After an absolute back-and-forth war from both men, Brendan Allen took home the win in what was a bloody affair with Kyle Daukaus.
Brendan Allen didn’t have the fight he wanted on Saturday. That would have been against Ian Heinisch, a fighter “All In” has pursued since the pair’s LFA days. Instead, he had short-notice replacement Kyle Daukaus.
Yet while Daukaus wasn’t as well-known a name, he did enter UFC on ESPN 12 on a nine-fight win streak. With zero losses. Daukaus opened up the first round with a huge kick to the body. Allen landed some elbows inside the clinch but they separated quickly. Some hard leg and body kicks exchanged before Daukaus went in for the takedown against the cage. A big knee from Allen dropped Daukaus and Allen went right into full guard.
Some nasty ground-and-pound delivered from Allen, who then went for a rear-naked choke that didn’t work out. Another failed rear-naked choke attempt from Allen, but he was still in great position on the back. Allen exploded and got to his feet, glued to Allen, getting him down to a knee and working to take the back. Daukaus almost took the back, but Allen was able to end up on top in Daukaus’ full guard. After eating some elbows, Daukaus was cut up pretty bad to end the round.
Allen pressed forward to start the round, but Daukaus landed a nice counter strike and backed away. Daukaus put together a nice combination, but Allen continued to press forward. Allen, despite continuing to eat shots, landed a kick to the body. Allen defended a takedown attempt with a guillotine attempt, and eventually ended up on top after a scramble in Daukaus’ full guard.
Another huge elbow and the blood continues to flow profusely from Daukaus’ head. Allen is patiently getting off short elbows to target the cut on Daukaus’ head. Allen jumped for a guillotine attempt, after a scramble, ended up on the bottom with Daukaus on top in half guard. Daukaus with a pair of good shots from the top, but Allen reversed position into top side control position with an omaplata attempt. Daukaus quickly recovered full guard, but Allen’s ground-and-pound is still relentless nonetheless. Daukaus got to a knee as Allen went for the back. Allen dropped Daukaus with two huge shots just as the round ended.
The third and final round began with Daukaus landing some combinations while backing up, before shooting in on a takedown attempt, and getting it. Daukaus got off some decent ground-and-pound before preventing a sweep attempt from Allen. Now, in side control, Daukaus goes to take the back, and gets it with a body lock. Allen was leaking blood from what looked to be his nose, and his left eye was also nearly swollen shut.
Daukaus began working for the rear-naked choke, but Allen continued to hand fight. A solid attempt at a rear-naked choke from Daukaus, but Allen brilliantly hand fights out of it. As the final seconds of the third round wound down, Allen escaped from the body lock, ended up on top, and completely blitzed Daukaus with ground-and-pound to end the round.
Official Result: Brendan Allen def. Kyle Daukaus via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)
