Brendan Allen got the job done this past Saturday, and he didn’t even enter fight night at 100 percent.
Allen managed to secure a fifth-round submission victory with a rear-naked choke, forcing Christian Leroy Duncan to tap. It’s Duncan’s first finishing defeat. Allen has now extended his winning streak to four, and he hasn’t suffered a defeat since early 2025.
Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad took to social media to reveal that Allen was impacted by a gnarly staph infection during fight week.
“What people don’t know is Brendan was dealing with a staph infection since Tuesday of fight week,” Muhammad said. “Had to get on antibiotics, still has 5 days left on them, and despite all that adversity, went out there and got the finish. Never complained, never made excuses, just found a way to win. That’s the heart of a champion. Proud of my brother.”
Allen has potentially set himself up for a grudge match with former UFC middleweight titleholder Dricus du Plessis. “All In” told reporters that he thinks it’s the bout that makes the most sense next, but he isn’t opposed to fighting anyone else in the top five rankings if it gets him closer to a shot at 185-pound gold.
Allen has already made it clear that his ultimate goal is to challenge for a UFC title at some point in 2027. Ideally, he’d defeat du Plessis and move on to face the winner of Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov, which hasn’t been made official amid a fighter pay dispute with the current 185-pound champion. Many, including Allen, will be keeping tabs as that situation continues to develop.
How impressed were you with Brendan Allen’s performance this past Saturday? Do you believe he can defeat elite competition, or has he just about reached his ceiling? Sound off in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
