
Brendan Allen is hoping to seal a title shot when he makes an impressive performance against Marvin Vettori in April. If everything goes according to plan, Allen will be facing Dricus Du Plessis, who’s not entirely impressing him as a champ.
After his submission win over Paul Craig last November at UFC Fight Night 232, Allen shared his confidence about being the rightful No. 1 contender in his division. The promotion was unresponsive about the idea, but he was given a headline bout in a UFC Fight Night event on April 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. For the fighter, winning this next match will slingshot him to the title shot or “a true No. 1 contender fight.”
“I feel it’s based on my performance. I think if I go out there and finish him and make it look easy, I think I drop my name in the hat for a title shot,” Allen said in an interview on MMA Junkie. “But worst case scenario, a true No. 1 contender fight is after that. I really think it just comes down to me. It’s really up to me.
“I think overall, I think this is my fight to lose. I think I’m better in every single place the fight can go. The guy is definitely tough. He can sure take a beating, but I’ve shown I can give one. I really don’t put any emphasis on any of it. I just need to go out there and be me and see where the cards fall.”
If he wins that night and gets his wish for a title shot, Allen will have Du Plessis, who recently snatched the middlweight belt from Sean Strickland. The No. 7 fighter was expecting “Tarzan” in his title shot and is not fully convinced that “Stillknocks” is deserving of the title, but for him, the goal is to steal it from whoever is wearing it.
“I was hoping it would be Sean to run that back, but I don’t mind it being (Dricus) either,” Allen explained. “I’ve been wanting to fight him since he got to the UFC, and he’s been steady flying by and taking the easy fights. It is what it is. He got the belt off it, but did he earn it? Is it his belt? To each their own. But no, it does not matter who’s champ when it’s my turn.”