the story to follow the trend, without verifying it with Allen or his team. Still, there was reason for fans and media to take notice, as Montreal, (arguably) the world’s second-largest French-speaking city, had become entwined in the controversy. A day later, ‘Almighty’ went back on his statement and took a dig at the media giants.

Arnold Allen sets the record straight on his Montreal attack

Arnold Allen last competed in the Octagon over a year ago against Giga Chikadze, bouncing back with a win after two consecutive losses. Despite that victory, he has remained inactive since. When news of the alleged attack surfaced online, fans expressed concern for the Briton. A day later, ‘Almighty’ criticized media outlets for running the story without watching his full YouTube video, in which he had already clarified that it was “a joke.“

Recently, Arnold Allen wrote on X, “Crazy to make a joke on video and in the same video clarify it’s just a joke and the daily mail, NY post and many other “journalists” share articles about it without even watching the video, really can’t trust anything these f—ers put out.”  With this post, ‘Almighty’ challenged the credibility of several media outlets.

Meanwhile, in his original 9:28-long YouTube video, he focused on UFC 321 predictions, but fans still noticed the visible bruises and injuries on his face, which led them to believe his story—even though he revealed later on in the same video that it was a joke. So far, Arnold Allen holds an 11-2 record in his UFC career, with his only two losses under Dana White’s banner coming back-to-back against Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, both considered elite talents.

Interestingly, the Georgian inadvertently paved the way for Arnold Allen’s comeback, and now the Englishman sits sixth in the division. In fact,  recent images on Allen’s social media indicate that his bruises and injuries are genuine, the result of intense sparring sessions as he revealed in the video. ‘Almighty’ has been honing his skills in Montreal under the mentorship of Georges St-Pierre’s coach. Is he set to make his return? Let’s examine.

Is Arnold Allen gearing up for a UFC comeback?

Since joining the UFC, Allen has established himself as a formidable force within the multi-billion-dollar promotion. He solidified his reputation with a 10-fight win streak, taking down notable fighters such as Dan Hooker and Calvin Kattar. However, his momentum stalled in 2023 and 2024 after back-to-back defeats against BMF champion Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, putting his title ambitions on hold. Last November, ‘Almighty’ promised fans he would return at the London UFC card in March 2025, saying, “London is great so logically that would be a lot better.”

Since then, UFC CEO Dana White has provided no updates, and the matchmakers have yet to confirm the plan, keeping Arnold Allen sidelined. On September 10, he reshared an Instagram post from ‘The British MMA Scene,’ giving fans an update on his recovery from injury.

Recently, Allen offered another glimpse into his training and rehabilitation under the “Brick by Brick” program, signaling his preparation for a UFC comeback. Just an hour ago, he posted a picture from a sparring session at Tristar Gym, wearing Venum gloves under coach Ian Perron. The promotion has yet to confirm ‘Almighty’s return. Who would you like to see the Briton face next? Share your thoughts below.