Brendan Allen says he’s ‘checked every box’ for title shot

Brendan Allen likes his place within the middleweight title image going into Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 243 co-main occasion vs. Nassourdine Imavov.

Allen (24-5 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will look to increase his seven-fight successful streak when he takes on Imavov (14-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a three-round bout at Accor Area in Paris (ESPN+). It’s an enormous battle for the division, particularly with champion Dricus Du Plessis coming off a recent title defense over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August.

It’s anticipated that Du Plessis will rematch Sean Strickland in his subsequent protection, then there’s a possible title eliminator across the nook between former champ Robert Whittaker and the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 307 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi.

Allen, No. 10 within the newest USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, additionally sees No. 6 Caio Borralho in a powerful place to battle for gold, however he thinks a formidable win over Imavov would elevate his resume to the purpose the place he ought to be pushed to the entrance of the queue.

“Ideally talking, if I’m going on the market and beat Imavov, particularly if I end Imavov inside three rounds in his hometown, in entrance of his folks, I feel I’ve checked each single field aside from one: to battle for the title,” Allen advised MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “There’s nothing I can actually do in a single day to verify the one different field, which is (social media) followers. I don’t know. That’s not my jam. Every little thing on a preventing stage, I feel I’ve achieved each single factor.

“Regardless of who wins between Whittaker and Chimaev, I really feel like that’s a battle for Caio. I feel Caio stated he needs yet another if he can’t get the belt. I feel that’s an ideal battle as a result of he beats both of them. My final objective can be to battle whoever is for the belt subsequent, which I feel is Sean and Dricus. Struggle the winner of that then I might be seeking to defend towards Caio as a result of he can be subsequent in line on the similar time. That’s the place it’s. New blood. I’m the brand new blood. I’m the youngest man on the prime. Me and Dricus have the longest win streaks within the division, so one in all our streaks has received to finish if he’s nonetheless the champion. There’s loads of good arguments to be made. The one adverse is the followers.”

Allen, 28, is aware of he doesn’t have the cache proper now to make large calls for or maintain out for sure fights. He’s accepting that the laborious highway is for him, however beating No. 7-ranked Imavov would do wonders to construct his case.

If UFC doesn’t grant him his want, although, he stated he’s going to maintain on pushing till the UFC brass are pressured to present him what he needs and deserves.

“Everybody is aware of after I come to battle, I come to battle win or lose,” Allen stated. “I’m going to placed on a battle. You’re going to know you’re in a battle until you catch me, and that’s the one means I feel guys can beat me is to catch me. That may occur to anybody on any given evening and that’s the explanation I all the time say to everybody I don’t management the result. If I do my job on Saturday I feel I’ve an ideal argument. However I’m not one to sit down out for a 12 months to see that. I’m not going to go that. I’m not leaving cash on the desk like that.”

Allen admits he initially had some combined emotions concerning the battle with Imavov. He initially wished a five-round headliner and had agreed to such, however claims his opponent declined a 25-minute battle. Allen agreed to that and proceeded along with his preparation, and now he’s prepared to enter the octagon and carry out in a state of affairs the place the chips are towards him.

“Generally folks simply want the whole lot of their favor,” Allen stated of Imavov. “On the finish of the day he received his means and it’s in his favor. It’s in his hometown in entrance of his folks with most likely his judges and the whole lot else. It’s what it’s. I’ll be there on Saturday evening if God says the identical.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 243.