Brendan Allen is ‘All In’ against Larry Crowe at LFA 43 on Friday — but he’s well aware that a strong showing could net him a ticket to the big show in the UFC.
Roufusport fighter Brendan Allen doesn’t feel he has lived up to his “All In” moniker as of late. However, the 22-year-old feels he is now refocused and ready to take his career to the next level. Allen headlines LFA 43 this Friday, where he takes on Larry Crowe, a fellow top-ranked middleweight.
The psyche of a combat sports athlete is truly remarkable. The dedication it takes to prepare for a fist fight with another human being is often beyond those not involved in the sport. As in any profession, being a professional fighter has certain unique collateral results. That is, you can’t win them all; and nothing could be worse than watching a fighter beat you and go on to be signed by the UFC.
Such has been the case for Louisiana’s Allen.
“LFA is a great show, I love fighting for this promotion,” Allen told Cageside Press two weeks out from his main event fight at LFA 43.
It's #FightWeek and @LFAfighting starts the summer
in @DiscoverBMT with#LFA43!Two-Time LFA Title Challenger@BrendanAllenMMA
vs.
Two-Time Legacy FC Title Challenger@LDCrowe33🎟 TICKETS: https://t.co/PVTxgKxLS6
FRIDAY at the Beaumont Civic Center in #Beaumont, #Texas! pic.twitter.com/028Y2IvNyX
— LFA (@LFAfighting) June 18, 2018
“As far as where I’m at and where I sit, it’s all my fault. I haven’t fought like I should, I haven’t fought like I can,” the young fighter revealed.
Luckily for Allen, and millions of fight fans, the next MMA event is always right around the corner. “June 22 I’m going to put this dude away and show why I’m supposed to be in bigger shows,” the Louisiana native said convincingly.
The dude “All In” is referring to would be his opponent at LFA 43, Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe. Crowe may have one of the more entertaining monikers in the sport, but don’t let clever word play fool you. Crowe is a KO machine having finished five fights in the first round alone. “I know he is going to come out and try and swing big or take me down,” Allen explained.
“I don’t really think too much of him, I think it would be smarter for him to swing big. Either way, I don’t plan on being in there the whole 15 minutes.”
Allen feels he is more than ready for prime time, having spent his days training at Roufusport forging not only a championship level skill set but a brotherhood of sorts. “Everyone is really close here, we are all like brothers,” said Allen.
“We can talk crap to one another but no one else is going to talk crap to us. We just won’t allow it,” Allen told us.
Allen boasts an impressive 8-3 record, however, those three loses cast a luminous shadow. Two of the men to beat Allen are already well on their way to the top of the division. Both Trevin Giles and Eryk Anders have made their presence known among the middleweight elite, and the last man to beat Allen fights for a UFC contract Tuesday night.
Anthony Hernandez defeated Allen earlier this year at LFA 32 via unanimous decision, a loss Allen believes cost him his shot at the big show. “If I would’ve just performed like I’m supposed to I would already be in the UFC,” Allen maintained.
“Whatever it may be, whether it be mental or whatever I just haven’t performed to my full potential,” Allen continued, “it’s my fault. I took a tough loss to Hernandez, Eryk [Anders], and Trevin [Giles]. I could be in the UFC if I would’ve beaten any of those guys. Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.”
Allen will main event LFA 43 Friday night June 22, and in so doing looks to get one step closer to the big show. In the process he no doubt hopes to put could’ve, should’ve, would’ve behind him.
