The UFC Vegas 122 middleweight division clashes this Saturday night with a matchup between Brendan Allen and Christian Leroy Duncan going up inside The Peak.
The matchup comes at an interesting time for the 185-pound division, amid champion Sean Strickland’s continued social media tirade over his dissatisfaction with the UFC. A win brings either Allen or Duncan one step closer to a potential title shot. Allen has been pouring UFC gold for years, while Duncan has recently come into his own, posting a remarkable five-fight winning streak.
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On the card as a whole, the UFC somehow outdoes itself, as its version of the phrase is “the most talented and the most cultured.” Except in this case, that place is all game, and the stupidest culture means it’s the laziest collection of patricians.
Just when you think you’ve seen the worst UFC card lineup ever assembled, at UFC Vegas 122 we get a throwback from the shores of UFC Island like Ralphie from “The Simpsons.”
👑 UFC Vegas 122’s lineup ranks Crown: F
Brendan Allen becomes the King of Meta Apex.
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
185 pounds: Brendan Allen (-125) vs.
For complete clarity, Allen vs. Duncan is a solid, and perfectly logical fight, where every man is in his own race.
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That does not make the main good by any standard.
Allen was considered done and dusted after his seven-fight winning streak ended at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov in late 2024. I thought he was a done contender, at least. In Seattle, Anthony Hernandez in Seattle followed that loss by dropping a unanimous decision, but good effort. Then he decided to win again. The expiration of Marvin Vettori suffered a beating, Reinier de Ridder was upset on short notice, and most recently Edmen Shahbazyan’s own hot streak narrowly crashed his head into the Allen wall.
Still just 30 years old, Allen is the dog of the doggies among middleweight contenders. He’s not blowing your hair on anything, but he’s super good at everything. A guy can be suspended in any type of combat and adapt to the action wherever it best suits him. It only matters if the opponent adapts and defends.
31. Duncan established himself as one of the best strikers at 185 pounds, which was evident in his arrival. Early on, Arman Petrosyan slowed him down before Gregorius Rodrigues showed him the value of experience. Both of them were on the damage, because they hit Duncan and make him uncomfortable by closing the gaps, which is a strong suit of Allen.
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Sure, “CLD” has won five straight with Rodrigues, but surely his win streak was washed away more than a two-handed matchup. It’s the same stuff all the time, folks. Eryk Anders, Roman Dolidze and Jared Cannonier are not who they once were. Add in Marcus Tullius and Andrey Pulyaev, and you have the perfect formula for a peak performance.
Duncan’s defense is important and an improved defense will give him moments to shine, but Allen has been the more consistent man against better competition. Plain and simple.
Collect: Allen
155 pounds: Matthew Camilo (-200) Jai Herbert vs.
With Duncan as the main event and Jai Herbert as the co-headliner, this UK regional is brilliantly framed for UFC Fight Night fights.
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Despite Herbert’s fantastic one-round war with Mandel Nallo in the last outing, which he won by knockout, the placement of this fight is wild.
Herbert, 38, was a top-ranked boxer when he arrived in the UFC in 2020, failing to win fights in nine attempts. To be fair, the man was not placed in the second places, when he was compared with the likes of Ilia Topuria, Renato Moicano, Francisco Trinaldo and Fares Ziam at significant costs.
Against Matthew Camilo, Herbert finds himself in the same position King Green dealt with before their UFC 332 fight last week. This weather veteran means the promotion wants to push the road to build resources and future perspectives.
Camilo, 25, bounced back from a UFC debut loss to Gabe Green with big efforts over Viacheslav Borshchev and Nazim Sadykhov. Packs of Brazilian power into lethal short shots. Both he and Herbert excel at port counters, but speed will be crucial here, and the edge is leaning towards “Jaguar”.
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They gather: Camillus
115 pounds: Lupita GodÃnez (-250) vs.
It was Lupita “Loopy” Godinez yes almost getting over the hump into the straw. Tatiana Suarez’s last match against one-time title challenger Tatiana Suarez was as good as she could ask for – in Round 1. Suarez then composed and found a back-bare choke in the second round for the win.
Ketlen Souza has had a remarkable streak thus far in her UFC run. Her losses to Karine Silva and Angela Hill were nothing to hang her head over, and she showed her abilities against Yazmin Jauregui and Ariane Carnelossi.
Souza is at his best when he can dictate the pace and challenge opponents. Against someone like Godinez, who moves well and boxes better than most, that won’t be easy. A stepmother match here for Souza, as Godinez has fought and beaten the better straws already. But again, despite that last loss, Godinez has matched his appearance.
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Collect: Godinez
Kai Kamaka is making up for lost time in his UFC run.
(Chris Unger via Getty Images)
145 pounds: Andre Philly (-150) vs. Eater III (+125)
I know that Herbert has shown that the streak cannot be tightened. So, it’s only fair to highlight what Andre Fili hasn’t done since 2019.
A thin veteran always ready for a good, lazy old man. Sometimes it’s the same tomorrow. It doesn’t happen more often than these years.
Kamaka had quite a unique career. Before his last fight — a TKO loss to Luke Lee — his four previous losses were split decisions. Kamaka could have easily won a 15-fight streak before his loss to Leo. The game is a competitor that can hang with anyone, as it shows.
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The daughter has significantly more to her crowns in this matchup, which makes everything doubtful against the durable Hawaiian. This must be a blast of darkness while it lasts. But that is not the case.
They collect: the tailor
135 pounds: Malcolm Wellmaker (-235) vs. Otari Tanzilov (+190)
Is it time to restart the Malcolm Wellmaker hype train? Probably not.
However, this is a fight for Wellmaker to lose after dropping two straight. The once ardent Georgian prospect now engages with the Georgian “act” – from the country rather than the American state.
Tanzilov is more ferocious, a riotous striker who chases after him, finishing at the first sign of weakness. It’s the kind of recklessness that can leave any observer well, but Wellmaker has consistently shown great hand speed and power throughout his knockout career, making Tanzilov the first target for a highlight reel.
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Collect: Wellmaker
Previous Notes
UFC champions have fired Niko Price after a dual knockout fight against Michael Chiesa this past March in Seattle. That was simply so that the photographer could have more “focused” privacy time. But in reality it is likely to leave him where he was. It’s a bland decision, but after losing six of the past seven, finishing with five finishes, Price is well done.
A quick read:
Julius Fabricius (-300) def. Gerald Meerschaert (+240)
Francis Prado (-120) def. Ismael Bonfim (+100)
Leon Shahbazyan def. Niko Price (+130)
Philip of Franco (-350) def. Brendson Ribeiro (+275)
RJ Harris (-350) def. Allen Frye Jr.
Alicia Pereira deb. Darya Zheleznyakova (+125)
Melissa Gatto (-115) def. Ernesta KareckaitÄ— (-105)