The two times Brendan Allen has lost in the UFC have come when he has stepped up on short notice. He doesn’t regret it.
“So, I’ve taken short notice fights before. The one-weekers seem to get me when I’ve been training for someone else. Whether it’s muscle memory or in my head, I don’t have enough time to change things that maybe need to be changed,” Allen told Casgeside Press in an exclusive interview. “Because in all honesty… the guys that I was supposed to fight versus the guy that I actually did fight were a complete 180. They weren’t the same guy. There was nothing similar about them. So it’s hard to kind of train for that change. And even though I am very well-rounded, I think I’m good everywhere— but in my head, or like I said, muscle memory, it messes me up. And I don’t know what that is.”
That said, Allen isn’t dwelling on those losses, and knows his time will come.
“So am I mad that I took those fights? No, because it made me who I am. I’m not mad about any of my losses or any of my fights because they made me who I am. It made me understand myself better. It made me learn about myself. And I’m only 26, and my time is coming. So when that time comes, good luck to everyone else. I feel like it’s about time to start making that run. I feel like I’ve kind of experienced a little bit of everything that you can kind of come across, so I feel like it’s my time, but every time you feel like it’s time, something happened.”
Allen returns to action at UFC 275 after a win in February over Sam Alvey. He fights Jacob Malkoun, who is riding a two-fight winning streak.
It has been a long training camp for the 26-year-old, and he is ready to put on a show. He says with a full, healthy camp, he is the scariest man in the division, and for Malkoun, he will witness it.
“I’m expecting something insane. Insanely good. And I think right now it’ll show, but I feel like levels above him. I’ve felt levels above a lot of guys. With a full camp and healthy, I think I’m the scariest guy in the division and maybe not scary as far as like, ‘oh, he possesses something crazy,’ but I’m consistent. I’m basic, but I’m very good at everything. I’m very good everywhere,” Allen said. So I don’t know if there’s one person in the world at this weight class that can beat me everywhere. I don’t see it. I don’t believe it. Obviously, I can be beaten just like anyone else. But like I said, a full camp for one person and healthy. It hasn’t been done yet.”
Allen envisions himself finishing Malkoun. He doesn’t know how but he knows it will happen.
Watch the rest of our interview with UFC 275’s Brendan Allen above.
