Suffolk’s UFC star Arnold Allen will now face Rick Glenn when he makes his Las Vegas debut later this month.

East Anglian Daily Times: Arnold Allen (left) is 4-0 in his UFC career so far. Picture: PA SPORTArnold Allen (left) is 4-0 in his UFC career so far. Picture: PA SPORT (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Allen, 24, was due to fight legend of the sport Gilbert Melendez at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale at the Pearl at the Palms Casino on November 30.

But veteran Melendez has had to pull out of the featherweight clash with an injury, and has been replaced with ‘Gladiator’ Glenn (21-5-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

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East Anglian Daily Times: Arnold Allen celebrates victory against Mads Burnell during UFC Fight Night at the Liverpool Echo Arena.Arnold Allen celebrates victory against Mads Burnell during UFC Fight Night at the Liverpool Echo Arena. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

It’s a blow for Trimley St Martin’s Allen (13-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who was relishing the chance to move to 5-0 in the world famous octagon by beating the legendary Melendez, a title holder in multiple organisations and former world-title challenger in the UFC.

Instead, he faces a higher-risk, lower-reward assignment in Glenn, a 29-year-old who is known for being incredibly tough and durable.

All five of his UFC fights have gone the distance, with his last fight, at UFC Fight Night 133 in July, seeing him upset the highly-rated Dennis ‘The Menace’ Bermudez via split decision.

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Regardless, a win for southpaw Allen, who learned his craft at Dynamo Muay Thai in Felixstowe and BKK Fighters in Colchester before heading to the famed Tristar Gym in Montreal, will still see him move to the brink of the world top 15 rankings for the first time.

He would also be in line for some huge fights in 2019, potentially starting with the UFC’s annual trip to the O2 Arena in London on March 16.