Brendan Allen believes he should be preparing for a title eliminator, not an unranked opponent. Instead, the surging middleweight contender will face Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 118 this Saturday night, a matchup that even Allen admits surprised him.
According to Allen, the road to this fight was filled with failed negotiations, missed opportunities, and a potential showdown with former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis that never materialized. Now, with frustration building and a point to prove, Allen says Shahbazyan will pay the price.
Allen Says Du Plessis Fight Was Nearly Done
Allen revealed that a fight with Du Plessis was reportedly close to being finalized earlier this year. Following his stoppage victory over Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver, Allen publicly called for a fight with the former champion and believed the matchup was headed toward completion. Then everything changed.
“Because he’s a b#%@ch,” Allen said when asked why the fight never happened.
Allen claims he was initially told the fight was essentially finalized before being informed that Du Plessis had suffered an injury that would delay his return until the summer.
According to Allen, the explanation didn’t add up. “They said he got hurt and he’s not fighting until July,” Allen said. “But he posted training videos the next week.” Allen admitted he still isn’t sure exactly what happened behind the scenes but believes he may have been misled during the process.
Why Edmen Shahbazyan?
The matchup with Shahbazyan raised eyebrows throughout the MMA community. Allen currently sits among the elite contenders in the middleweight division, while Shahbazyan remains outside the rankings despite entering the fight on a three-fight winning streak. Allen understands why fans questioned the booking.
“F***ing tell me about it,” Allen said.
Still, the Louisiana native made it clear that staying active outweighed concerns about rankings or title implications. Allen explained that after several scheduled opportunities fell apart, Shahbazyan became one of the few viable options available.
“The next person in line who didn’t have a fight was Edmen,” Allen said. For Shahbazyan, the bout represents the biggest opportunity of his recent resurgence after victories over Andre Muniz and several other notable opponents.
As fight night approaches, Allen appears highly motivated to make a statement. Whether the fight stays standing or hits the mat, he believes he holds advantages everywhere.
“If I can’t take him down in the fight, if I can’t do what I plan to do, then I’m going to beat the shit out of him on the feet,” Allen said. The middleweight contender predicts relentless pressure and believes his experience, toughness, and overall skill set will overwhelm Shahbazyan.
“I plan to put pressure on him like crazy,” Allen said. “I don’t plan to ever let him gain any confidence in this fight.”
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
