LAS VEGAS — Middleweight contender Brendan Allen secured a dramatic fifth-round submission victory over Christian Leroy Duncan on Saturday night, locking in a rear-naked choke in the headliner of UFC Vegas 122 at the Meta Apex.
Allen brought an end to the contest at 2:46 of the final frame, forcing Duncan to tap out after dragging him to the canvas and quickly seizing back control, according to MMA Junkie. The victory pushed Allen’s professional record to 28-7 and extended his winning streak to four straight inside the Octagon, while snapping Duncan’s five-fight run of momentum.
A grueling battle on the ground and feet
The 30-year-old Allen relied on his grappling foundation throughout the evening, though the bout featured significant momentum swings. While Allen attempted takedowns early, Duncan defended stubbornly and landed heavy strikes, including his trademark spinning elbow in the opening round, MMA Junkie reported.
The momentum took a sharp turn early in the second round when referee Marc Goddard deducted one point from Duncan for an eye poke. Uncrowned reported that Allen subsequently controlled extended stretches on the mat during the middle rounds, threatening submissions from top position.
Duncan, 31, refused to fold under the pressure. The English fighter mounted a furious rally in the fourth round, outstriking Allen by a lopsided 46-17 margin in significant strikes, according to Uncrowned. The offensive surge left Allen dealing with apparent rib pain between rounds, but the American turned back to his wrestling when the fifth round began, timing a clean level change before sliding onto Duncan’s back to cinch the decisive choke.
“I’m steady, defending my spot, doing what I need to do,” Allen said inside the cage, as reported by Uncrowned. “The bosses see me doing that thing, and I think we’ll be rewarded next.”
Title ambitions and undercard highlights
Following the victory, Allen immediately turned his attention to the division’s elite. During his post-fight interview with analyst Michael Bisping, Allen called for an opportunity to challenge for the middleweight belt or face former champion Dricus du Plessis, MMA Junkie reported.
Allen’s latest triumph adds to an impressive run of recent wins that includes Marvin Vettori, Reinier de Ridder, and Edmen Shahbazyan. Duncan dropped to 15-3 after making his headlining debut for the promotion.
Earlier on the main card, featherweight Andre Fili delivered a highlight-reel finish, stopping Kai Kamaka III with a head-kick knockout just 22 seconds into the second round. In the bantamweight division, Otari Tanzilovi stopped Malcolm Wellmaker with a second-round head kick and strikes, MMA Weekly reported.
The preliminary bouts also saw multiple quick finishes alongside veteran milestones. Julius Walker earned a second-round technical knockout over Gerald Meerschaert in a light heavyweight clash, after which Meerschaert announced his retirement, according to Uncrowned. Welterweight veteran Niko Price also signaled his retirement after stopping Leon Shahbazyan via technical knockout in under two minutes of the opening round.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has not yet announced who Allen will face next, leaving open whether the promotion will grant him a title eliminator or direct championship bout in early 2027.
