LAS VEGAS -- Brendan Allen is tired of fighting his way up the UFC middleweight rankings only to be rewarded with opponents below him. Allen has won three straight fights, including a particularly impressive victory over Reinier de Ridder, but he remains on the outside looking in at the division's title picture. On Saturday, he'll headline UFC Fight Night against Christian Leroy Duncan at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
It's another opportunity to strengthen his case, though not the one he wanted. Allen believes he should be fighting former middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis. In fact, he insists that was the plan earlier this year before Du Plessis fought former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
Usman, 39, survived five rounds with his fellow former champion, but struggled to match his size and physicality. Allen doesn't think Du Plessis deserves much credit for beating a smaller, older man in just his second middleweight appearance. He also doesn't believe the change in opponents was a coincidence.
FC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year! "I know he's had the opportunity to fight me, and he took the easier route," Allen told CBS Sports.
"He can say whatever he wants. We were supposed to fight, and somehow Kamaru's name got thrown in there. And obviously Kamaru is a bigger draw...
He took the easier fight. Plain and simple, he took the easier fight. Everyone knows it was the easier fight.
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