Allen says he was assaulted in Montreal over not speaking French

UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen said he was assaulted on the streets of Montreal this week, telling viewers on his YouTube channel that the confrontation occurred because he could not speak French and leaving him with visible facial bruises. The British fighter, who has been training in Montreal, said the incident involved multiple attackers but gave few other details.

"I got beat up in the street because I wasn't using French," Allen said on the video. "I got jumped because I didn't speak French. That's what the bruises are all about, don't worry about it." He showed marks on his face while previewing the upcoming UFC 321 card and then moved on to talk about the heavyweight main event without elaborating on the assault.

Allen has trained for several years at Tristar Gym in Montreal under coach Firas Zahabi, which is where he said he was staying while preparing for future fights. He did not specify the exact circumstances of the attack, whether he reported it to local authorities, or whether any arrests had been made.

The incident comes as Allen remains out of competition. He has not fought since defeating Giga Chikadze on July 7, 2024, and is currently ranked sixth in...