Daniel Cormier was extremely impressed by Brendan Allen this weekend.
On Saturday, Allen picked up the largest win of his profession, stopping Reinier de Ridder in the principle occasion of UFC Vancouver. Regardless of coming in as a short-notice substitute, Allen wore de Ridder out with dominant grappling, forcing de Ridder’s nook to throw within the towel between the fourth and fifth rounds. It was a win for Allen and a efficiency that earned excessive reward from Cormier, who was commentating the occasion.
“I didn’t count on Reinier de Ridder to interrupt in the best way that he did,” Cormier mentioned on his YouTube channel. “Brendan Allen instructed us that he was going to go on the market and he was going to interrupt RDR. However after watching de Ridder combat Robert Whittaker in the best way that he did, watching him beat Bo Nickal the best way that he did, watching what he did in ONE FC all these years to changing into the world champion in a number of weight lessons, you simply didn’t count on what occurred.
“Brendan Allen began in a short time as soon as he received on prime. RDR was capable of management him in Spherical 1. Once you’re recent, you possibly can management, you possibly can take the again. However the second that he was capable of lose place or change place — I’m speaking Brendan Allen — it was all dominance. He managed him, he landed a ton of harm on him, and he actually did job of taking up that combat. From Spherical 2 on, it was all Brendan Allen.”
The win was particularly huge for Allen due to how the previous 12 months has been for him. “All In” was on a seven-fight profitable streak earlier than shedding to Nassourdine Imavov in September of 2024. He adopted that up with a loss to Anthony Hernandez in February, and all of a sudden Allen was nicely away from a title shot. However rebound win over Marvin Vettori in July, and now this nice efficiency in opposition to de Ridder, all of a sudden has Allen again within the title combine at 185 kilos. And for Cormier, it simply reveals how shortly fortunes can change on this sport.
“It simply speaks to how shortly issues can change for fighters,” Cormier mentioned. “Final 12 months, Brendan Allen misplaced to Imavov and he misplaced to Fluffy Hernandez, and he spoke about what number of adjustments he needed to make, how a lot he had to check out himself, possibly he wasn’t the man that he thought he was. Tonight he modifies all the things with a consequence, following a consequence. As a result of in New Orleans he beat Marvin Vettori, who’s a former world title challenger. He comes out tonight and beats Reinier de Ridder, who’s a former two-division champion in ONE FC, who had simply overwhelmed Robert Whittaker. The spectrum that this younger man has been on over the course of the final 12 months, actually is telling. And it takes a really huge man to beat these ideas mentally, bodily, and the place he was in his profession 12 months in the past to the place he’s immediately.
“So now Brendan Allen finds himself within the Prime 5 and one combat away from doubtlessly getting a title combat. That’s loopy!”
Break. Brendan Allen reveals the second he broke Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver.
Towel. Reinier de Ridder’s coach points assertion over stopping the combat at UFC Vancouver: ‘It was the precise name.’
Tribute. Paul Felder practically dropped at tears paying tribute to Duke Roufus at UFC Vancouver.
Low Blow. Mike Malott glad low blows didn’t cease UFC Vancouver combat: ‘I didn’t assume that was a nasty shot.’
Mad. Merab Dvalishvili’s coach getting fed up with post-fight excuses from Petr Yan, others after shedding: ‘It’s sort of cringey.’
Roundtable. How a lot strain is on Tom Aspinall at UFC 321?
Yours actually was on Sub Radio.
Each end from UFC Vancouver.
Alex Pereira offers Glover Teixeira a present.
Max Holloway meets Saenchai.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Possibly Chito gained, however it wasn’t a theft.
A+ posts from Matt Frevola.
Gotta tip your hat to Brendan Allen for the very best efficiency of his profession. Additionally, middleweight is so bizarre. A pair years in the past Sean Strickland was lifeless within the water, then he randomly gained the title. Is Allen on the identical trajectory?
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