Brendan Allen is flat-out calling Dricus du Plessis a “bitch,” accusing the former champ of ducking him for an easier fight. Allen, who is tired of fighting his way up the UFC middleweight rankings only to get opponents below him, is not holding back. He told CBS Sports that it’s a “fact” Du Plessis actively avoided a matchup that was supposedly on the books earlier this year, instead opting to fight Kamaru Usman.
“He Took the Easier Fight. Plain and Simple.”
Allen believes Du Plessis got off easy by taking on former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Come on, we all saw it, right? Usman is 39 years old, smaller, older, and it was only his second fight in the middleweight division. Allen doesn’t think Du Plessis deserves much credit for that win, especially when the original plan was apparently to face Allen himself.
“I know he’s had the opportunity to fight me, and he took the easier route,” Allen blasted to CBS Sports. “He can say whatever he wants. It’s a fact. We were supposed to fight, and somehow Kamaru’s name got thrown in there. And obviously Kamaru is a bigger draw… He took the easier fight. Plain and simple, he took the easier fight. We all know. Everyone knows it was the easier fight.”
Allen is convinced he would have been a much tougher challenge. “I’m bigger, I’m stronger, I’m faster. I think I’m more talented, but people are going to play off of Kamaru’s resume. So, OK, play off his resume. But I don’t think Kamaru can make it five rounds with me. So, yeah, I think he took the easier fight. I still think he’s a bitch.” That’s some serious heat coming from Allen, and it shows you exactly how much this alleged ducking is getting to him.
Pressure’s On, But Allen Keeps Winning
Despite this frustration, Allen has been on a roll, racking up three straight wins. That includes a particularly impressive victory over Reinier de Ridder, but somehow, he’s still on the outside looking in at the division’s title picture. It’s a tough spot for a guy who’s been trying for years to break into that middleweight title contention. The only thing longer than his journey up the ranks is his own mental battle.
Allen has even admitted to struggling with the pressure of fighting opponents he feels he’s supposed to beat. He once told Joe Rogan that his 2022 fight with Jacob Malkoun was arguably his worst performance ever. He couldn’t sleep the night before, completely overwhelmed by the expectation to prove he was the better fighter. He scraped out a decision win, sure, but only by winning the third round to seal it. Now he’s facing Christian Leroy Duncan this Saturday, another “surging contender” who probably has a ton more to gain from this main event fight than Allen does.
So, on Saturday night, Allen is headlining UFC Fight Night against Christian Leroy Duncan at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. It’s another chance for him to strengthen his case, even if it’s not the showdown with Du Plessis he wanted. Can he keep that win streak going and force his way into a title shot, or at least a confrontation with Du Plessis?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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