Brendan Allen has by no means misplaced two fights in a row throughout his profession, and he doesn’t intend on beginning at UFC Combat Night time 252.
After struggling a unanimous choice defeat to Nassourdine Imavov in September, which snapped his seven-fight profitable streak contained in the octagon, Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC) will try and get again on monitor when he rematches Anthony Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in a middleweight bout on the Feb. 22 card at Local weather Pledge Area in Seattle (ESPN+).
Allen is upset in himself for the setback in opposition to Imavov, however mentioned uncommon circumstances, which he doesn’t wish to use as excuses, contributed to the end result. However, that end result has fuelled Allen, and he’s assured in his capability to rebound.
“Coming off a loss, I’m at all times a distinct monster,” Allen informed MMA Junkie Radio. “It’s completely different. Plus, it’s a redemption battle for me and, I don’t know, I hope that I am going out right here, beat ‘Fluffy’ – and I gained’t speak unhealthy about ‘Fluffy’ in anyway or be disrespectful, as a result of I actually like ‘Fluffy’ as a human. He’s a fantastic human. However I’m going to go on the market and I’m going to do my job. I’m going to complete him and hopefully after that it simply exhibits circumstances weren’t on my facet in France and I’m nonetheless the killer who ought to be near the title shot – and hopefully I get a top-five man subsequent, actually put an announcement on them and put me again in competition.”
Allen, 29, misplaced to Hernandez, 31, by unanimous choice of their first assembly at LFA 32 in January 2018. Each males have developed considerably over the previous seven years, however Allen thinks he’s progressed additional, and is keen to indicate it.
Hernandez, No. 13 within the newest USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, is driving a six-fight profitable streak with 5 stoppages going into the rematch. No. 11-ranked Allen thinks it will likely be nice for his profession to halt that run whereas concurrently avenging one in all his early profession losses.
“My efficiency goes to inform all of it,” Allen mentioned. “I used to be attempting to battle everybody. I actually requested them for everybody – under me, above me, and nothing ever got here again. I believe that we requested for somebody not within the rankings as a result of we didn’t have anybody within the rankings. They didn’t like that battle, so that they got here again with this one.
“I requested for the battle, clearly, as a result of I wish to proper my wrongs. We fought seven years in the past. I’m not the identical man in anyway and I wish to present simply that.”
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