Career Averages - Reinier de Ridder
Career Averages - Brendan Allen
Reinier de Ridder
Brendan Allen
Reinier de Ridder - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caio Borralho | 0 | 57 of 98 | 58% | 71 of 112 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:52 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 55 of 141 | 39% | 111 of 199 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 2:46 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caio Borralho | 0 | 24 of 42 | 57% | 24 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 19 of 51 | 37% | 30 of 62 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 0 | 0 | 1:26 | |
| 2 | Caio Borralho | 0 | 14 of 25 | 56% | 22 of 33 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:41 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 17 of 43 | 39% | 23 of 50 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:20 | |
| 3 | Caio Borralho | 0 | 19 of 31 | 61% | 25 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:11 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 19 of 47 | 40% | 58 of 87 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caio Borralho | 57 of 98 | 58% | 32 of 65 | 9 of 16 | 16 of 17 | 55 of 95 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 55 of 141 | 39% | 37 of 117 | 10 of 15 | 8 of 9 | 53 of 139 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caio Borralho | 24 of 42 | 57% | 14 of 26 | 3 of 8 | 7 of 8 | 23 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 19 of 51 | 37% | 9 of 37 | 3 of 6 | 7 of 8 | 19 of 51 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Caio Borralho | 14 of 25 | 56% | 6 of 16 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 6 | 14 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 17 of 43 | 39% | 12 of 37 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 41 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Caio Borralho | 19 of 31 | 61% | 12 of 23 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 18 of 29 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 19 of 47 | 40% | 16 of 43 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 19 of 47 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo points out that Caio is a slick grappler with improving striking, while RDR is a known quitter who quit on the stool in his last fight. He acknowledges RDR's size and grappling ability but believes Caio is too smart and mobile to be brute forced. He also notes the fight is 15 minutes, which might favor RDR, but ultimately cannot pick a two-time quitter.
Big Brady picks Caio Borralho over Reinier de Ridder. He notes de Ridder had severe health issues and gassed badly in his last fight against Brendan Allen, unable to get up between rounds. Borralho is the better striker and has solid wrestling and takedown defense. Brady expects de Ridder to win the first round but fade, allowing Borralho to take over and win a decision, possibly with a late finish.
Cody also picks Borralho, highlighting his excellent jab, durability, and cardio. He criticizes de Ridder's weight cut, age, and reliance on a step-in knee that works best against orthodox fighters. He expects Borralho to win by decision, possibly via a straight left down the middle.
Connor picks Borralho but with hesitation. He notes that Borralho's low output and choosy striking could be exploited by de Ridder's relentless pressure, but de Ridder lacks the combination striking to punish Borralho's flaws. Connor worries about Borralho's positional complacency in the clinch and on the ground, and de Ridder's ability to take him down and control him, as seen in the Brendan Allen fight. However, he ultimately trusts Borralho's defensive instincts.
Daniel Vreeland picks Caio Borralho but is hesitant due to the steep odds (-275). He believes Borralho's Damen Mia black belt jiu-jitsu can neutralize de Ridder's grappling, and he favors Borralho's technical striking. However, he notes that Borralho doesn't dominate opponents and that de Ridder could surprise after a poor performance. Vreeland sees this as a competitive fight and would not lay the juice.
The host acknowledges Borralho is better everywhere technically, with superior striking defense and takedown defense (77%), and expects him to win. However, he sees no value at the current odds (1.35 / -285) as Borralho's implied probability of 74% is too high to justify a bet. He also dislikes de Ridder, calling him sloppy and low-level, but passes on the fight entirely.
James favors Caio Borralho due to his superior striking, better cardio, and ability to hang with de Ridder in grappling. He points out de Ridder's questionable cardio and quitting in his last fight, while Borralho is more energy-efficient. James believes Borralho can hurt de Ridder on the feet and potentially get a finish, especially as de Ridder tires. He also notes Borralho's grappling success against Brendan Allen in a karate combat match, suggesting he can reverse or neutralize de Ridder's takedowns.
Borralho is well-rounded and can stop de Ridder's grappling. He is a better striker and should outpoint de Ridder over five rounds. De Ridder has a history of quitting when pressured. Borralho by decision is likely, and he's a solid parlay piece.
Paul picks Borralho, citing his durability, improved striking, and poor matchup for de Ridder. He notes de Ridder's body shutdown in the Allen fight and his awkward style. He expects Borralho to win by decision, possibly hitting the over 2.5 rounds.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder, believing his grappling will overwhelm Borralho. He notes de Ridder's success against Brendan Allen and his relentless chain wrestling. He expects de Ridder to win a decision, possibly losing the third round due to cardio.
Zane also picks Borralho but with reservations. He notes that de Ridder's pressure could overwhelm Borralho if he hasn't prepared properly, and that Borralho's out-fighting style may not hold up against relentless pressure. Zane points out that de Ridder's game is to crash into opponents and take them down, which could exploit Borralho's tendency to get complacent in the clinch. He sticks with his pick but acknowledges the uncertainty.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 9 of 13 | 69% | 61 of 72 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 1 | 0 | 7:05 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 22 of 37 | 59% | 97 of 134 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 2 | 11:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 40 of 47 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:04 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:32 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 10 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:48 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 12 of 18 | 66% | 27 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:45 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 4 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 1:13 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 10 | 40% | 27 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 3:26 | |
| 4 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 37 of 45 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 4:56 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 9 of 13 | 69% | 4 of 5 | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 10 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 1 |
| Brendan Allen | 22 of 37 | 59% | 19 of 33 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 19 of 27 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 3 of 4 | 75% | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
| Brendan Allen | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 5 of 6 | 83% | 2 of 2 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 12 of 18 | 66% | 11 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 13 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 4 of 10 | 40% | 4 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 | |
| 4 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 4 of 7 | 57% | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: de Ridder (-200); Allen (+170)
Round 1
Although not born in the Great White North, late replacement Allen (25-7, 13-4 UFC) will nevertheless be hoisting the flag covered by a red maple leaf in honor of his grandparents. He will serve as a fairly significant betting underdog as he takes on submission magician de Ridder (21-2, 4-0 UFC), even though he too is quite a grappler in his own right. What could be a delight on the ground or a wild one on the feet will have five rounds to air out, and referee Jason Herzog brings the 185-pounders to the center of the cage to issue their final instructions. They touch gloves respectfully. It’s on with the show.
De Ridder opens with a low kick and a takedown shot, and Allen stonewalls him immediately and knees him in the chest. They both wrangle one another around in the subsequent clinch while spamming knee strikes, and Allen shoves the Dutchman to the fence. De Ridder deftly hits a trip and lands in full mount, putting Allen in a precarious position less than one minute in. “The Dutch Knight” wraps up an arm-triangle choke from mount that he uses to smother his opponent. Allen stays calm and composed while a roughly 200-pound man is partially using a Mother’s Milk submission on him, and he turns and almost gives his arm up. De Ridder thinks about going after it, but he instead allows Allen to keep twisting so he can secure the back from the Louisiana native.
De Ridder wraps up the body triangle and has Allen leaning on him, so he torques himself to have Allen flat and stuck hand-fighting. While Allen fights off the grip, De Ridder makes his life miserable and lets Allen keep twisting to put him flat on his belly. Allen gets to his knees with the body lock in place, and he tries to drag himself towards the fencing but begins to take shots to the ear from the Dutch fighter. De Ridder rolls and grabs hold of the neck, and Allen, a rear-naked choke specialist, is fully capable at the moment of defending from the various directions. De Ridder clings to the shoulder when Allen almost shakes him off, and he fastens an arm around the chin just to restrict the breathing. De Ridder flattens Allen out for a second and stars bludgeoning him with punches to the side and back of the head, and Herzog is telling him to knock it off but little more. Allen twists his way out and ignores an armbar setup to turn De Ridder over, and the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Round 2
The athletes get to the second stanza, and Allen is the one to push the pace. In doing so, he walks into a punch and three body kicks. Allen points at his opponent and spins at him with an elbow, closing the distance to hurl a couple short strikes after it. De Ridder welcomes this, snatching Allen up and pressing him to the wire. De Ridder drives knees to the midsection when not level changing, and he drops down to his knees to go for a double-leg takedown. Allen’s defense holds up on this effort, so de Ridder transitions to an outside trip that he uses to drag Allen to the floor. De Ridder sits on top and pops him with his shoulder a few times, completely nullifying “All In” and making him have to fight off everything. De Ridder imposes his weight on Allen’s back, pushing off the fence to drag them down, and Allen slides out and assumes top control with a sneaky reversal.
Allen connects with short strikes including a few slashing elbows, grinding his forehead down to exude as much pressure as he can muster to shut down the Dutchman. Allen hammers his opponent with elbows, and de Ridder rolls to threaten with an armbar using his offensive guard. Allen breaks through the tries and steps over through to the side so that he can drum down his own attacks. De Ridder looks for an armbar trap while Allen is hacking at him, and Allen stays smart and keeps his strikes tight and compact to not open himself up for anything. De Ridder abandons it and rolls over to his knees, only for Allen to put him back on his back. The Dutch fighter puts his legs up and to the side of the head in hopes of catching Allen unaware, even trying for an armbar before even getting hold of Allen’s limb, and Allen laughs it off and hits de Ridder with ground-and-pound until the round wraps.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 3
Allen goes right after his opponent to get started, pitching a body kick at the Dutch fighter who appears to be slowing. De Ridder punches his way into a takedown shot, and Allen runs across the cage with de Ridder behind him and is dragged to the floor. De Ridder clings onto the back and tries to lace up a body triangle, and Allen turns through it until he doesn’t. De Ridder claims back control, and he starts hunting for a choke. Allen punches him behind his own head, and de Ridder appears to have some damage around his right eye that is leaking blood down his cheek. Allen turns all the way through to wind up on top, and de Ridder clings to an arm-triangle choke that he does not get. Allen opens up the guard with elbows, and de Ridder hunts for an armbar that is nowhere near close to finding.
De Ridder does manage to turn over by threatening with his offensive guard, although Allen welcomes this by opening up with power punches to the side of the dome. De Ridder rolls to his back, and Allen lays into him with punishing punches and eviscerating elbows. Blood starts to pool around de Ridder’s eye sockets, and Allen grinds his elbow on the face and keeps doing damage. De Ridder desperately throws up his legs to hook in an inverted triangle choke, and Allen does not appear concerned as he drops down a few hammerfists and slips his head out. The round over, de Ridder is on the ground for quite some time. Herzog asks him if he can get up, and eventually, he stands, but was precariously close to being called out for not getting back to his stool.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 4
The physician checks on de Ridder between rounds, who is so visibly fatigued he almost cannot stand up. De Ridder says he is ok, so the fight continues and the championship rounds are here. Allen, knowing that de Ridder’s goose is likely cooked, sprints at his wiped opponent and completes one of the easiest double-leg takedowns he has ever landed against a high-level adversary. De Ridder feebly offers a submission setup from his back, and Allen punches him out of it. Herzog tells Allen to keep it clean, as Allen is drilling de Ridder in the side of the head with his fists and elbows. A hematoma has formed on the right temple of the exhausted Dutchman, and Allen slowly, methodically drums on him with ground-and-pound. Allen resides in de Ridder’s guard, working him over until Herzog tells him to be more active.
This spurs de Ridder, of the two, to offer up some resistance in the form of an armbar. Allen lets de Ridder twist and turn, clubbing him with ground strikes that further make this day the worst for de Ridder in quite some time. The damage is not particularly frightening, but Allen has become a steamroller completely taking all of the energy reserves out of the man on bottom. Allen smothers and grinds, making sure that de Ridder has no room for escape and no space to get something off. Allen stands up, and de Ridder does not. Herzog tells the corner to get away, as they cannot help him back up. De Ridder manages to stand. It is a moral victory, him merely standing up and walking to his stool, as he has nothing left to offer. Rather than send their man out for another five-minute slow cooking, the Dutchman's corner throws in the towel on his behalf. The fight is over, and Allen has prevailed by technical knockout as a late replacement. Allen claimed he wanted to break his opponent, and by definition, he did just that.
In his post-fight interview, Allen first requests a moment of silence for his fallen former coach, "Duke" Roufus, who passed away yesterday. Even after 20 minutes of grueling combat, Allen appears fairly fresh. The skillful middleweight issues three callouts, covering all his bases: Khamzat Chimaev, or if not him, Dricus du Plessis. If for some reason both turn him down, he asks for a rematch with Sean Strickland as the two toed the line about five years ago at 195 pounds. Should any of those happen, we will be here for it. Additionally, UFC 321 is next weekend, with the heavyweight throne on the line. We will absolutely be there for that one, which starts at 10 a.m. ET, and we hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Reinier de Ridder R4 5:00 via TKO (Corner Stoppage)
Angelo is confident Reinier de Ridder wins, citing his size, grappling, and durability. He notes de Ridder's impressive performances against Whittaker, Bo Nickal, and Cannonier. He believes Brendan Allen will fade, similar to his fight against Anthony Hernandez, and that Allen's camp change is a disadvantage.
Big Brady acknowledges de Ridder's unorthodox striking but highlights his size, power, and dangerous knees. He thinks de Ridder has better cardio than Allen on short notice and is more dangerous in both striking and grappling. He predicts de Ridder knocks out Allen in the second round.
Cody picks de Ridder, citing his size, physicality, and excellent jiu-jitsu. He notes de Ridder's funky striking and ability to tax opponents with cage control, as seen in the Whittaker fight. He believes Brendan Allen's cardio issues and short notice will be exploited over five rounds, leading to a late stoppage or decision.
Connor leans toward de Ridder but acknowledges Allen's chances. He notes that Allen is well-rounded and could be competitive if he pushes forward and stays confident. However, he thinks Allen is likely to grapple with de Ridder, which plays into de Ridder's strengths. Connor also mentions that de Ridder is defensively flawed and could be knocked out by a big shot.
James sees similarities between de Ridder and Dricus du Plessis, noting that de Ridder's unorthodox style, including a devastating step-in knee and judo trips, makes him difficult to prepare for. He believes Brendan Allen will start well but fade due to short notice and cardio issues, with de Ridder's pressure and grappling taking over in later rounds. James predicts a finish in rounds 3 or 4.
The host thinks de Ridder will utilize his aggressiveness to keep Allen on the back foot and mix in wrestling. He believes Allen's submission defense will be good enough to avoid a finish, but unless the short notice fight causes his gas tank to fail, de Ridder will keep top pressure and control to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing de Ridder's size and grappling pressure. He highlights Brendan Allen's tendency to fade in later rounds, as seen against Vettori and Curtis, and believes de Ridder's full camp and five-round experience will be decisive. He expects de Ridder to win by late stoppage or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder over Brendan Allen. He references de Ridder's performance against Whittaker and his body knees. He believes Allen is stationary and will be vulnerable to body knees, leading to a submission or TKO. He predicts de Ridder will hurt Allen with a knee to the body and finish with a submission in round two or three.
Zane picks de Ridder, citing his aggression and ability to finish. He notes that de Ridder is more aggressive and looks to finish, while Allen tends to have close fights against composed opponents. Zane believes de Ridder's size and ability to reverse positions will be key, and that Allen's attack-focused grappling may lead to losing positions.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Whittaker | 1 | 66 of 142 | 46% | 70 of 146 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:36 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 67 of 145 | 46% | 192 of 282 | 2 of 15 | 13% | 0 | 0 | 9:06 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Whittaker | 0 | 20 of 34 | 58% | 21 of 35 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 15 of 35 | 42% | 21 of 42 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:12 | |
| 2 | Robert Whittaker | 0 | 9 of 27 | 33% | 9 of 27 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 16 of 38 | 42% | 29 of 58 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 2:04 | |
| 3 | Robert Whittaker | 1 | 20 of 28 | 71% | 21 of 29 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:32 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 13 of 30 | 43% | 32 of 51 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:39 | |
| 4 | Robert Whittaker | 0 | 6 of 22 | 27% | 8 of 24 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 14 of 24 | 58% | 37 of 48 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:56 | |
| 5 | Robert Whittaker | 0 | 11 of 31 | 35% | 11 of 31 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 9 of 18 | 50% | 73 of 83 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:15 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Whittaker | 66 of 142 | 46% | 62 of 135 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 51 of 123 | 4 of 5 | 11 of 14 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 67 of 145 | 46% | 41 of 105 | 26 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 54 of 128 | 9 of 11 | 4 of 6 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Whittaker | 20 of 34 | 58% | 19 of 33 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 19 of 33 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 15 of 35 | 42% | 6 of 19 | 9 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 30 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Robert Whittaker | 9 of 27 | 33% | 8 of 26 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 27 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 16 of 38 | 42% | 12 of 32 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 15 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | |
| 3 | Robert Whittaker | 20 of 28 | 71% | 20 of 28 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 13 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 14 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 13 of 30 | 43% | 10 of 24 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 26 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | |
| 4 | Robert Whittaker | 6 of 22 | 27% | 6 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 20 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 14 of 24 | 58% | 10 of 18 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 21 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Robert Whittaker | 11 of 31 | 35% | 9 of 26 | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Reinier de Ridder | 9 of 18 | 50% | 3 of 12 | 6 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 15 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Reinier de Ridder with low confidence, fearing Robert Whittaker may be on the decline after his teeth were shoved in by Khamzat Chimaev. He acknowledges Whittaker is the better striker and overall fighter, but believes de Ridder's size, grappling, and ability to close distance could be too much. He will be rooting for Whittaker.
Big Brady picks Robert Whittaker, citing a massive striking advantage. He notes de Ridder has poor cardio and was outstruck by Gerald Meerschaert, while Whittaker has elite takedown defense and striking. He worries about the first round if de Ridder gets a takedown but believes if the fight extends, Whittaker will dominate. He predicts a third-round knockout.
Connor sees Whittaker as a master of middle distance, able to control the pocket and land combos without getting drawn into clinch exchanges. He notes de Ridder's poor defensive footwork and tendency to collapse into the cage, which Whittaker will exploit. He also points out that de Ridder's size and willingness to take punishment may make it uncomfortable early, but ultimately Whittaker's speed and accuracy will be too much.
Whittaker will avoid de Ridder's BJJ stylings, stuff takedowns, keep the fight upright, pick de Ridder apart, and eventually find a finish in the third or fourth round.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder, citing his size, reach, and unorthodox style as problems for Whittaker, similar to Dricus du Plessis. He notes Whittaker's recent jaw surgery and de Ridder's momentum from the Bo Nickal win. He predicts a submission victory, specifically a rear-naked choke in the third round after wearing Whittaker down.
Zane agrees with Connor, emphasizing that de Ridder has never faced a striker as fast, accurate, and powerful as Whittaker. He notes that Whittaker's losses come against elite wrestlers or rangy strikers like Adesanya, but de Ridder lacks that athleticism. He expects a clear win for Whittaker, possibly similar to the Aliskerov fight.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 1 | 22 of 32 | 68% | 91 of 104 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:09 |
| Bo Nickal | 0 | 8 of 21 | 38% | 24 of 40 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:24 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 5 of 10 | 50% | 43 of 49 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:52 |
| Bo Nickal | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 17 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:00 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 1 | 17 of 22 | 77% | 48 of 55 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:17 |
| Bo Nickal | 0 | 6 of 15 | 40% | 7 of 16 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 22 of 32 | 68% | 9 of 18 | 13 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 15 | 15 of 17 | 0 of 0 |
| Bo Nickal | 8 of 21 | 38% | 2 of 13 | 4 of 5 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 14 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 5 of 10 | 50% | 2 of 7 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Bo Nickal | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 17 of 22 | 77% | 7 of 11 | 10 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 10 | 11 of 12 | 0 of 0 |
| Bo Nickal | 6 of 15 | 40% | 1 of 8 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: ODDS: Nickal (-325), de Ridder (+260)
Round 1
The co-main event of UFC on ESPN 67 features a couple of middleweight ground specialists who have yet to suffer defeat in the Octagon, but the similarities end there, as former ONE two-division champ de Ridder will pit his Brazilian jiu-jitsu chops against Nickal, perhaps the most accomplished amateur wrestler ever to cross over to mixed martial arts this early in his athletic prime. Something’s got to give, and Mike Beltran will be charged with keeping things legal. Both fighters come out in southpaw stance, and Nickal wastes no time in clinching and driving the taller man to the cage. After some pummeling for position, but no serious takedown attempts by either man, they break things off and move away from the fence. It’s “The Dutch Knight” who initiates the next clinch, appearing to contemplate a takedown of his own, but Nickal spins him against the fence. De Ridder reverses him again and throws a couple of short punches to the body. Nickal drops for a single-leg, picks the opposite ankle and grounds de Ridder with ease near the base of the fence. As de Ridder begins to stand, Nickal grabs a guillotine, closes his guard and tries to submit the submission specialist. There’s nothing doing there, and Nickal is forced to give up the choke. Worse, he is forced to give up top position to de Ridder, who sets up in half guard. Nickal gets up and de Ridder threatens to take his back. Nickal gets his hips out and uses a double-leg to stand, then ground de Ridder. The horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Round 2
De Ridder comes forward fearlessly to open Round 2, throwing a knee up the middle and driving Nickal towards the fence. They clinch and de Ridder uses an overhook to hold the shorter man in place for a couple of left knees to the breadbasket. Nickal hauls de Ridder away from the fence, but de Ridder follows him and nails him with a big knee to the sternum. It takes a few seconds for de Ridder to realize how badly he has his man hurt, but he sticks with what brought him to the dance, driving more knees into the retreating American. Nickal staggers back to the fence and slides to his right as de Ridder follows, pouring on the punishment.
Nickal tries to come off the fence with an overhand left, but it misses badly and de Ridder keeps crushing him as he goes careening all the way across the cage. A final right knee to the jaw melts Nickal, who collapses to all fours at the base of the fence. With Nickal having taken about 20 unanswered strikes and making no move to defend himself, referee Beltran moves in to halt the onslaught.
Reinier de Ridder has taken care of business, putting away one of the UFC’s most highly touted prospects in shockingly one-sided fashion. Time will tell how this result ages, and where these two men’s career tracks diverge from here, but in the moment, this did not even look like the upset it supposedly was.
The Official Result
Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal R2 1:53 via TKO (Knees)
Angelo picks Bo Nickal but is hesitant due to de Ridder's size and jiu-jitsu. He acknowledges that Nickal is the better wrestler but warns that de Ridder could get the first takedown and win on the ground. He decides not to bet on this fight despite the affordable odds, preferring to watch.
Big Brady is confident in Bo Nickal, expecting a knockout. He praises Nickal's fight IQ in the Paul Craig fight for not grappling with a dangerous submission artist. He notes that de Ridder will struggle to take Nickal down, and Nickal is the better striker with improving skills, better durability, and cardio. De Ridder has gassed out and quit in fights before. Brady predicts Nickal will knock out de Ridder in the second round.
Connor picks Nickal, but with low confidence. He acknowledges that de Ridder is a dangerous grappler with a swarming style, but believes Nickal's superior athleticism and wrestling could shut down de Ridder's game. Connor notes that de Ridder's defensive flaws on the feet make him vulnerable to Nickal's power, and if Nickal can land early, he may finish. However, he admits Nickal's inexperience and poor showing against Craig make this a risky pick.
Many are low on Nickal after the Paul Craig fight, but that was just for live striking experience. Here, he may mix in wrestling to keep de Ridder guessing. I expect Nickal to land a big shot and win by knockout.
The MMA Guru picks Bo Nickal to win by TKO in the first or second round. He believes Nickal's wrestling instincts and speed will be too much for Reinier de Ridder, who he thinks is stationary and vulnerable to straight shots. He notes that de Ridder struggled with Gerald Meerschaert and that Nickal will piece him up on the feet. He predicts Nickal will drop de Ridder early and finish him.
Zane picks de Ridder, drawing parallels to the GM3 fight where a less athletic but more experienced grappler outworked a younger wrestler. He notes that Nickal's lack of experience and poor performance against Paul Craig suggest he may struggle against de Ridder's pressure and scrambling. Zane worries that Nickal will get tired or panic if he can't impose his wrestling, leading to a late submission loss. However, he acknowledges Nickal's higher athletic ceiling could change the outcome.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 11 of 13 | 84% | 27 of 32 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Kevin Holland | 0 | 12 of 21 | 57% | 26 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:25 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 11 of 13 | 84% | 27 of 32 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Kevin Holland | 0 | 12 of 21 | 57% | 26 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:25 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 11 of 13 | 84% | 10 of 12 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 10 |
| Kevin Holland | 12 of 21 | 57% | 11 of 20 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 21 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 11 of 13 | 84% | 10 of 12 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 10 |
| Kevin Holland | 12 of 21 | 57% | 11 of 20 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 21 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: De Ridder (-112), Holland (-108)
Round 1
Striker battles grappler to kick off the main card of UFC 311, although that might be a bit of an overgeneralization considering Holland (26-12, 1 NC; 13-9, 1 NC UFC) has landed some nifty brabo chokes in recent memory. He will come to blows, and/or roll with de Ridder (18-2, 1-0 UFC, who got his feet wet in the UFC last November by outhustling savant submission specialist Gerald Meerschaert and tapping “GM3” out. Whether this fight ends by knockout, submission or something else entirely, referee Frank Trigg will be here for the middleweights every step of the way. There is a touch of gloves to get things going, and de Ridder shoots in for a single immediately. Holland hits his back and wraps a leg around the head of his opponent, setting up a triangle and nearly transitioning it to an armbar. When de Ridder lords over him, Holland drills him with surprisingly effective hammerfists from his back. De Ridder lowers himself down into the guard, thwarting any subs coming his way. De Ridder grinds down with elbows to the chest, with Holland hanging onto the wrists before flailing his legs to get some space. An upkick or two may have gotten de Ridder’s attention, but de Ridder is still on top of him. Holland starts talking to Trigg, mentioning that he took a knee to the head, and he laughs. Holland keeps striking from off his back, and de Ridder elbows him back to shred a mean cut open on his forehead. Holland sways to avoid more ground-and-pound, but the Dutch fighter drew first blood. De Ridder unloads with standing-to-ground punches, pinning Holland to his back and letting Holland scramble so he can take his back. Holland stands up, and de Ridder is on his back, but barely. Holland lowers himself down to put his arms on the mat to take some of the weight off, and he rolls through and is followed. “RDR” fastens the body triangle around the waist and locks down a rear-naked choke, and it is tight in a hurry. Holland considers taking his mouthpiece out to alleviate some of the danger, but he realizes that his goose is cooked and that the man formerly known as “The Dutch Knight” has him dead to rights. As the choke is not going anywhere, Holland has no choice but to tap out before getting put to sleep. With that clear-cut win in his pocket, de Ridder places himself in prime position for big fights ahead.
The Official Result
Reinier de Ridder def. Kevin Holland R1 3:31 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo picks Reinier de Ridder but with hesitation. He believes de Ridder can exploit Kevin Holland's takedown defense and win via grappling. However, he worries about de Ridder's reckless ground decision-making, as seen in his UFC debut where he gave up positions. He thinks Holland's durability and jiu-jitsu could make it a decision win for de Ridder.
Cody picks Reinier de Ridder, citing the blueprint to beat Kevin Holland: take him down and control him. He notes that Holland struggles with wrestlers at middleweight, as seen against Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori. De Ridder is a large middleweight with strong judo and grappling, and Cody believes he will close the distance, clinch, and take Holland down repeatedly. He also points out that Holland has never faced an opponent taller than him, but de Ridder is 6'4". Cody expects a submission or dominant decision.
Connor picks de Ridder, citing his size, grappling, and ability to bait Holland into a grappling exchange. He notes that Holland's core is a BJJ player who sees wrestling as an invitation to grapple, which plays into de Ridder's strengths. Connor points out that de Ridder is huge and tough, and even though he's a poor striker, his lead hand and jab can set up takedowns. He believes Holland's poor takedown defense and tendency to engage in losing grappling battles will lead to a de Ridder win. Connor also mentions that de Ridder has only lost to massive powerhouses, which Holland is not.
Daniel picks de Ridder, continuing his fade of Kevin Holland. He notes that de Ridder attempted 13 takedowns in his debut and believes he only needs to take Holland down once to win. Daniel thinks de Ridder will submit Holland and took him at +126 for 2 units. He mentions that Holland is a prize fighter without title aspirations, while de Ridder is hungry.
Lucrative James picks Reinier de Ridder, citing his superior grappling and jiu-jitsu, which should exploit Kevin Holland's known weakness against grapplers. He notes Holland's poor takedown defense and tendency to abandon game plans, while de Ridder's judo trips and submissions (arm triangle, rear-naked choke) are live threats. James believes de Ridder only needs a couple of takedowns to win rounds or secure a submission, and that Holland's rangy striking style plays into de Ridder's comfort zone. He also questions Holland's motivation, contrasting it with de Ridder's title aspirations.
The host notes de Ridder had a successful UFC debut and wants to showcase his BJJ. Holland is also a BJJ black belt with a striking advantage, but the host thinks Holland will struggle to keep de Ridder off him, leading to de Ridder finding a dominant position and getting a submission victory.
Paul agrees with Cody, picking de Ridder. He notes that Holland has always struggled with takedown defense at middleweight and that de Ridder's grappling should be the difference. Paul was impressed with de Ridder's submission win over Gerald Meerschaert and believes the same game plan will work against Holland. He advises de Ridder to avoid striking exchanges and lean on takedowns early and often.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder to submit Kevin Holland. He notes Holland is a fish out of water when taken down, and de Ridder has a massive strength advantage. He expects de Ridder to get on top and submit Holland early or in the second round. He also questions Holland's quitting tendency.
Zane also picks de Ridder, agreeing with Connor. He emphasizes that Holland's willingness to engage in grappling exchanges will be his downfall. Zane notes that de Ridder's size and grappling ability will allow him to control the fight once it hits the mat. He points out that Holland has been taken down and controlled by lesser grapplers, and de Ridder is a significant step up. Zane also mentions that Holland's striking is inconsistent, and even if he has a good boxing performance, he'll likely abandon it for grappling.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 30 of 54 | 55% | 44 of 72 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 2:53 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 1 | 38 of 66 | 57% | 82 of 114 | 5 of 13 | 38% | 1 | 0 | 3:29 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 21 of 34 | 61% | 21 of 34 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:10 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 1 | 28 of 53 | 52% | 33 of 59 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 9 of 17 | 52% | 22 of 34 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:25 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 0 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 35 of 39 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 1:49 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:18 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 0 | 5 of 7 | 71% | 14 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 0:56 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 30 of 54 | 55% | 27 of 49 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 22 of 44 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 7 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 38 of 66 | 57% | 19 of 42 | 10 of 13 | 9 of 11 | 34 of 61 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 21 of 34 | 61% | 19 of 30 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 19 of 32 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 28 of 53 | 52% | 14 of 34 | 5 of 8 | 9 of 11 | 26 of 51 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 9 of 17 | 52% | 8 of 16 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 7 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 5 of 6 | 83% | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Gerald Meerschaert | 5 of 7 | 71% | 3 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: De Ridder (-290), Meerschaert (+235)
Round 1
In their combined 54 pro wins, these two co-headlining middleweights have earned 50 finishes. Referee Mike Beltran better buckle up as soon as these two get started, as Meerschaert (37-17, 12-9 UFC) is just as dangerous in the first minute as he is in the last. Ridder (17-2, 0-0 UFC) will be coming over from One Championship, where level of competition and some other policies differ significantly, and it remains to be seen if there are any immediate growing pains. If this hits the ground, hang on tight. The 185ers touch ‘em up, and de Ridder starts out with multiple front kicks. Meerschaert chases after him with a one-two, and de Ridder’s front kick gets plenty of work early. De Ridder awkwardly lunges his way in, and he gets popped with a right hand before backing off. “RDR” chips at the front leg twice before Meerschaert gets his hands on him, with Meerschaert connecting with a series of punches that redden the newcomer’s face up. De Ridder uses a low kick to set up a takedown attempt, scooping up the middleweight submission leader in the UFC and putting him down to the ground. De Ridder passes briefly, but Meerschaert flips him over and fights off a triangle choke setup to allow them both to stand. Meerschaert stabs out a jab, and he rips a left to the ribcage. Meerschaert scores two left hands, and his subsequent right hand draws a funny reaction out of the UFC debutant. Meerschaert checks a body kick and swarms forward with several powerful punches. De Ridder wobbles back, gets clipped with a left hand and ducks down to prevent any further harm. “GM3” shuts down a takedown with ease and slides to the side, and he eats a jab on the way out. A de Ridder low kick gets checked, and he sets up a few punches with a jab and takes a few on the chin before backing off. Meerschaert connects with a solid left hook and jumps guard for a guillotine choke, but de Ridder shucks him out of the way. Meerschaert kicks him off, stands up and deals with a jump knee. Meerschaert stuffs a takedown and sets up a power guillotine, only to use the grip to push off. De Ridder swings wide, has a low kick checked and shoots for a failed entry. Meerschaert drills him with an elbow when fighting of the takedown, and de Ridder pecks at him with distant jabs. Meerschaert gives him one jab back to think about, and de Ridder sits down on a right hand that gets Meerschaert’s attention. Meerschaert closes in and dings him with an uppercut, and he gets sent flying with an elbow and a looping left hand. Before “RDR” can put a stamp on things, the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Round 2
To start off the second round, de Ridder wants to put hands on what he thinks to be a wounded fighter. Meerschaert appears to have his sea legs out him, and he swings back and tags the newcomer a few times. “RDR” walks him down, wraps up a body lock and hits an easy trip. Meerschaert turns to his side as de Ridder hopes to establish to half guard. De Ridder sneaks in an elbow before Meerschaert hand-fights with two-on-one wrist control on the Dutchman’s left arm, and de Ridder uses the opportunity to nearly slide out of danger. De Ridder sets up a choke while on his seat, and Meerschaert pushes him off and unloads with a lengthy punch combination. De Ridder still works his way upright, threaten with a throw and falls over. Meerschaert jumps on top, moving right into half guard and opening up with strikes. A brief arm-triangle choke from the American is flirted with, but Meerschaert bails on it to nail the debuting fighter with an elbow. De Ridder re-fastens his guard before tugging his toes on the fencing, and he pushes Meerschaert to his feet. “GM3” lowers himself back down while smacking de Ridder in the chops with punches. De Ridder fires back, and he lifts a leg up in hopes of hooking up a triangle. Meerschaert is wise to it and shucks it off, and he takes a few punches from “RDR” off his back. De Ridder fishes for an arm, and he uses it to work his way back to his feet. De Ridder turns the tables with a trip, placing the underdog on his back before having to fight out of an armbar. Meerschaert goes for one more submission as the 10-second clapper sounds, and he flips “RDR” over before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Meerschaert
Round 3
The middleweights touch ‘em up to get the last round going, and Meerschaert is the one pushing the pace in pursuit of a clinch and possible takedown. De Ridder fights his way off the wall, only for Meerschaert to trip him down to his face. De Ridder stands back up, and Meerschaert shoots for a single that is defended. De Ridder drives a knee to the torso while Meerschaert stands up, and he trips “GM3” up and tosses him to the mat like a side of beef. Meerschaert squirms the right direction and puts de Ridder on the mat, evading a front choke while scurrying as fast as he can to put de Ridder on his back.
De Ridder repositions to full mount, and he locks down an arm-triangle choke in a hurry. Meerschaert defends by answering the telephone, and he quickly finds the submission is a bit too tight for his liking. Rather than get put to sleep, a disappointed Meerschaert taps out twice.
Both exhausted fighters fall to their backs, sucking wind now that the fight is over. De Ridder becomes the first fighter since Jack Hermansson in 2018 to force “GM3” to surrender, introducing himself to his new company in a big way.
The Official Result
Reinier de Ridder def. Gerald Meerschaert R3 1:44 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)
Angelo picks Reinier de Ridder as the next evolution of Gerald Meerschaert: high-level BJJ with much better takedowns. He notes de Ridder uses his length well and can hang with anyone on the ground. He expects a high-level grappling fight and thinks the UFC matched him up this way on purpose. He will probably bet on de Ridder.
Big Brady goes back and forth but ultimately picks Meerschaert, citing de Ridder's poor cardio and striking. He expects de Ridder to come out strong but fade, allowing Meerschaert to take over in the later rounds. He predicts a third-round submission for Meerschaert.
Cody highlights de Ridder's elite grappling credentials, including a draw with Andre Galvao and a competitive loss to Tye Ruotolo. He believes de Ridder's judo and BJJ black belt will neutralize Meerschaert's submission game, and his striking is good enough to win on the feet. Cody expects de Ridder to pass this barometer test and win, possibly by knockout or decision.
Connor also picks Meerschaert, agreeing that de Ridder's striking is terrible and that Meerschaert can piece him up. He notes the size difference but thinks Meerschaert's boxing will prevail. He also comments that the odds are too wide in favor of de Ridder.
Daniel Vreeland picks Gerald Meerschaert as a dog, citing concerns about Reinier de Ridder's stamina and recent performances, including a knockout loss and a quit job. He notes Meerschaert's durability, awkward striking, and record for most submissions in UFC middleweight history. Vreeland expects a late finish if de Ridder doesn't get an early submission.
Lucrative James picks Reinier de Ridder to win, but is hesitant due to the wide odds. He notes that de Ridder is a one-dimensional grappler with poor striking, while Meerschaert is a submission specialist who could catch him. He believes de Ridder's wrestling and size advantage should allow him to dictate where the fight goes, but acknowledges that Meerschaert is dangerous off his back and could pull off a submission. He also mentions considering a bet on Meerschaert due to the value.
De Ridder's ability to take the back will be key. As his grappling wears on Meerschaert, he should open up a submission or ground-and-pound opportunity and get a finish in his UFC debut.
Paul is not excited about laying -278 on a UFC debutant, but acknowledges de Ridder's experience in big fights and his grappling advantage. He notes that Meerschaert struggles when opponents don't gas and have comparable grappling. Paul thinks de Ridder can win on points or by taking Meerschaert down and controlling him.
The Guru picks Reinier de Ridder, citing his jiu-jitsu advantage and ability to avoid being fraud-checked in grappling. He worries about de Ridder's stand-up but believes his clinch knees and body work will be key. He predicts de Ridder finishes Meerschaert with knees to the body in the second or third round, surviving any guillotine danger.
Zane picks Meerschaert, noting that de Ridder cannot strike at all and has no functional pressure. He thinks Meerschaert can outbox him easily. He also mentions that de Ridder's wins are over regional competition and that Meerschaert is a tough out. He suggests a prop on Meerschaert by decision.
Brendan Allen - Fight History
The host predicts Brendan Allen to win by submission in round two, likely with a rear naked choke. He notes that Shahbazyan is dangerous in round one with knockout power, but after that, Allen's grappling advantage takes over. He mentions that Allen has good takedowns and a strong back take, and that Shahbazyan's takedown defense fades as the fight goes on.
AJ believes Brendan Allen will dominate with his superior grappling, taking the fight to the ground and submitting Edmen Shahbazyan. He notes Allen's striking is decent enough to close distance, and Shahbazyan's ground game remains a question mark. AJ sees this as a clear grappling mismatch.
AJ picks Allen by submission, emphasizing Allen's elite grappling and wrestling advantage over Shahbazyan. He acknowledges Shahbazyan's striking skills but believes Allen will get the fight to the ground and submit him. AJ notes Allen's recent wins over top competition and expects a submission victory.
Angelo picks Brendan Allen, citing his clear advantage in wrestling and takedowns. He notes that Shahbazyan's takedown defense is a huge hole, and as long as Allen sticks to the game plan of getting takedowns and keeping him on the ground, he wins. He is slightly concerned about Allen's recent training camp comments but assumes he is ready.
Big Brady picks Brendan Allen to win by second round submission. He is not impressed with Shahbazyan's recent wins and notes that Shahbazyan quits when grappled. He thinks Allen should take him down and submit him, but worries about Allen's fight IQ and tendency to strike. He believes Allen is the better fighter and should win.
Brendan Allen fights like an idiot and often sells fights, as seen against Chris Curtis and Anthony Hernandez. Edmen Shahbazyan has knockout power and will likely chin Allen in round two. Shahbazyan is a huge underdog but has been training takedown defense at Extreme Couture.
Cody confidently picks Brendan Allen, arguing that Allen's wrestling and grappling will overwhelm Shahbazyan as the fight progresses. He notes Shahbazyan is dangerous in the first round but fades, and Allen has proven cardio and durability against top competition. He sees Allen as a -600 fighter at -200.
Brendan Allen is picked because he has better versatility and can grapple with Edmen Shahbazyan. The host is not sold on Shahbazyan's resurgence, noting his wins over Andre Muniz and Andre Petroski are not impressive. Allen's ground and pound and submission skills are highlighted, though he makes mistakes. The host expects Allen to win by decision, using cage control and clinch work.
Allen is a top-five middleweight with a clear grappling advantage. Shahbazyan has been submitted by lesser grapplers and hasn't faced anyone near Allen's level. Allen should get a first-round submission.
Lucrative James acknowledges Brendan Allen is the better all-round fighter and would pick him if forced, but sees value in Edmen Shahbazyan as a plus-money underdog. He notes Shahbazyan's knockout power and Allen's questionable durability and fight IQ, especially after Allen's brawl with Marvin Vettori. He believes Shahbazyan's best path is a round 1 or 2 KO, and that the betting value lies on the underdog.
Allen has superior durability and cardio; he should weather Shahbazyan's early striking and then take over in later rounds with grappling and body kicks. Shahbazyan tends to fade, and Allen will likely get a rear-naked choke in round 2.
Paul picks Brendan Allen but is hesitant due to Shahbazyan's first-round danger. He agrees Allen will take over in rounds 2 and 3, but is not getting heavily invested pre-fight. He suggests live betting Allen after the first round for better value.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 9 of 13 | 69% | 61 of 72 | 3 of 7 | 42% | 1 | 0 | 7:05 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 22 of 37 | 59% | 97 of 134 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 2 | 11:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 40 of 47 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:04 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:32 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 5 of 6 | 83% | 10 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:48 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 12 of 18 | 66% | 27 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:45 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 4 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 1:13 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 10 | 40% | 27 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 3:26 | |
| 4 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 37 of 45 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 4:56 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinier de Ridder | 9 of 13 | 69% | 4 of 5 | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 10 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 1 |
| Brendan Allen | 22 of 37 | 59% | 19 of 33 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 19 of 27 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reinier de Ridder | 3 of 4 | 75% | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
| Brendan Allen | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Reinier de Ridder | 5 of 6 | 83% | 2 of 2 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 12 of 18 | 66% | 11 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 13 | |
| 3 | Reinier de Ridder | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 4 of 10 | 40% | 4 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 | |
| 4 | Reinier de Ridder | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 4 of 7 | 57% | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: de Ridder (-200); Allen (+170)
Round 1
Although not born in the Great White North, late replacement Allen (25-7, 13-4 UFC) will nevertheless be hoisting the flag covered by a red maple leaf in honor of his grandparents. He will serve as a fairly significant betting underdog as he takes on submission magician de Ridder (21-2, 4-0 UFC), even though he too is quite a grappler in his own right. What could be a delight on the ground or a wild one on the feet will have five rounds to air out, and referee Jason Herzog brings the 185-pounders to the center of the cage to issue their final instructions. They touch gloves respectfully. It’s on with the show.
De Ridder opens with a low kick and a takedown shot, and Allen stonewalls him immediately and knees him in the chest. They both wrangle one another around in the subsequent clinch while spamming knee strikes, and Allen shoves the Dutchman to the fence. De Ridder deftly hits a trip and lands in full mount, putting Allen in a precarious position less than one minute in. “The Dutch Knight” wraps up an arm-triangle choke from mount that he uses to smother his opponent. Allen stays calm and composed while a roughly 200-pound man is partially using a Mother’s Milk submission on him, and he turns and almost gives his arm up. De Ridder thinks about going after it, but he instead allows Allen to keep twisting so he can secure the back from the Louisiana native.
De Ridder wraps up the body triangle and has Allen leaning on him, so he torques himself to have Allen flat and stuck hand-fighting. While Allen fights off the grip, De Ridder makes his life miserable and lets Allen keep twisting to put him flat on his belly. Allen gets to his knees with the body lock in place, and he tries to drag himself towards the fencing but begins to take shots to the ear from the Dutch fighter. De Ridder rolls and grabs hold of the neck, and Allen, a rear-naked choke specialist, is fully capable at the moment of defending from the various directions. De Ridder clings to the shoulder when Allen almost shakes him off, and he fastens an arm around the chin just to restrict the breathing. De Ridder flattens Allen out for a second and stars bludgeoning him with punches to the side and back of the head, and Herzog is telling him to knock it off but little more. Allen twists his way out and ignores an armbar setup to turn De Ridder over, and the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 de Ridder
Round 2
The athletes get to the second stanza, and Allen is the one to push the pace. In doing so, he walks into a punch and three body kicks. Allen points at his opponent and spins at him with an elbow, closing the distance to hurl a couple short strikes after it. De Ridder welcomes this, snatching Allen up and pressing him to the wire. De Ridder drives knees to the midsection when not level changing, and he drops down to his knees to go for a double-leg takedown. Allen’s defense holds up on this effort, so de Ridder transitions to an outside trip that he uses to drag Allen to the floor. De Ridder sits on top and pops him with his shoulder a few times, completely nullifying “All In” and making him have to fight off everything. De Ridder imposes his weight on Allen’s back, pushing off the fence to drag them down, and Allen slides out and assumes top control with a sneaky reversal.
Allen connects with short strikes including a few slashing elbows, grinding his forehead down to exude as much pressure as he can muster to shut down the Dutchman. Allen hammers his opponent with elbows, and de Ridder rolls to threaten with an armbar using his offensive guard. Allen breaks through the tries and steps over through to the side so that he can drum down his own attacks. De Ridder looks for an armbar trap while Allen is hacking at him, and Allen stays smart and keeps his strikes tight and compact to not open himself up for anything. De Ridder abandons it and rolls over to his knees, only for Allen to put him back on his back. The Dutch fighter puts his legs up and to the side of the head in hopes of catching Allen unaware, even trying for an armbar before even getting hold of Allen’s limb, and Allen laughs it off and hits de Ridder with ground-and-pound until the round wraps.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 3
Allen goes right after his opponent to get started, pitching a body kick at the Dutch fighter who appears to be slowing. De Ridder punches his way into a takedown shot, and Allen runs across the cage with de Ridder behind him and is dragged to the floor. De Ridder clings onto the back and tries to lace up a body triangle, and Allen turns through it until he doesn’t. De Ridder claims back control, and he starts hunting for a choke. Allen punches him behind his own head, and de Ridder appears to have some damage around his right eye that is leaking blood down his cheek. Allen turns all the way through to wind up on top, and de Ridder clings to an arm-triangle choke that he does not get. Allen opens up the guard with elbows, and de Ridder hunts for an armbar that is nowhere near close to finding.
De Ridder does manage to turn over by threatening with his offensive guard, although Allen welcomes this by opening up with power punches to the side of the dome. De Ridder rolls to his back, and Allen lays into him with punishing punches and eviscerating elbows. Blood starts to pool around de Ridder’s eye sockets, and Allen grinds his elbow on the face and keeps doing damage. De Ridder desperately throws up his legs to hook in an inverted triangle choke, and Allen does not appear concerned as he drops down a few hammerfists and slips his head out. The round over, de Ridder is on the ground for quite some time. Herzog asks him if he can get up, and eventually, he stands, but was precariously close to being called out for not getting back to his stool.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 4
The physician checks on de Ridder between rounds, who is so visibly fatigued he almost cannot stand up. De Ridder says he is ok, so the fight continues and the championship rounds are here. Allen, knowing that de Ridder’s goose is likely cooked, sprints at his wiped opponent and completes one of the easiest double-leg takedowns he has ever landed against a high-level adversary. De Ridder feebly offers a submission setup from his back, and Allen punches him out of it. Herzog tells Allen to keep it clean, as Allen is drilling de Ridder in the side of the head with his fists and elbows. A hematoma has formed on the right temple of the exhausted Dutchman, and Allen slowly, methodically drums on him with ground-and-pound. Allen resides in de Ridder’s guard, working him over until Herzog tells him to be more active.
This spurs de Ridder, of the two, to offer up some resistance in the form of an armbar. Allen lets de Ridder twist and turn, clubbing him with ground strikes that further make this day the worst for de Ridder in quite some time. The damage is not particularly frightening, but Allen has become a steamroller completely taking all of the energy reserves out of the man on bottom. Allen smothers and grinds, making sure that de Ridder has no room for escape and no space to get something off. Allen stands up, and de Ridder does not. Herzog tells the corner to get away, as they cannot help him back up. De Ridder manages to stand. It is a moral victory, him merely standing up and walking to his stool, as he has nothing left to offer. Rather than send their man out for another five-minute slow cooking, the Dutchman's corner throws in the towel on his behalf. The fight is over, and Allen has prevailed by technical knockout as a late replacement. Allen claimed he wanted to break his opponent, and by definition, he did just that.
In his post-fight interview, Allen first requests a moment of silence for his fallen former coach, "Duke" Roufus, who passed away yesterday. Even after 20 minutes of grueling combat, Allen appears fairly fresh. The skillful middleweight issues three callouts, covering all his bases: Khamzat Chimaev, or if not him, Dricus du Plessis. If for some reason both turn him down, he asks for a rematch with Sean Strickland as the two toed the line about five years ago at 195 pounds. Should any of those happen, we will be here for it. Additionally, UFC 321 is next weekend, with the heavyweight throne on the line. We will absolutely be there for that one, which starts at 10 a.m. ET, and we hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Reinier de Ridder R4 5:00 via TKO (Corner Stoppage)
Angelo is confident Reinier de Ridder wins, citing his size, grappling, and durability. He notes de Ridder's impressive performances against Whittaker, Bo Nickal, and Cannonier. He believes Brendan Allen will fade, similar to his fight against Anthony Hernandez, and that Allen's camp change is a disadvantage.
Big Brady acknowledges de Ridder's unorthodox striking but highlights his size, power, and dangerous knees. He thinks de Ridder has better cardio than Allen on short notice and is more dangerous in both striking and grappling. He predicts de Ridder knocks out Allen in the second round.
Cody picks de Ridder, citing his size, physicality, and excellent jiu-jitsu. He notes de Ridder's funky striking and ability to tax opponents with cage control, as seen in the Whittaker fight. He believes Brendan Allen's cardio issues and short notice will be exploited over five rounds, leading to a late stoppage or decision.
Connor leans toward de Ridder but acknowledges Allen's chances. He notes that Allen is well-rounded and could be competitive if he pushes forward and stays confident. However, he thinks Allen is likely to grapple with de Ridder, which plays into de Ridder's strengths. Connor also mentions that de Ridder is defensively flawed and could be knocked out by a big shot.
James sees similarities between de Ridder and Dricus du Plessis, noting that de Ridder's unorthodox style, including a devastating step-in knee and judo trips, makes him difficult to prepare for. He believes Brendan Allen will start well but fade due to short notice and cardio issues, with de Ridder's pressure and grappling taking over in later rounds. James predicts a finish in rounds 3 or 4.
The host thinks de Ridder will utilize his aggressiveness to keep Allen on the back foot and mix in wrestling. He believes Allen's submission defense will be good enough to avoid a finish, but unless the short notice fight causes his gas tank to fail, de Ridder will keep top pressure and control to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing de Ridder's size and grappling pressure. He highlights Brendan Allen's tendency to fade in later rounds, as seen against Vettori and Curtis, and believes de Ridder's full camp and five-round experience will be decisive. He expects de Ridder to win by late stoppage or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder over Brendan Allen. He references de Ridder's performance against Whittaker and his body knees. He believes Allen is stationary and will be vulnerable to body knees, leading to a submission or TKO. He predicts de Ridder will hurt Allen with a knee to the body and finish with a submission in round two or three.
Zane picks de Ridder, citing his aggression and ability to finish. He notes that de Ridder is more aggressive and looks to finish, while Allen tends to have close fights against composed opponents. Zane believes de Ridder's size and ability to reverse positions will be key, and that Allen's attack-focused grappling may lead to losing positions.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Vettori | 0 | 109 of 253 | 43% | 115 of 262 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:17 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 111 of 224 | 49% | 119 of 233 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 1:27 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marvin Vettori | 0 | 29 of 58 | 50% | 35 of 67 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:17 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 30 of 55 | 54% | 38 of 64 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:20 | |
| 2 | Marvin Vettori | 0 | 36 of 95 | 37% | 36 of 95 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 42 of 83 | 50% | 42 of 83 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Marvin Vettori | 0 | 44 of 100 | 44% | 44 of 100 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 39 of 86 | 45% | 39 of 86 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Vettori | 109 of 253 | 43% | 98 of 239 | 5 of 7 | 6 of 7 | 99 of 240 | 4 of 5 | 6 of 8 |
| Brendan Allen | 111 of 224 | 49% | 86 of 194 | 18 of 23 | 7 of 7 | 100 of 210 | 4 of 4 | 7 of 10 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marvin Vettori | 29 of 58 | 50% | 25 of 53 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | 21 of 47 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 8 |
| Brendan Allen | 30 of 55 | 54% | 23 of 46 | 6 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 23 of 45 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 10 | |
| 2 | Marvin Vettori | 36 of 95 | 37% | 34 of 92 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 36 of 95 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 42 of 83 | 50% | 32 of 71 | 6 of 8 | 4 of 4 | 41 of 82 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Marvin Vettori | 44 of 100 | 44% | 39 of 94 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 42 of 98 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 39 of 86 | 45% | 31 of 77 | 6 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 36 of 83 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Allen (-245), Vettori (+200)
Round 1
Last year, middleweight contenders Vettori (19-8-1, 9-6-1 UFC) and Allen (24-7, 12-4 UFC) met on a casino floor, where their meeting ended with a brawl. The promotion elected to place that inside the Octagon, with referee Bassel Mahgoub in charge. They plan on settling their bad blood, and have the next 15 minutes or fewer to do so. There is no glove touch.
Vettori advances, trusting his iron chin, and he tests it early when Allen wings several high kicks and punches at him. Vettori takes them all cleanly without budging, firing back a right hook that shakes Allen up. Allen retaliates and busts Vettori’s nose up, and he shoots in for a double and hurls the Italian to the mat. Allen’s ground-and-pound makes Vettori turn around, and he takes the back and gets both hooks in. Allen starts hunting for a rear-naked choke, but partially because of the blood, Vettori slips his neck free. The explosive Italian surges up to a knee despite Allen riding him like a bucking bronco, under fire the whole time. Chants for “USA” in support of Allen boom in the building, and he clasps his hands and takes Vettori for a ride. Allen clings on the back but slides off, with Vettori assuming top position and finding himself quickly in leglock danger. Vettori pushes through the sub setup to spin around and deliver fierce ground-and-pound until Allen ties him up.
Vettori uses his elbow to bash Allen in the cheek, and his own strikes briefly have Allen turning around to present his own back. Vettori threatens with a rear-naked choke, and Allen shakes him off and gets to his feet. Allen drives a kick to the ribs, and they both nail one another with looping punches. Vettori’s face is a bloody mess but there may not be many individual cuts on it, and he is unconcerned as he lets his hands go and rings Allen’s bell once or twice. Allen absorbs a body kick and a right hand, and he jabs his man back. Allen tries to put a few punches together, and Vettori hits him harder and makes him reevaluate his approach. Vettori follows a jab with a left hand, and Allen cracks him with a right that sends him staggering back. Allen leaps forward and takes a right hand on the bow, and when he lands, they bang it out to the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 2
The middleweights measure one another with early jabs, with Allen’ head movement protecting him from most other than a couple straight left hands that reach him. Allen responds with a body kick, and Vettori snaps his head back with power jabs. A huge left hook from Vettori goes wide, and Allen times a solid body shot down the middle. Allen loops two lefts around the guard and points at the Italian, and Vettori returns fire with a pair of one-twos. Allen has busted Vettori up again with his brief but effective combos, and he times an elbow when Vettori comes at him. Allen slams a shin to the ribs and pecks out a jab, escaping out of the way from the worst of a pair of hooks. The two trade it out, with Allen pushing Vettori back after the exchange. Allen snaps out several jabs, rocking Vettori with two subsequent right hands that he celebrates by pointing at Vettori again. Allen walks Vettori down to the wall, cornering him and making him bite on fakes and feints.
Allen is briefly drawn into a slugfest that knocks him back, and he sees the telegraphed hurled arms coming at and past him. When Vettori misses, Allen stabs him in the torso with two front kicks, toes extended. They land at the same time, and Allen counts his connect and hits Vettori again for good measure. Vettori is bloodied and bruised but still throwing just as hard as before, clipping Allen at the end of a left but not slowing him down one instant. Allen is right back in his face with jabs and right hands to follow, and a body kick lands on the belt line as Vettori appears briefly concerned of a foul but does not ask for it to be called. Allen overswings a right hand, and Vettori stands him up with his counter. Allen replies with a right hand and points once more, drawing “The Italian Dream” into a slugfest where he controls the terms of engagement. Vettori knocks Allen back a step with a punch or two, but he cannot get Allen to reset as the pressure may be starting to get to him. Allen wraps his foot upside Vettori’s head, and Vettori drills him with a punch combination right as the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 3
Reaching the last round, Allen reintroduces himself with a body kick. Vettori does not want to be left out, and he hurls a high kick at his opponent that bangs into the guard. Allen chips at the front leg to disrupt Vettori’s forward movement, drilling him with a one-two after it. Allen pops Vettori in the chops with a right hand, briefly stunning him, but his remarkable durability is on display again as Allen walks him down pointing at him. Allen keeps his right hand up to parry the check right hook coming his way, slipping around another to catch Vettori. Not to be outdone, Vettori hurts Allen with a combination. Allen gathers his thoughts and makes blood spray from the Italian’s face with a thunderous combination, but Vettori does not so much as wobble. Vettori mixes up punches to split the guard with one, and Allen gives him something to think about with one to the solar plexus. Vettori wings a big left hand that skims off the side of the head, and his right that follows hits a little harder. Allen ignores them to work the body with a kick.
Allen keeps on the pressure, celebrating his handiwork when something clean lands and he avoids the response. He does this a few times, as Vettori slows every so often but is still throwing fire. Vettori whiffs with looping punches, and a left hand knocks Allen back a bit. Allen bites down on his mouthpiece and cracks Vettori back. Vettori is a bruiser and stands right in the pocket to trade, while Allen does the same and follows a few punches with a knee that stings his opponent. Vettori a little shaken up, Allen takes him down with a well-timed double. The Italian does not stay grounded for long, exploding back to his feet with a bit under a minute left. The defense falls through the floor for these two, who jack one another in the jaw with everything they still have. Allen lands a left and gets up a head kick on the other side, and his follow-up elbow hurts Vettori. Vettori backs off to the fence, bounces off it and rallies to engage in one final brawl. “All In” obliges him, and the two middleweights bang it out right to the final bell in a blood-and-guts battle that is an early frontrunner for “Fight of the Night” if one is awarded at night’s end. Each round was individually close, so scores could be all over the map here.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen (30-27 Allen)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vettori (29-28 Allen)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vettori (29-28 Allen)
The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Marvin Vettori via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Marvin Vettori despite being an underdog, citing his durability and consistent forward pressure. He questions Brendan Allen's mental consistency and identity, noting Allen's talent but tendency to underperform. He suggests a plus 3.5 bet on Vettori as a safer play.
Big Brady leans Marvin Vettori, disagreeing with the line that makes Allen a heavy favorite. He argues Vettori has advantages in striking volume, cardio, and durability, and that Allen's best wins are unimpressive. He expects a close split decision, possibly influenced by Allen's hometown.
The host thinks this is a great matchup for Vettori to keep the fight upright, bully Allen in the clinch and in pocket exchanges, and pull away on the scorecards. This indicates a clear path to victory.
The MMA Guru picks Brendan Allen over Marvin Vettori, predicting a 29-28 decision. He criticizes Vettori's lack of power and volume, noting that he landed only about 90 significant strikes in recent fights. Allen is described as more versatile with kicks and grappling, though he can be reckless. The Guru believes Allen will mix in takedowns and out-hustle Vettori, who is coming off a long layoff and personal issues. He also notes that Vettori cannot finish Allen and that Allen's chin is durable enough to handle Vettori's shots.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 14 of 26 | 53% | 53 of 71 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 3 | 2:58 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 30 of 42 | 71% | 72 of 91 | 4 of 8 | 50% | 0 | 2 | 10:22 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 8 of 13 | 61% | 30 of 38 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 2:09 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 10 of 13 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:23 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 0:44 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 13 of 16 | 81% | 25 of 29 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 4:04 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 5 of 12 | 41% | 17 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0:05 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 0 | 14 of 21 | 66% | 37 of 49 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 0 | 1 | 3:55 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 14 of 26 | 53% | 8 of 19 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 | 10 of 22 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 30 of 42 | 71% | 30 of 42 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 17 | 0 of 1 | 18 of 24 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 8 of 13 | 61% | 4 of 9 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 3 of 5 | 60% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 13 of 16 | 81% | 13 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 15 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 5 of 12 | 41% | 4 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 10 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Anthony Hernandez | 14 of 21 | 66% | 14 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 14 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 6 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
In 2018, Allen (24-6, 12-3 UFC) and Hernandez (13-2, 1 NC; 7-2 UFC) collided for the LFA middleweight strap, and “Fluffy” emerged the victor by decision. Since then, both men have made their mark on the UFC’s 185-pound division, and a spot in the top 10 now looms for the winner. Referee Mike Beltran will get to handle the proceedings for the co-main event, one that should have two extra rounds. Gloves are touched, and Allen opens up with a hearty low kick. Allen probes out a few jabs, and he disrupts Hernandez who is looking for an early takedown. Allen nails his foe with a leg kick and then wraps a head kick around the guard. With Hernandez stunned, Allen jumps on to his back, only for Hernandez to hurl him to his back. Allen scrambles wildly to get to his knees, and he nearly gets Hernandez’ back again in the process. Hernandez stops him from completing a takedown or back take, and he leans Allen against the wall. “Fluffy” wrangles Allen to the mat, where he lands in side control. The knee guard from Allen protects him from losing mount, and he sits up and leans up against the cage while Hernandez is still behind him. Allen tries to stand, but Hernandez is on him like a cheap suit, pushing on the back of Allen’s neck while always flirting with some kind of submission setup. Allen turns him around to claim top position, flipping Hernandez to his back and dropping down a few strikes. Hernandez strikes back off his back, being busy enough to make Allen think twice about recklessly passing guard. Allen partially isolates an arm-triangle choke while sitting in half guard, and Hernandez motions a thumbs-up to his corner. Allen postures up and jacks Hernandez in the jaw with a few punches, and he isolates Hernandez’ arm for an armlock setup. Allen nearly takes the back, but he slides into mount and starts hammering Hernandez in the face with right hands and elbows. Allen wraps up a rear-naked choke, and it is briefly under the chin until Hernandez turns himself to his back and slithers out. Allen smashes down with a number of elbows that split Hernandez’ forehead open, and the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 2
Allen kicks off the round with another powerful low kick, and Hernandez sprints at him in pursuit of a takedown. As they whirl around, Hernandez succeeds in grounding Allen. Hernandez hangs on from the side and keeps Allen on his seat, and he leans over to wrap up a guillotine choke. Allen escapes the submissions without a modicum of concern, and he keeps moving in hopes of rolling his foe over. Hernandez follows the scrambles and grabs hold of a rear-naked choke, and this time it is Allen who turns the proper directly to break it up. Hernandez gets one hook in while Allen is on his knees, and he elbows Allen in the side of the head. Allen hangs onto the wrist to keep Hernandez from gaining a dominant position, and he shoots in for a takedown only to find Hernandez setting up an anaconda choke. Allen knows it is coming and turns to his back, permitting Hernandez to establish top position for the moment. Allen turns over voluntarily and keeps spinning, and Hernandez him until exploding around to take Hernandez’ back. Allen has his own hook in, and he attempts a brute force neck crank without bothering to fasting his hooks or the grip all the way. Hernandez grits his teeth and stands up, chucking Allen to his back and dropping down heavy strikes. Allen scrambles and gives up half guard on his back so as to not be in submission danger, but this opens him up to Hernandez’ right hand and elbow. A few more strikes come from Hernandez before the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez
Round 3
The fighters hug it out as the third round begins, and this time Allen punches instead of kicks to get going. Hernandez strikes back, and Allen claims he was poked in the eye while Hernandez states it was a closed fist. Beltran calls time and checks the replay, and when they determine it was indeed a punch, they resume the action. Hernandez surges right forward to grapple, and Allen pushes it off and drills Hernandez in the face with a left hook. Hernandez clutches his eye as he is suddenly in jeopardy, and he backs away. When Hernandez’ back hits the fence, he swings hard, and Allen dodges and attempts a standing submission. The two scramble and return to their feet, where Allen again clubs his man in the face to hurt him. Hernandez desperately pursues a takedown, and Allen deliberately lowers himself to one knee to take knees to the head out of the equation. When Hernandez sells out for a takedown, Allen keeps himself afloat and never truly goes down, although he returns to one knee down. Hernandez has his hands clasped around the waist, and he turns the corner and gets Allen down to his seat momentarily. Allen winces and returns to a knee, and Hernandez slips his arm beneath the chin for a second but is stopped from getting a choke. Hernandez keeps heavy on top of his opponent, not letting Allen get to his feet, and Allen appears frustrated and wants to fight instead of wrestle in this stalemate position. Hernandez has no plan on changing gears, and he snatches up a rear-naked choke and falls off the side. Allen uses two-on-one wrist control to free himself from the worst of it, and he smacks Hernandez and knocks his mouthpiece out. The two fall all over the place, possibly from fatigue or sweat, and Hernandez is the one who establishes top position raining down strikes. Allen backwards somersaults in a desperate attempt to get out, but Hernandez hangs onto him until the final buzzer. This could have used two more rounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez (29-28 Hernandez)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez (29-28 Hernandez)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez (29-28 Hernandez)
The Official Result
Anthony Hernandez def. Brendan Allen via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo, a self-proclaimed 'fluffy underestimator', picks Anthony Hernandez for the first time. He credits Hernandez's incredible cardio as the key weapon that weaponizes his other skills, noting his win over Michel Pereira was wildly impressive. He thinks the pace will matter even in a three-round fight, and that Hernandez's work ethic makes the difference.
Big Brady picks Anthony 'Fluffy' Hernandez, noting his relentless wrestling and scrambling pace that most middleweights can't keep up with. He thinks Brendan Allen may have early success and win the first round, but Hernandez will wear him down, take him down, and dominate the later rounds. He references Allen's poor performance against Imavov, where he was out-grappled, and says if that version of Allen shows up, Hernandez finishes him. He predicts Hernandez by decision.
Connor picks Hernandez, agreeing that Allen's gas tank is a concern and that Hernandez's pressure will be too much. He notes that Allen improved a lot in the UFC and has submitted good grapplers, but Hernandez's style of constant scrambling and pace is a bad matchup. Connor also mentions that Hernandez's striking is terrible but his willingness to eat damage and keep pace makes it work.
The host believes Hernandez is clearly in his prime and will utilize his classic style: putting Allen through the ringer, pushing him against the cage, dragging him to the ground, and being too much. He predicts Hernandez wins on the scorecards.
The Guru picks Hernandez, citing his positional grappling dominance and better cardio compared to Allen. He notes Allen's tendency to lose position by chasing submissions, as seen in the Jacob Malkoun fight. He believes Hernandez is a better version of Malkoun—bigger, rangier, more durable—and will outgrapple Allen over three rounds. He also questions Allen's fight IQ.
Zane picks Hernandez because he believes Hernandez's relentless scrambling and pace will overwhelm Allen, who gassed against Nassourdine Imavov. He notes that Allen's best path is to catch Hernandez in a submission, but Hernandez never accepts a bad position and keeps scrambling. Zane also points out that Allen's striking is poor and he will willingly fall into the clinch, playing into Hernandez's game.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassourdine Imavov | 0 | 57 of 86 | 66% | 79 of 114 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 5:47 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 30 of 52 | 57% | 56 of 82 | 1 of 10 | 10% | 0 | 0 | 6:06 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nassourdine Imavov | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 21 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:45 | |
| 2 | Nassourdine Imavov | 0 | 23 of 33 | 69% | 31 of 43 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 3:32 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 8 of 19 | 42% | 11 of 23 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:17 | |
| 3 | Nassourdine Imavov | 0 | 33 of 50 | 66% | 43 of 63 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 2:15 |
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 18 of 28 | 64% | 24 of 35 | 0 of 6 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:04 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassourdine Imavov | 57 of 86 | 66% | 51 of 80 | 5 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 37 of 59 | 7 of 9 | 13 of 18 |
| Brendan Allen | 30 of 52 | 57% | 20 of 41 | 4 of 5 | 6 of 6 | 20 of 38 | 6 of 10 | 4 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nassourdine Imavov | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Brendan Allen | 4 of 5 | 80% | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | |
| 2 | Nassourdine Imavov | 23 of 33 | 69% | 19 of 29 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 12 of 18 | 2 of 3 | 9 of 12 |
| Brendan Allen | 8 of 19 | 42% | 4 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 5 of 15 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | |
| 3 | Nassourdine Imavov | 33 of 50 | 66% | 31 of 48 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 24 of 38 | 5 of 6 | 4 of 6 |
| Brendan Allen | 18 of 28 | 64% | 13 of 23 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 14 of 21 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
On practically any other Fight Night card, this middleweight pairing would serve as the main attraction—and it could use the five-round treatment, as the winner might not be far from a title shot. Imavov (14-4, 1 NC; 6-2, 1 NC UFC) is coming off the biggest win of his career, having knocked out Jared Cannonier. His opponent Allen (24-5, 13-2 UFC) is riding a dynamite seven-fight win streak on his own ledger, and someone’s momentum will grind to a halt in the next 15 minutes or less. Referee Herb Dean will know first before anyone else, and he tells the fighters to fight as they acknowledge him and do not bump fists. Imavov takes to the center of the cage, and lets Allen come to him. Allen does just that, leaping in to land a few punches. Imavov pushes him away, getting away with an eye poke, and finds himself staring down the barrel of a takedown attempt. Allen easily lands the body lock, putting the Frenchman on his back and landing in side control. Allen imposes heavy shoulder pressure on the side of Imavov’s face, holding him tightly while Imavov signals to Dean that he is just holding him. Dean asks for more activity, leading to Allen shoulder-checking the local fighter. Imavov tries to buck and shift his hips, and he sits up and is otherwise stuck. Allen looks to assume full mount, and he gets caught and pulled into half guard. Allen opens up with short, stay-busy strikes, and he lowers himself down with a possible arm-triangle setup. Dean claps several times to prompt more action, and Imavov reassumes full guard. Allen postures himself up to land a single right hand, and it is one-and-done and makes Dean ask for more fighting a few times. Imavov sets up an armbar, but he lets it go and gets tagged with a hard right hand. Allen connects with a left while Imavov scoots his way closer to the fencing, and Dean is not overly thrilled by the lack of face-punching thus far. Allen allows Imavov to turn over to his knees, working the body with a knee and planting an elbow on the eyebrow before the grinder of a round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 2
Allen sprints out of his corner to engage, and he fires off a big right hand only to get poked squarely in the eye. Allen signals to Dean that he has gotten poked again, and Dean calls time. Allen frowns and takes a few seconds before resuming, and Dean tells Imavov to be careful. Allen shoots from one side of the cage to the other with a single, and Imavov defends this time and drops to his knees to sprawl effectively. Allen turns to his back, and Imavov lets him stand up. Allen fires off two low kicks and a left hook, and Imavov counters with a right hand over the top. Imavov rings two punches off and waves Allen on, who connects cleanly and shoots for a double. Imavov stuffs this shot masterfully, and he rolls Allen to his back and gets to north-south position. Imavov moves himself to side control, and Allen turns to his knees and starts absorbing fierce punches from the position. Allen’s small rubber bands holding his hair braids start breaking and shooting off his head, and a pile of them forms beneath him. Imavov postures up and batters “All In” with devastating right hands, and Allen is stunned and still with it. Allen explodes back to his feet and directly into a head kick, but he turns around and lets Imavov have it with counters. Imavov strings a combination together and stops a deep shot from Allen, dropping to his knees and considering a guillotine choke of his own to keep Allen honest. Allen breaks out of the choke and dives after the hips, and he twists and turns to not get tagged. This allows the Frenchman to mount him, and Allen turns to give his back up and surrenders both hooks. Allen hand-fights to protect his neck, and Imavov rolls for an armbar with 10 seconds left in the round. Allen defends properly and flips over, landing a few punches before time expires. Allen flashes a wide grin to his opponent after several minutes of grappling.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Round 3
The last round kicks off with Allen again pushing the pace, and after landing a few punches, Allen is driven back with a one-two. Imavov flicks a jab out and follows with a right hand, and Allen leaps after a single. Imavov defends with a sprawl in the center of the cage, pulling his leg out and letting Allen roll to his back so he can club him with right hands. Imavov, in guard, drops down a few punches to bloody the nose of the surging contender. Imavov’s left hands continue to find their home, and Allen pushes off the chest with his feet. Imavov dives after him with a right hand, and Allen sits up and spins around to pursue a double. The Frenchman defends with his back to the fencing, elbowing Allen on the side of the head when Allen turns it to a single. Imavov’s defense in the second and third rounds is immaculate, and Allen is the one getting tossed around at this point. Imavov loads up on short punches from inside, and Allen shoves him away and throws caution to the wind. Allen punches his way in close, and he blasts Imavov in the face with a knee. Imavov waves him on, and Allen tries to throw him to the mat. Allen walks Imavov down when they both are upright, and he overswings and ends up in a clinch. Allen informs Dean that Imavov is holding his gloves, and Dean looks closely but does not see anything. They break out of the clinch, and Allen whips an elbow up top and a clean knee on the chin. Allen shoots for a single with a minute to go, and when that fails, they start slugging it out. Imavov tags Allen, and Allen fires back hard. Allen tackles his foe down, but Imavov squirms away. Allen walks him down, gets clinched and spins with an elbow that misses. Imavov lands a few punches, and the nailbiter of a middleweight contest draws to a close.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (29-28 Imavov)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (29-28 Imavov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (29-28 Imavov)
The Official Result
Nassourdine Imavov def. Brendan Allen via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo picks Nassourdine Imavov, though he thinks the -200 favorite line is a bit wide. He believes Imavov's size and wrestling will be too much for Brendan Allen, who has improved but struggled with Chris Curtis until he wrestled. Allen won't be able to outwrestle Imavov, and Imavov's striking will give Allen trouble. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds.
Big Brady picks Nassourdine Imavov by second-round knockout, citing Imavov's superior striking and takedown defense. He notes Allen has been on a streak but has poor striking defense (47%) and has been knocked out before. He expects Imavov to land significant shots and finish Allen.
Cody sees Brendan Allen as a live underdog due to his superior wrestling and grappling. He notes that Imavov has been protected from wrestlers and has shown defensive grappling vulnerabilities. Allen's game plan of takedowns and top control should neutralize Imavov's striking, and the three-round format favors Allen's approach.
Connor picks Imavov because he believes Allen's defensive deficiencies on the feet will be exploited by Imavov's size, range, and power. He notes that Allen's best wins have come against grapplers or lower-level strikers, and he has struggled against fighters who can keep him at range. Connor also points out that Allen tends to be cautious against strikers he respects, which will play into Imavov's hands. He acknowledges that Allen could win if he pressures relentlessly, but doubts he will do so effectively.
Daniel Vreeland picks Imavov to win, but is not confident he covers the -210 price. He thinks Imavov's speed, power, and distance management will be key, and that he has a good chance to knock out Allen. However, he believes if Imavov doesn't finish, the fight will be close and Allen has value as a dog. He ultimately picks Imavov but notes the price is high.
JP picks Nassourdine Imavov because he thinks the three-round format favors Imavov's striking. He notes Brendan Allen has a grappling advantage but Imavov throws harder, more accurate strikes and is more mobile. He says if it were five rounds, he'd pick Allen, but in three rounds Imavov should edge it out by decision.
Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing Allen's seven-fight win streak and his ability to take down Chris Curtis six times. He believes Allen's grappling advantage is clear and that Imavov's defensive wrestling is suspect. Paul also notes that the line doesn't reflect the competitive nature of the fight, making Allen a good dog pick.
The MMA Guru picks Nassourdine Imavov over Brendan Allen, citing Imavov's technical striking and ability at all ranges. He notes Imavov's good takedown defense and performance against Strickland. He predicts Imavov will win a decision, possibly 30-27 or 29-28, and that Allen may get frustrated.
Zane picks Imavov because he sees Allen's striking defense as a major liability, especially against a rangy, powerful striker like Imavov. He notes that Allen's recent wins have come against grapplers or lower-tier competition, and he barely squeaked by Chris Curtis. Zane also points out that Imavov is durable and can maintain a steady pace, while Allen tends to struggle when forced to fight off the back foot. He believes this is the point where Allen's upward trajectory plateaus.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 112 of 222 | 50% | 128 of 242 | 6 of 13 | 46% | 0 | 0 | 6:05 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 124 of 241 | 51% | 141 of 261 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 2 | 1:18 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 22 of 40 | 55% | 24 of 42 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:17 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 13 of 41 | 31% | 16 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 29 of 66 | 43% | 29 of 66 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:07 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 46 of 80 | 57% | 46 of 80 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 23 of 42 | 54% | 31 of 52 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:03 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 23 of 45 | 51% | 23 of 45 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 25 of 39 | 64% | 28 of 44 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:24 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 21 of 44 | 47% | 21 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:05 | |
| 5 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 13 of 35 | 37% | 16 of 38 | 2 of 7 | 28% | 0 | 0 | 1:14 |
| Chris Curtis | 0 | 21 of 31 | 67% | 35 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 112 of 222 | 50% | 72 of 172 | 25 of 34 | 15 of 16 | 108 of 214 | 4 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 124 of 241 | 51% | 96 of 205 | 25 of 33 | 3 of 3 | 122 of 237 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 22 of 40 | 55% | 12 of 26 | 7 of 10 | 3 of 4 | 22 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 13 of 41 | 31% | 8 of 34 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 29 of 66 | 43% | 20 of 55 | 6 of 8 | 3 of 3 | 28 of 64 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 46 of 80 | 57% | 36 of 67 | 8 of 11 | 2 of 2 | 46 of 80 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 23 of 42 | 54% | 14 of 31 | 4 of 6 | 5 of 5 | 22 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 23 of 45 | 51% | 18 of 38 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 22 of 43 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Brendan Allen | 25 of 39 | 64% | 16 of 30 | 6 of 6 | 3 of 3 | 25 of 39 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 21 of 44 | 47% | 17 of 39 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 21 of 44 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Brendan Allen | 13 of 35 | 37% | 10 of 30 | 2 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 31 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Chris Curtis | 21 of 31 | 67% | 17 of 27 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 20 of 29 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Chris Curtis because he already knocked out Brendan Allen in under two minutes in their first fight. He believes Allen's recent win streak is impressive but that he can only win by getting the fight to the ground, which is very difficult against Curtis's takedown defense. Angelo also notes that Curtis on short notice may be better because he doesn't overthink. He mentions that underdogs have won 63% of main events in 2024 and expects that trend to continue.
Big Brady picks Chris Curtis as the underdog, noting that he doesn't understand why Allen is a 2-to-1 favorite. He highlights Curtis's elite takedown defense, durability, and cardio, and believes the fight will take place on the feet, where Curtis is more defensively sound and durable. He thinks Allen is hitable and has been knocked out before, and predicts Curtis will find Allen's chin over 25 minutes and win by third-round knockout.
Cody agrees with Paul, noting that Allen's wins have come against one-dimensional grapplers, while Curtis is a sprawl-and-brawl boxer who works the body and legs. He points out that Curtis has looked midling lately but still has the style to beat Allen. Cody also highlights that Curtis knows Allen from sparring and took the first fight on short notice, and that the five-round fight favors Curtis's power and cardio. He expects Curtis to win by TKO again.
Daniel Vreeland picks Brendan Allen but is hesitant due to Allen's ego and past knockout loss to Curtis. He notes Allen has improved since their first fight, with a six-fight win streak and better grappling as a black belt. However, he worries Allen might get distracted by Sean Strickland's trash talk and engage in pocket exchanges where Curtis excels. Vreeland believes Allen has more paths to victory if he fights smart, using kicks and distance to avoid brawling, and can win by volume or submission if he gets top control.
Curtis has the striking advantage and an iron chin. Allen's wrestling isn't good enough to get Curtis down consistently. In the pocket, Curtis will land the bigger shots and likely knock Allen out again, as he did in their first fight. The line is too wide for Allen.
Paul thinks Chris Curtis is a bad matchup for Brendan Allen again. He notes Allen has improved but Curtis is a brick wall with solid boxing, body work, and five-round cardio. Paul believes Curtis's sprawl-and-brawl style will stifle Allen's takedowns and that Curtis will eventually land his power, likely by TKO. He also mentions Curtis took the fight on short notice last time and still won, and that the five-round distance favors Curtis's pressure.
The host provides a detailed breakdown, noting Allen was doing well in the first fight before getting caught. He highlights Allen's improved offensive grappling (submitting Paul Craig, holding his own against Jacob Malkoun) and striking. He sees Curtis regressing, losing power, and taking the fight on short notice. He predicts Allen will win by submission in the first round via rear-naked choke, using body kicks to set up takedowns and chain wrestling to take Curtis' back.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 0 | 32 of 43 | 74% | 52 of 64 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 7:58 |
| Paul Craig | 0 | 6 of 14 | 42% | 13 of 21 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:34 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 14 of 19 | 73% | 20 of 26 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 2:49 |
| Paul Craig | 0 | 3 of 8 | 37% | 7 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:34 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 14 of 19 | 73% | 28 of 33 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 4:47 |
| Paul Craig | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 4 of 6 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 0 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:22 |
| Paul Craig | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 32 of 43 | 74% | 26 of 37 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 17 | 1 of 2 | 19 of 24 |
| Paul Craig | 6 of 14 | 42% | 3 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 14 of 19 | 73% | 9 of 14 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 6 of 9 | 1 of 2 | 7 of 8 |
| Paul Craig | 3 of 8 | 37% | 0 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brendan Allen | 14 of 19 | 73% | 14 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 16 |
| Paul Craig | 1 of 3 | 33% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | |
| 3 | Brendan Allen | 4 of 5 | 80% | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Paul Craig | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Allen (-410), Craig (+320)
Round 1
At long last, we have reached the main event. Five rounds or less will decide a much-needed contender in the wide-open middleweight division. Two exceptionally talented and dangerous grapplers will ply their trade against one another, and referee Mark Smith will almost certainly get involved before it is said and done. Allen (22-5, 10-2 UFC) is aiming to add to his five-fight win streak, while Craig (17-6-1, 9-6-1 UFC) introduced himself to his lighter weight category by wrecking Andre Muniz in July. Before they inflict all sorts of violence on one another, they come together and stare down, but Craig does not want to touch gloves. They begin, and Craig leads with a low kick. Allen comes back with two punches, and he lands his own leg kick. Allen swings with everything he has, and he nearly topples over when missing. The two trade jabs, and Allen digs one to the breadbasket. They crash together, and Craig looks for a possible level change only to be met with a knee. Craig presses his man to the wall, and he drops down for a possible takedown. Allen stands him up before anything comes of it, but Craig is pressing him tightly against the wire. Allen knees the body and throws Craig over his hips, where he lands in full mount. Craig turns to his side, and Allen hammers him with a few punches and an elbow. Allen gets pulled back to half guard, and he is warned for hooking his toes in the fence. Allen hunts for an arm-triangle choke with pure chest and shoulder pressure, and Craig pushes both of his hands on Allen’s face to stop it. Allen isolates an arm and sneaks around to get the rear-naked choke, but Craig defends brilliantly with a calf slicer. Allen wrenches his leg out and turns around, and he attacks Craig’s ankle to keep him honest. Craig stands back up, and Allen slams him right back down to the mat. Allen smashes down with an elbow, and he cuts Craig’s eyebrow. The horn sounds, and Allen mocks him as they stand up.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 2
The middleweights meander towards one another to start off Round 2, and Allen sits down on a one-two that rocks Craig. Craig weebles and wobbles but does not fall down, and manages to catch Allen with his own right hook on the way. Craig shoots to save his chin, and Allen bowls him over and drives down an elbow. Allen frustrates his opponent with top control and sporadic elbows, and blood flows out of the corner of Craig’s eye. Allen looks for an arm-triangle choke and he steps into full mount, and Craig is in trouble but rolls to his side to break it up. “Bearjew” lands a few heel strikes to the thigh, and Allen answers him with elbows and a few smacking fists. Allen rails Craig with another elbow, and the cut on Craig’s eyebrow splits further. Craig maintains butterfly hooks, and Allen makes his life terrible with elbow after unanswered elbow. Craig throws his legs up to threaten with something, anything he can find, and Allen shucks them to the side and elbows Craig in the busted eye. Allen stacks his man up and gets illegally upkicked, and Smith warns Craig of the fouls. Allen hunts for another arm-triangle choke, and Craig is wise to it and defends before it comes together. Allen sneaks a guillotine under the chin when Craig sits up, and Craig keeps his back against the fence to stop his foe from getting the right leverage. Allen takes Craig’s back with seconds to go, and he looks for another rear-naked choke to end the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Allen
Round 3
The middleweights reach Round 3, and Allen starts off with his striking. Allen rips a left to the body and rings Craig’s bell with a left up top, and he jumps over Craig and snatches up a guillotine choke. Craig turns well enough to stop the choke from getting locked down, but he turns the wrong way.
Allen sees the opening and snatches it up in an instant, piggybacking Craig and wrapping up a rear-naked choke with practically zero setup. The RNC aficionado—Allen has won his last three fights with this submission—secures it under the chin and it is now a matter of time. The Scot thinks about going out on his shield, but he taps one time on the forearm to signal that he has been defeated.
Smith is right on top of the action and pulls them apart, and Allen confidently nods and calls for a big fight. On his post-fight interview, Allen asks for any top contender, no matter who they put in front of him, and he celebrates with his daughter in his arms. Allen asks her who won, and all smiles, she replies “Da da!” The UFC will be on break for a week, and fight fans in the U.S. will take the time off and celebrate Thanksgiving. When the UFC is back in December, we will be there, and we hope you are too.
The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Paul Craig R3 0:38 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo is very confident in Brendan Allen, citing his five-fight win streak and well-rounded game. He notes Allen has better striking and wrestling than Paul Craig, and is putting everything together at the right time. He has bets on Allen and expects him to win.
Big Brady thinks the odds are silly because Paul Craig is always a live dog with his guard-pulling submissions. He questions Allen's fight IQ, expecting him to grapple despite the smarter path being striking. He picks Allen to win by submission, possibly a club and sub, but notes Craig is dangerous and can never be counted out. He says Allen has more ways to win but the fight could get tricky.
Cody picks Brendan Allen confidently, citing his significant advantages on the feet and well-rounded grappling. He notes that Paul Craig's only path is a submission via pulling guard, but Allen's top control and BJJ training make that unlikely. Cody mentions the line is wide but expects Allen to smash Craig, possibly by TKO. He acknowledges Craig's opportunistic submission game but sees Allen as too well-rounded.
Allen is the far superior striker with improved striking defense and a dangerous submission game. Craig has sketchy striking and relies on Jiu-Jitsu, but Allen can keep the fight standing and pick him apart. Allen will eventually find a TKO after posturing up with ground and pound, likely in the second or third round.
Paul agrees with Cody, fading Paul Craig as usual. He acknowledges Craig's magic touch and opportunistic submissions but notes that Craig's wins come against opponents with glaring weaknesses. Brendan Allen is young, well-rounded, and trains at a top gym. Paul highlights Allen's submission win over Andre Muniz and his ability to wrestle, grapple, and strike. He sees Craig's suspect gas tank as a liability in a five-round fight and expects Allen to win, likely by TKO.
The MMA Guru picks Brendan Allen to win by TKO at the end of round one after grappling exchanges. He believes Allen is a better jiu-jitsu player than Andre Muniz and has better takedown defense. He praises Allen's striking, including kicks and boxing, and notes his finishes over Bruno Silva and Krzysztof Jotko. He criticizes Paul Craig's standup and chin, and thinks Allen will land on him.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 1 | 30 of 56 | 53% | 40 of 69 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2:29 |
| Bruno Silva | 0 | 20 of 38 | 52% | 24 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 1 | 30 of 56 | 53% | 40 of 69 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2:29 |
| Bruno Silva | 0 | 20 of 38 | 52% | 24 of 42 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Allen | 30 of 56 | 53% | 24 of 49 | 5 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 32 | 5 of 5 | 10 of 19 |
| Bruno Silva | 20 of 38 | 52% | 17 of 33 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 33 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Allen | 30 of 56 | 53% | 24 of 49 | 5 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 32 | 5 of 5 | 10 of 19 |
| Bruno Silva | 20 of 38 | 52% | 17 of 33 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 33 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Allen (-180), Silva (+155)
Round 1
A fight that seems destined for a finish will kick off the main card on ABC, as these two middleweights present dueling finish rates of 81% and 87%. Referee Marc Goddard is on his guard for this encounter between “All In” Allen (21-5, 9-2 UFC) and “Blindado” Silva (23-8, 4-2 UFC). The two do not bump fists before getting to it, and instead it is Allen as the attacker, swinging out a high kick that is parried with ease. Allen rushes out with a straight right hand and attempts another high kick, and the latter is blocked. Allen sneaks up a head kick, and Silva eats it and is forced to defend a takedown effort that follows. Allen rips the body with a kick, and he closes the distance and ignores a knee coming back at him. “All In” jams Silva up against the wire, and he connects with a short elbow as he does. Allen looks to muscle Silva down to the floor, and when his first try come up short, Goddard tells them to work. Allen keeps pressing on his foe to wear on him, and Goddard asks again for more activity. Allen breaks off and gets drilled with a right hand, and he counters Silva with a short right hand to shake the Brazilian up as a result. Allen drives a left hand through and rocks Silva, and he shoots for a double that gets stuffed. Silva backs him away and walks into an uppercut, and when Silva unloads with a few punches, he backs away to reset. Silva stings his man with a combination, and Allen shells up and counters with a pair of rights. Allen smashes his opponent on the side of the head with several vicious right hands, and the last one in a chain of them sends “Blindado” careening to the mat.
Allen jumps on top hoping to finish the job, and he busts Silva up with several punches on the way down. Silva turns to his side, and Allen hopes to take his back in the process. Allen hunts for a back take, and he gets a hook in. He does not need to even secure the other before he fastens a rear-naked choke up tightly.
Allen is in major trouble, and he does not have the wherewithal to fight the grip or get out of the precarious position. Instead, before he goes out, Silva is forced to tap out. That is another rear-naked choke for Allen, who waded through a firefight and showed off his improved striking before getting the club-and-sub finish.
The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Bruno Silva R1 4:39 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo leans toward Brendan Allen, thinking he probably wins if he avoids Bruno Silva's big power. He notes Allen is well-rounded and on a four-fight win streak, but historically inconsistent. He considers a bet on Bruno Silva inside the distance (finish only) at plus money if available.
Big Brady picks Brendan Allen despite not trusting him, citing Allen's tendency to make poor fight IQ decisions. He notes Silva's massive hole in grappling with seven submission losses. He believes if Allen takes the fight to the mat, he will dominate via submission. However, if Allen chooses to strike, he risks getting knocked out by Silva's power. He predicts a first-round submission.
Cody picks Allen, agreeing that his wrestling and jiu-jitsu will be decisive. He notes Silva's power but thinks Allen can make the fight ugly and take him down. He compares Allen to Pat Sabatini in terms of grappling advantage.
Connor picks Allen, agreeing with Zane. He notes that Silva is a dangerous puncher but lacks form and consistency. Allen has been improving his striking under Henry Hoof and has become more durable. Connor points out that Allen has only been finished once early in his career and that his grappling is elite. He sees Silva's only chance as landing a lucky shot.
Daniel Levi picks Brendan Allen but is concerned about a letdown spot after losing a main event booking. He acknowledges Allen's superior skills but notes Silva's knockout power and Allen's history of being knocked out. He thinks Allen is the more skilled fighter but sees this as a dangerous fight and a dog-or-pass situation at -180.
The host picks Brendan Allen to win by submission. He believes Allen's grappling advantage will be too much for Silva, as Silva has struggled against grapplers in the past. He expects Allen to get the fight to the ground, work to dominant positions, and eventually find a submission. He also suggests the fight doesn't go to decision as a prop.
Paul picks Allen, citing his grappling advantage and ability to take Silva down. He notes Silva's power but thinks Allen can neutralize it with wrestling and submissions. He acknowledges the risk but believes Allen's grappling is the key.
The Guru picks Brendan Allen but expresses worry about Allen's tendency to strike instead of grapple. He believes Allen is much better than Gerald Meerschaert, who dropped Silva, and that Allen can frustrate Silva by mixing in grappling. He predicts Allen will shoot a takedown when Silva rushes with a combo and win by TKO via ground and pound. He pleads with Allen to grapple and not trade power punches.
Zane picks Allen, emphasizing his superior grappling and improving striking. He notes that Silva is a powerful but formless brawler who over-swings and leaves himself in bad positions. Allen is a shockingly good grappler with wins over Andre Muniz and Kevin Holland. Zane believes Allen can win via submission or decision, and that Silva's only path is a puncher's chance.
Expert Picks (9)
Angelo is confident Reinier de Ridder wins, citing his size, grappling, and durability. He notes de Ridder's impressive performances against Whittaker, Bo Nickal, and Cannonier. He believes Brendan Allen will fade, similar to his fight against Anthony Hernandez, and that Allen's camp change is a disadvantage.
Big Brady acknowledges de Ridder's unorthodox striking but highlights his size, power, and dangerous knees. He thinks de Ridder has better cardio than Allen on short notice and is more dangerous in both striking and grappling. He predicts de Ridder knocks out Allen in the second round.
Cody picks de Ridder, citing his size, physicality, and excellent jiu-jitsu. He notes de Ridder's funky striking and ability to tax opponents with cage control, as seen in the Whittaker fight. He believes Brendan Allen's cardio issues and short notice will be exploited over five rounds, leading to a late stoppage or decision.
Connor leans toward de Ridder but acknowledges Allen's chances. He notes that Allen is well-rounded and could be competitive if he pushes forward and stays confident. However, he thinks Allen is likely to grapple with de Ridder, which plays into de Ridder's strengths. Connor also mentions that de Ridder is defensively flawed and could be knocked out by a big shot.
James sees similarities between de Ridder and Dricus du Plessis, noting that de Ridder's unorthodox style, including a devastating step-in knee and judo trips, makes him difficult to prepare for. He believes Brendan Allen will start well but fade due to short notice and cardio issues, with de Ridder's pressure and grappling taking over in later rounds. James predicts a finish in rounds 3 or 4.
The host thinks de Ridder will utilize his aggressiveness to keep Allen on the back foot and mix in wrestling. He believes Allen's submission defense will be good enough to avoid a finish, but unless the short notice fight causes his gas tank to fail, de Ridder will keep top pressure and control to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees with Cody, emphasizing de Ridder's size and grappling pressure. He highlights Brendan Allen's tendency to fade in later rounds, as seen against Vettori and Curtis, and believes de Ridder's full camp and five-round experience will be decisive. He expects de Ridder to win by late stoppage or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Reinier de Ridder over Brendan Allen. He references de Ridder's performance against Whittaker and his body knees. He believes Allen is stationary and will be vulnerable to body knees, leading to a submission or TKO. He predicts de Ridder will hurt Allen with a knee to the body and finish with a submission in round two or three.
Zane picks de Ridder, citing his aggression and ability to finish. He notes that de Ridder is more aggressive and looks to finish, while Allen tends to have close fights against composed opponents. Zane believes de Ridder's size and ability to reverse positions will be key, and that Allen's attack-focused grappling may lead to losing positions.
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