Brendan “All In” Allen is absolutely fed up, putting his top-five middleweight ranking on the line yet again this Saturday night in Las Vegas against rising contender Christian Leroy Duncan. Allen, rocking a 27-7 record, is on a three-fight win streak, but man, he’s stuck fighting guys below him in the rankings, and he is NOT happy about it.
“All In” Is Tired of Waiting
Allen’s frustration is pretty clear. He’d love to fight someone above him and get closer to that title shot, but he knows waiting around won’t get him there. That’s why he’s taking on Duncan, a dynamic contender who already has impressive wins over Roman Dolidze and Jared Cannonier. But don’t let those names fool you, according to Allen. He’s got a message for Duncan, telling CBS Sports straight up, “I’m not Roman Dolidze. I’m none of those guys. There’s a reason I’m still here: 20 UFC fights against some of the best guys that I could get. His best bet is to catch me with something on Saturday night. Other than that, I’m going to beat him up. I’m going to make it a dogfight. I’m going to get in his face, and I’m going to test him. None of these guys have really tested him like that. Gregory [Rodrigues] did, and look how that turned out. I think I’m a different monster. The best thing I can do is to go out there and be myself.” Yeah, the man is ready to get ugly in there. Allen’s grappling pedigree is legit, and he’s not afraid to make a fight messy. He’s out to prove he’s on a whole other level.
Duncan’s Confidence Is Growing
On the other side, Christian Leroy Duncan, the Englishman with a 15-2 record, is finally putting all the pieces together. He’s spent more than half his pro MMA career in the UFC, soaking up lessons and fighting tougher and tougher competition. Those back-to-back wins against Dolidze and Cannonier have definitely given him the confidence to make a real run at the top of the middleweight division. Duncan knows Allen’s grappling is the real deal and that he can make fights into a grind, but he thinks his recent opponents have prepared him for exactly that. “Roman Dolidze: his background and specialty is jiu-jitsu or grappling. Same with Brendan Allen; he’s very well versed in that area,” Duncan told CBS Sports. “Cannonier is very durable, so that taught me how to deal with a durable fighter that also wants to push the pace and engage.” He admits he came into the UFC “so green,” but he’s learning fast. He’s got mentors, he’s evolving, and he believes he’s ready for Allen.
This main event at the Meta APEX isn’t just another fight, man. It’s Allen trying to prove he belongs higher, sending a message to the division. And it’s Duncan trying to crash the top five and show he’s the real deal. Also on the card, Malcolm Wellmaker desperately needs a win to get back on track, so there are stakes everywhere. Saturday night is gonna be a banger, and you better believe both these guys are coming to finish it.
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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