UPDATE: In a stunning upset at UFC Fight Night in Vancouver on October 14, 2023, middleweight Brendan Allen stopped Reinier de Ridder in the fourth round, forcing his corner to throw in the towel. This decisive victory marks the pinnacle of Allen’s career, snapping de Ridder’s four-fight winning streak in the UFC.
Despite taking the fight on short notice, Allen (26-7) delivered on his promise to break de Ridder (21-3), who was originally set to face Anthony Hernandez. Allen stepped in after Hernandez withdrew due to injury, showcasing his grit and determination throughout the match.
Allen initially faced challenges, conceding a takedown in the first round and defending against submissions. However, he quickly reclaimed control, dominating the grappling exchanges in the subsequent rounds and amassing over 11 minutes of control time while landing 128 total strikes compared to de Ridder’s 51.
As the fourth round concluded, de Ridder struggled to return to his corner, prompting referee Jason Herzog to closely monitor the situation. Ultimately, de Ridder’s corner made the critical decision to stop the fight, signaling Allen’s impressive performance and readiness to take on higher-ranked opponents.
“It feels good to do exactly what I said I would do,” Allen expressed after the fight. “This was me 3.5 weeks off the couch. I told you I’m a different monster; when my head is clear and we’re on, I’m the best in the world.”
With this victory, Allen solidifies his position as the No. 9-ranked middleweight in the UFC, while de Ridder was ranked No. 4. Immediately following the match, Allen called out UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, along with former champions Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.
“Chimaev, if you want a good grappler, someone young and hungry, you got it baby,” Allen stated. “Dricus, where you at? I’ve been trying to get at you for a minute. If not, Sean, it’s time to run it back.”
In the co-main event, Canadian welterweight Mike Mallott (13-2-1) achieved a significant victory over veteran Kevin Holland (28-15) by decision, while bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi (14-2) continued his ascent with a split decision win over former title challenger Marlon Vera (23-11-1).
As fans and analysts react to Allen’s remarkable performance, the focus will now shift to potential matchups against top contenders in the middleweight division. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
