Brendan Allen sealed his place as a rising force in the UFC middleweight division by submitting Christian Leroy Duncan with a rear-naked choke 2:46 into the fifth round of their main event clash at UFC Vegas 122. The victory extended Allen’s winning streak to four fights, confirming his steady ascent through the ranks.
Allen started the fight cautiously, but his persistent wrestling began to wear down Duncan, who entered the bout with strong momentum. The American took advantage of the final round to lock in the submission, forcing Duncan to tap out and securing a hard-fought win in front of the Meta Apex crowd.
After the fight, Allen expressed confidence in his trajectory. “I’m steady, defending my spot, doing what I need to do,” he said. “The bosses see me doing that thing, and I think we’ll be rewarded next. Fight the champion, and if not, where’s [Dricus du Plessis]? He’s been running for a little while.”
Allen’s comment hints at a possible clash with the current middleweight champion or a confrontation with Dricus du Plessis, a contender who has yet to accept a fight with him. The win at UFC Vegas 122 strengthens Allen’s case for a title shot or a high-profile matchup in the near future.
The rest of the UFC Vegas 122 card delivered notable moments as well. In the lightweight division, Matheus Camilo earned a unanimous decision over Jai Herbert, with all three judges scoring it 29–28. Loopy Godínez secured a unanimous decision win against Ketlen Souza in a 117-pound catchweight bout, with identical 29-28 scores across the board.
Andre Fili made a quick statement in the featherweight division, knocking out Kai Kamaka III with a head kick just 22 seconds into the second round. On the bantamweight side, Otari Tanzilovi stopped Malcolm Wellmaker with a knockout from a combination of a head kick and punches midway through round two.
Early prelim action saw Julius Walker defeat Gerald Meerschaert by TKO in the second round, prompting Meerschaert to announce his retirement. Francisco Prado won by first-round TKO against Ismael Bonfim at a 163.5-pound catchweight, while Niko Price earned a first-round TKO over Leon Shahbazyan in the welterweight division before confirming his own retirement.
Brendson Ribeiro submitted Felipe Franco with a mounted guillotine in the first round at a 208.5-pound catchweight, and heavyweight Allen Frye knocked out RJ Harris early in the first round.
In women’s bantamweight, Alice Pereira won via TKO due to a doctor stoppage at the end of the first round after Daria Zhelezniakova waved off the fight. The women’s flyweight bout between Melissa Gatto and Ernesta Kareckaite ended in a majority draw, with scores reading 29-27, 28-28, and 28-28.
Brendan Allen’s submission victory is a defining moment for his career, positioning him as a contender ready to challenge the division’s top fighters. His callout for a fight with the champion or Dricus du Plessis sets the stage for the next chapter in the middleweight division.
According to Yahoo Sports.
