Brendan Allen secures a submission win in Vegas, but his fight falls short of his own expectations

UFC Vegas 122 will go down as a mixed night for Brendan Allen. The American fighter did secure a submission victory in the fifth round against Christian Leroy Duncan, but the bout exposed major flaws in his game. Despite earning a Performance of the Night bonus, Allen didn’t hide his disappointment, admitting his pace was far below his own standards.
From the opening exchanges, doubt set in. Duncan dominated the stand-up phases, using precise angles to land points. Allen, struggling, had to fall back on his grappling, a discipline where he usually excels. But even there, his reactions seemed sluggish. "I felt slow, almost passive," he told Paramount+, a statement that surprised more than one observer.
Yet, the fight ended the way Allen wanted: with an armbar in the closing moments of the fifth round. A logical outcome, but one that didn’t erase his regrets. Analysts, however, highlighted his remarkable endurance late in the fight, a detail that contrasts with his harsh self-criticism. A bittersweet victory, then, where technique sometimes gave way to frustration.
The question now is how Allen will bounce back. His next challenge? Proving he can dominate without resorting to a "last-minute submission." A tough task, but a necessary one to regain the confidence of his fans and coaches.