Ranked middleweights are set to run it back at a UFC Fight Night in the first quarter of the new year.
Brendan Allen (24-6), who currently occupies the #9 spot in the middleweight top 15, had his charge toward a desired first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage stalled this past September. At the UFC Fight Night in Paris, France’s own Nassourdine Imavov snapped the American’s seven-fight win streak to defend his place in the championship conversation.
“All In” will be looking for a quick rebound, and the chance to achieve that will come on Feb. 22 when he also has the opportunity to avenge a past defeat.
Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, Allen is set to renew hostilities with Anthony Hernandez (13-2, 1 NC). “Fluffy” outpointed the top-10 contender back at LFA 32 in 2018, a result that earned him a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series and paved his path into the UFC.
A location is yet to be confirmed for the UFC Fight Night on Feb. 22, but Seattle is the reported target.
Before suffering defeat at the hands of Imavov, Allen had risen the ranks with submission victories over Andre Muniz, Bruno Silva, and Paul Craig, as well as a hard-fought main event decision against Chris Curtis.
Hernandez, meanwhile, has won six on the bounce since a knockout loss to Kevin Holland in 2020. That run includes memorable submissions of decorated BJJ specialist Rodolfo Vieira and Roman Kopylov, in addition to knockouts of Edmen Shahbazyan and Michel Pereira.