Brendan Allen believes he is just hitting his stride as he enters his UFC debut against Kevin Holland in Boston.
When the UFC announced their match-ups for the third season of the Dana White’s Contender Series [DWCS], middleweight Brendan Allen was viewed as one of the most promising prospects of the year. The Team Roufusport export didn’t disappoint in his DWCS bout with a first-round submission win over Aaron Jeffery to earn a contract with the premier MMA organization.
“I definitely feel that I’m the best guy to come out of all the seasons [of DWCS],” Allen told Cageside Press as UFC Boston draws near. “I feel like I’m the best guy to come off, I just have to go there and prove it now.”
“All In” has done his very best at showing he is the top talent to appear on the Contender Series. The 12-3 professional has ran off four straight victorious with three by way of stoppage. The only fighter to have reached the judge’s scorecards was the highly touted Moses Murrietta — who Allen defeated in one the most lopsided decisions in of all of 2019. During this run, Allen captured the LFA middleweight title.
“I think my coaches, my team, and I have started to figure out everything,” Allen said. “I’m just starting to put the guy from my training into the cage. I am still not even half way there as far as the guy that trains to the guy seen on fight night… I’m am getting older. I have been doing it for a long time. I’m gaining confidence in my abilities. I think we figured out what woks for me, and are still figuring it out. I’m just starting to hit my stride.”
All three of Allen’s defeats have come at the hands of top competition. These defeats came to current UFC combatants Trevin Giles, Eryk Anders and Anthony Hernandez. Despite only being 23-years-old, Allen believes his promotion to the premier MMA organization was long overdue.
“I thought I should have already been in there [the UFC] to be honest with you,” Allen said, “I’m a little bummed to be just getting there now at my age.”
The Louisiana native, who will be making his UFC debut this Saturday at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, was originally slated to face off against New England’s own Eric Spicely, but will now battle Kevin Holland. That, after Spicely was forced off the card due to injury. Despite a drastic change in styles between the grappling-focused Spicely and the striking prowess of Holland, Allen doesn’t seem fazed by the challenge.
“Just preparing for a little of the flashy stuff and Kevin running,” Allen stated. “He’s not going to really try and fight me. He’s not a real fighter, he’s not going to come in and fight me. He is going to try to karate me. To be like a traditional martial artist and out point me. I’m not trying to point you. I’m looking to put you away… We know he’s not going to sit there and trade with me. We know he is not that stupid… I was prepared to beat Spicely standing or on the ground. I plan on beating Kevin standing or on the ground too.”
Holland, who also made his way to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series as well, already has four bouts with the organization under his belt and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. During that stretch, the Texan defeated Allen’s teammate, Gerald Meerschaert.
“I’m more excited to fight [Holland]. He is higher ranked, he got his lucky win streak,” Allen stated. “I’m going to give it back to him just as much as he gives it to me. He talks to me and I’m going to talk back. I think it is funny. I don’t take it personally.”
Allen stated that he understands that many of the casual UFC fans won’t know him before his UFC debut but said they will be talking about him after they see his fight.
“The fans will be saying ‘he is going to be great one day. He is young, he’s got a bunch of potential. He is going to be able to do what he wants to do.'”
UFC Boston (UFC on ESPN 6) takes place Friday, October 18 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The card airs live on ESPN 2 in the U.S., and TSN 5 in Canada.
