Brendan Allen stepped into the main event of UFC Vancouver on short notice, but it was Reinier de Ridder who appeared unprepared when the bout began. Despite having just a few weeks to train, Allen showcased the calmness of a seasoned fighter, gradually exhausting his opponent until De Ridder’s team threw in the towel after the fourth round.
Originally, Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez was set to fight Allen, but an injury sidelined him. When the UFC approached Allen for a replacement, he eagerly accepted. Having witnessed De Ridder falter before, Allen felt confident he could capitalize on the opportunity.
Allen Anticipated De Ridder’s Limits
“You could see it in his fight against the Russian [Anatoly Malykhin] the second time; he struggled in the later rounds,” Allen remarked at the post-fight press conference. “I knew I could make it happen. Enduring 25 minutes of punishment is incredibly difficult.”
“I was surprised he lasted longer than I expected, but I wasn’t sharp at the start,” he added, emphasizing his dominance over the subsequent rounds.
During his time in ONE Championship, De Ridder had faced Malykhin twice and suffered a knockout followed by a stoppage from excessive damage. This history provided Allen with the assurance that De Ridder was vulnerable.
Key Moment in the Second Round
De Ridder began aggressively, taking Allen down and controlling him throughout the first round. However, this rapid pace soon became his downfall. When Allen reversed the position in the second round and began landing punches from top control, he immediately sensed a shift in the fight’s dynamics.
“In the second round, when I maintained my position and started hitting him, I realized the tide was turning,” Allen explained. “I was cautious not to exhaust myself too quickly. With more preparation time, I would have ramped up the intensity, but I wanted to stay smart.”
Allen’s patience and control allowed him to exploit every mistake, demonstrating that his experience was crucial in the fight.
“I remained composed, I know grappling inside out. Taking one round was fine; I focused on observing his movements and accumulating data throughout the fight,” he noted. “Once I regained top position in the second round, I capitalized on that.”
As the rounds progressed, it became apparent that De Ridder was exhausting. The referee even encouraged him to keep fighting, but by the end of the fourth round, De Ridder’s corner stopped the match.
“With just three and a half weeks of training for five rounds, I aimed to perform sharply,” Allen reflected. “He executed a nice throw in the first, but I quickly adjusted. I have experience in five-round fights, and I realized 25 minutes can feel endless.”
This victory positions Allen closer to middleweight title contention, while the defeat alters De Ridder’s path. Following the win, Allen named several potential opponents, including Dricus du Plessis, who had criticized him during a previous losing streak.
“Du Plessis always takes shots when I’m down, but if our timelines align, I’ll be ready,” Allen said, concluding that he will now take time to recover mentally and reunite with his family.
By defeating a respected grappler, Brendan Allen not only silenced his critics but also proved his capability to perform under pressure, even on short notice.
