“All-In” looks forward to testing another prospect.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Brendan Allen returns against hot comers Christian Leroy Duncan at the main event of the year UFC Vegas 122 this weekend (Saturday, October 10, 2026) at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
One more time, Allen has been tasked with defending his place in the rankings against a dangerous opponent below him.
Allen wanted to fight his way up the middleweight ladder, but there were no higher-ranked bouts available—and former champion Dricus du Plessis don’t want to fight him — “All-In” took on everything the UFC put in front of him.
Sitting on the sidelines was not a real option.
“I’ve got a certain schedule of when I want to fight — let’s say October — and I want to fight,” Allen said at UFC Vegas 122 media day. “Obviously, everyone wants to fight back, but if there is no one, then who is next in line.
“That’s how these last two fights have gone down,” Allen continued. “I don’t want to sit and wait. I don’t have the means, to be honest. I don’t have these sponsors paying me thousands of dollars a month to sit out and just wait. I want to fight around the timeline, so whoever’s available and wants to fight, that’s who gets it. So far, these guys have been down the rankings.”
Duncan enters the biggest opportunity of his career riding a five-game winning streak and carrying significant momentum. Allen recognizes his opponent’s talent and expects him to embrace the pressure rather than crumble under it.
“I think he’s talented, but I think he’s very green in his career,” Allen said. “I think it’s a big, big step up for him and I expect him to be one of those guys that steps up and takes that pressure and that opportunity and really blossoms.
“Sometimes you see guys go down and sometimes you see guys improve,” Allen continued. “I think he’s a guy that’s going to develop.”
That doesn’t mean Allen expects Duncan to survive the full 25 minutes.
Duncan’s toughness was tested earlier Gregory “Robocop” Rodriguesbut that fight only lasted three rounds. Allen plans to push him much deeper on Saturday night.
“I’m super excited to go out there and try it,” Allen said. “When I watch his fights, he has that dog in him, but it’s never been fully tested. ‘Robocop’ did a good job of testing it, but I’m really going to test it.”
“That’s five innings. They only had three,” Allen added. “Five laps, man. Better hope he catches me early, because if he doesn’t catch me early, we’re really going to see what he’s made of.”
Allen talks about his experience.
His only two knockout losses in the Octagon came up against in the second round Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis. Both losses came about five years ago, and Allen has since shared the cage with several dangerous power hitters without suffering the same fate.
“All-In” enters UFC Vegas 122 riding a three-fight winning streak, with two wins earning “Fight of the Night” honors.
Duncan may be the more explosive fighter early on, but Allen believes each passing minute will tip the game further in his favor.
If “CLD” can’t hit him early, the prospect’s toughness will finally get a full five-round test.
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