UFC middleweight contender Brendan Allen isn’t getting any sympathy from his division’s champion after a tough night at the office this past Saturday night.
Allen returned to action on Feb. 22, co-headlining the UFC Fight Night event in Seattle opposite a former adversary in fan favorite Anthony Hernandez.
While “All In” targeted redemption for a defeat to “Fluffy” under the LFA banner en route to defending his spot in the top 10 at 185 pounds, he was once again unable to get the better of Hernandez, this time on the scorecards.
The result has marked the latest setback to Allen’s title ambitions after he had his seven-fight winning run snapped by Nassourdine Imavov in Paris last September.
And the Beaufort native is unsurprisingly disappointed, which showed in his first statement on social media post-fight.
“Just ain’t the guy I thought I was,” Allen wrote. “Hats off to (Hernandez), love the guy through the s*** this sport brings. Who knows what’s next. Thanks to my team and those who stuck with me.”
Though he received plenty of supportive messages in the comments section, one longtime verbal sparring partner was ready to add salt to Allen’s wounds.
Reigning titleholder Dricus Du Plessis appeared with a less than positive remark, mocking the sizable blow to Allen’s championship hopes.
“I don’t know what’s next either but I can most certainly tell what ain’t next for a very long time.”
Du Plessis and Allen have long gone back and forth on social media and during interviews, with their feud seemingly dating back to a brief stint training together and a clear contrast in personality.
Since then, “All In” has repeatedly vowed to reach the South African and prove his criticism of the champ’s fighting style correct. As Du Plessis pointed out, however, such a matchup is now a distant possibility following Allen’s likely exit from the top 10.
