Christian Leroy Duncan eyes title shot after potential win over Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 122
Middleweight contender Christian Leroy Duncan says a victory over ranked opponent Brendan Allen could put him in contention for the UFC title, though the path remains uncertain.
Christian Leroy Duncan will face Brendan Allen at the UFC’s META APEX event on Saturday. Duncan told MMAFighting reporter Guilherme Cruz that a win could position him for a future title opportunity in the middleweight division.
"I don’t see why not. We have a good performance this weekend, I don’t see why not, you know? I feel that I’m ready and I’ll make sure that I’m ready for that time when it comes," Duncan said. He added that defeating the fourth-ranked Allen would move him into the "title contention" group alongside fighters such as Sean Strickland, Nassourdine Imavov and former champion Dricus du Plessis.
Duncan, currently ranked tenth by the Meta rankings and eleventh in the media poll, has previously defeated Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and earned finishes over Marco Tulio and Eryk Anders. A win would improve his standing, but analysts note that the middleweight title picture remains fluid, with Strickland and Imavov potentially slated for the next championship bout and other contenders like Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis also in the mix.
The outcome of the Duncan-Allen fight is still uncertain, and while Duncan is optimistic about his prospects, the UFC has not confirmed any immediate title matchup.