Brendan Allen Targets Title Eliminator Following Submission of Christian Leroy Duncan

Brendan Allen reinforced his position among the middleweight elite on Saturday night, overcoming a late-fight surge from Christian Leroy Duncan to secure a rear-naked choke submission at 2:46 of the fifth round. The victory at UFC Fight Night 290, held at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, extends Allen’s winning streak to four and maintains his trajectory toward a potential title eliminator.

Entering the bout as the No. 5 ranked middleweight, Allen faced significant adversity in the “deep waters” of the championship rounds. While he controlled much of the early grappling, the momentum shifted heavily in the fourth frame. Official statistics showed that Duncan out-landed Allen 46 to 17 in significant strikes during that round, nearly finishing the fight on the feet as Allen appeared to struggle with rib pain.

Allen adjusted his strategy in the final round to secure the submission at 2:46 of the fifth.

The path to the finish was complicated by a second-round foul. Referee intervention was required after Duncan landed an eye poke, resulting in a one-point deduction. According to the official scorecards, this deduction would have made the final tallies critical had the fight reached the judges. However, Allen adjusted his strategy in the final round, initiating a grappling exchange that allowed him to take Duncan’s back and force the tap.

This win marks Allen’s fourth consecutive victory in the middleweight division. By stopping the No. 10 ranked Duncan, Allen has signaled his intention to stop “fighting down” the rankings. In his post-fight comments, Allen targeted the absolute top of the division, including former champion Sean Strickland and the current title-holding elite.

The main event served as the cornerstone of a high-finish night at the Meta APEX, where nine of the twelve scheduled bouts ended inside the distance. For Duncan, the loss provides a clear marker of the gap between the divisional top ten and the top five.

As the middleweight landscape shifts, Allen’s ability to find a finish while trailing in the striking department highlights a tactical resilience that has become a hallmark of his climb. With a 4-0 record over his last four outings, he now sits behind only the core title contenders—including Dricus Du Plessis and Robert Whittaker—in the hunt for a championship opportunity.

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