TLDR
- Brendan Allen defeated Christian Leroy Duncan via fifth-round rear-naked choke at UFC Vegas 122
- Duncan had his five-fight win streak snapped after an eye poke cost him a point in round two
- Allen extended his winning streak to four fights and improved to 28-7 in his career
- Duncan landed more strikes (138-80) but lost most of the grappling exchanges
- Allen called for a title shot against Sean Strickland or a fight with Dricus du Plessis
Sources: mmafighting.com | bbc.com | sports.yahoo.com
Brendan Allen secured a dramatic fifth-round submission victory over Christian Leroy Duncan in the main event of UFC Vegas 122 on Saturday night. The American middleweight locked in a rear-naked choke to end Duncan’s five-fight win streak and derail the British fighter’s title aspirations.
The fight proved more challenging than Allen expected, with both fighters trading momentum over five rounds. Duncan came out aggressive early but shifted to a questionable strategy of clinch work against the fence, which allowed Allen to score an easy takedown in the opening round.
Brandon Allen calls out Dricus Du Plessis and Michael Bisping after his submission victory over Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122 👀🔥
“Where’s the champion, if not, where’s dickus, you’ve been running for a little while. If not, Mike, put your belt back up.”
“Oh Dricus…
— Title Fight (@TitleFightMedia) October 11, 2026
Eye Poke Changes the Fight
The bout took a decisive turn in the second round when Duncan landed a serious eye poke on Allen. Referee Marc Goddard deducted a point from Duncan, putting the British fighter in a difficult position on the scorecards.
Allen took control from that moment, landing better strikes on the feet before securing a clean takedown with over two minutes remaining in the round. He dominated the rest of the second round and carried that momentum forward.
Duncan remained the busier striker throughout the contest, landing 138 shots compared to Allen’s 80. However, the 30-year-old American won most of the grappling exchanges, which proved decisive in the end.
The action became unpredictable over rounds three and four, with both fighters making crucial mistakes and questionable decisions. Neither man could pull away decisively heading into the final round.
Allen Secures the Finish
In the fifth round, Allen found his opening and sunk in the fight-ending choke. Duncan attempted to grab the fence to escape, but Allen secured the rear-naked choke for his eighth submission victory in the UFC.
The 31-year-old Duncan entered the fight ranked 10th in the middleweight division after defeating former title challenger Jared Cannonier in July. He had stated before the fight that a convincing victory would put him in line for a title shot.
Instead, Duncan suffered the third loss of his 18-fight professional career. His record now stands at three defeats in 11 UFC bouts.
Allen improved his record to 28 wins and seven losses with the victory. The fifth-ranked middleweight has now won four consecutive fights and believes he has earned his next opportunity.
After the win, Allen made his case for a title shot against champion Sean Strickland. “I think we’ll be rewarded next,” Allen said. “I’m doing what I need to do. Where’s the champion?”
Allen also called out former champion Dricus du Plessis as an alternative option. “If not, where’s Dricus? He’s been running for a while,” the American stated.
The victory marked Allen’s second consecutive main event win after defending his top-five ranking against two rising contenders. The 30-year-old emphasized that he has done what was required of him and deserves a step up in competition.
In the co-main event, British fighter Jai Herbert earned a unanimous decision victory over Brazilian lightweight Matheus Camilo. The win was Herbert’s third in four UFC fights at age 38, while Camilo suffered his second defeat in the promotion after winning his previous two bouts.
