When Arnold Allen steps into the cage this weekend at UFC Fight Night 147 in London, he’ll be looking to make it five straight wins inside the Octagon. That win would put him in elite company in the featherweight division—a tie for third with Zabit Magomedsharipov. He would only trail champion Max Holloway and top challenger Alexander Volkanovski. 

While all of those fighters have numbers next to their names, Allen is still on the outside looking in. However, Allen understands that there are likely some reasons behind that. 

“I think it’s because I haven’t been super active,” Allen told the Top Turtle MMA Podcast on FloCombat. “I’ve been taking my time.”

Allen thinks that he can change that all by having a productive 2019. In fact, he thinks a shot at the top 10 should be right around the corner if he can correct some things. 

“I think that’s the main thing, getting active, stringing a few together,” Allen said. “Stop getting injured and stop getting sick and all that crap.”

In an ideal world, Allen would like to have a much busier year than in the past. In each of the past four years, he’s only fought once per year. 

“Three seems like a good number, "Allen said. "I’d like to get out three times at least." 

And while being active would be a good start, Allen thinks there are other ways that he can build his stock. The first way being getting away from his hometown fights. 

 “Yeah it is something they keep doing for me,” Allen said of the UFC booking him in his home country. “I really wanted to get out and fight in the U.S. The sport is just bigger there. It would be good for me to make my name, but every time something comes up, I end up waiting for London.”

Before he can book that ticket to the U.S. and the big fight that accompanies it, he’ll have to deal with this weekend’s bout with Jordan Rinaldi.