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Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Fight Night 252's Brendan Allen sees flaws in Dricus Du Plessis' resume
SEATTLE – Despite his perfect run in the octagon, Brendan Allen still has criticisms of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who rematches Anthony Hernandez in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 252 middleweight co-headliner at Climate Pledge Arena (ESPN+), has never been reluctant to try to tear down Du Plessis' resume. Even with Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) now holding two wins over Sean Strickland, plus Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, Darren Till and more, Allen isn't convinced of the champ as some sort of all-time great. In Allen's opinion, the hindsight and context of Du Plessis' biggest wins can already be called into question. "Somehow Dricus just gets it done," Allen told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 252 media day. "If you look at his resume on paper, you're like f*ck man, this guy's a stud. But if you really look at it and watch the fights, he fights these guys that have such a great name, but look at the time that he fights them. He's fighting them kind of when they're not really motivated or on their way out, or just Father Time is getting them. Whatever the case may be. "For instance, you see (Adesanya) on someone's resume and you think of the Izzy at his top and you're like, 'Wow, he beat this guy.' Then you watch the fight and you're like, 'This ain't the Izzy that fought Paulo Costa or anything like that. This ain't the same guy.' So I think he just gets them at the best times. The best names at the best times, and it is what it is." Allen has the intent of climbing up to a championship fight and meeting Du Plessis if he's still there. First, though, he must get past Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) this weekend and avenge a unanimous decision loss in their first meeting at LFA 32 in January 2018. "Overlook me, do what you want – I don't care," Allen said. "My money stays the same no matter what. So I'm going to go out there, I'm going to beat up Anthony and move on to the next step. It's nothing different. ... If the best me shows up, I'm the best fighter in the world at middleweight. I just need to be the best me." UFC champion Dricus Du Plessis insists undefeated Khamzat Chimaev is no 'boogeyman' UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis laughs off Belal Muhammad's challenge Brendan Allen 'a different monster' for Anthony Hernandez rematch at UFC Fight Night 252 For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Night 252's Brendan Allen sees flaws in Dricus Du Plessis' resume
USA Today
20-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC Fight Night 252's Brendan Allen sees flaws in Dricus Du Plessis' resume
SEATTLE – Despite his perfect run in the octagon, Brendan Allen still has criticisms of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who rematches Anthony Hernandez in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 252 middleweight co-headliner at Climate Pledge Arena (ESPN+), has never been reluctant to try to tear down Du Plessis' resume. Even with Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) now holding two wins over Sean Strickland, plus Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, Darren Till and more, Allen isn't convinced of the champ as some sort of all-time great. In Allen's opinion, the hindsight and context of Du Plessis' biggest wins can already be called into question. 'Somehow Dricus just gets it done,' Allen told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 252 media day. 'If you look at his resume on paper, you're like f*ck man, this guy's a stud. But if you really look at it and watch the fights, he fights these guys that have such a great name, but look at the time that he fights them. He's fighting them kind of when they're not really motivated or on their way out, or just Father Time is getting them. Whatever the case may be. 'For instance, you see (Adesanya) on someone's resume and you think of the Izzy at his top and you're like, 'Wow, he beat this guy.' Then you watch the fight and you're like, 'This ain't the Izzy that fought Paulo Costa or anything like that. This ain't the same guy.' So I think he just gets them at the best times. The best names at the best times, and it is what it is.' Allen has the intent of climbing up to a championship fight and meeting Du Plessis if he's still there. First, though, he must get past Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) this weekend and avenge a unanimous decision loss in their first meeting at LFA 32 in January 2018. 'Overlook me, do what you want – I don't care,' Allen said. 'My money stays the same no matter what. So I'm going to go out there, I'm going to beat up Anthony and move on to the next step. It's nothing different. … If the best me shows up, I'm the best fighter in the world at middleweight. I just need to be the best me.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC Fight Night 252's Anthony Hernandez: 'I have the skills to beat' Dricus Du Plessis
SEATTLE – Anthony Hernandez doesn't pay much mind to the comings and goings of the middleweight division, but current champion Dricus Du Plessis is one name who has his attention. Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who will attempt to repeat January 2018 victory over Brendan Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC) in their co-main event rematch on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 252 card at Climate Pledge Arena (ESPN+), was once scheduled to face Du Plessis at UFC 273 in April 2022. The bout didn't materialize because Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) was shifted to another matchup and date, but it has lingered for Hernandez. 'Flurry' is currently riding a six-fight winning streak, and if he get past Allen, he doesn't think a title shot is far off. 'I'm just look ing at this fight for sure because this is the biggest fight that matters,' Hernandez told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's UFC Fight Night 252 media day. 'Finish this guy, get my hand raised, make a statement and then the UFC has a plan. They've always got a f*cking plan. You've seen guys that weren't even ranked get title shots. I figure if the timing matches up and they give me the shot, I'll be f*cking ready. No matter what. 'I like the fight with DDP. I was supposed to have that fight already. I said yes on like two weeks' notice or some sh*t. I believe I have the skills to beat the guy. It's crazy because I keep telling people, 'It looks like he's gassing,' but then the motherf*cker keeps coming forward. And he's awkward, so that throws people off. I definitely would like that fight, but for now, it's just Brendan Allen that's on my mind.' In his first meeting with Allen at LFA 32, Hernandez earned a five-round unanimous decision win to claim the promotion's vacant middleweight title. Both men had less than 10 professional fights each then, but have now involved into the elite. Allen, No. 11 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, has surpassed No. 12-ranked Hernandez in stature under the UFC banner thus far. However, this weekend's rematch proves as a major opportunity for Hernandez to change that. 'He's gotten better everywhere,' Hernandez said. 'All the places I feel like I messed up late time, the first time we fought, I understand now. I understand how to shut it down, so I'm planning on going out there and having a great performance. I know it's going to be a war. He was a tough f*cking kid last time I fought him, so whatever it is, it is. We'll see who wins. 'I mentally broke him, and I was f*cking exhausted, so I'm in great shape and I'm ready to go to war and stay in a motherf*ckers face and drown him.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
