Brendan Allen Explains Why His Fight With Dricus du Plessis Wasn’t Made

Brendan Allen says a fight with former middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis was discussed but never finalized, leaving him to take a different path this weekend at UFC Vegas 118. Instead of facing du Plessis, Allen will compete in the co-main event against unranked middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan, a matchup that surprised many observers given Allen’s standing near the top of the division.

Allen said the bout with du Plessis was expected to happen earlier this year after his win over Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver in October. According to Allen, the matchup was close to being set in January, but plans changed when he was told du Plessis was injured and would not return until July. Allen said he did not want to wait that long and asked for another high-profile opponent, including Kamaru Usman, but none of those options materialized.

Frustrated by the delays, Allen said he eventually accepted the fight with Shahbazyan because he needed to stay active and continue earning. He said he was tired of waiting for a top-ranked opponent and chose to take the next available fighter who did not already have a bout scheduled. Allen believes the situation was mishandled, though he did not place blame on any one person.

Shahbazyan enters the fight on a three-fight winning streak and has built momentum with a recent stoppage victory over Andre Muniz at UFC 320. The 28-year-old was originally scheduled to fight Jun Yong Park in April, but that bout was canceled when Park suffered an injury. Even without a ranking next to his name, Shahbazyan now finds himself in one of the biggest opportunities of his career against a fighter widely considered part of the middleweight elite.

Allen acknowledged that a win over Shahbazyan may not do much for him in terms of rankings or title positioning, but he made clear that the fight is about more than that. He said his focus is on earning money, supporting his family, and continuing to build the life he wants outside the cage. For Allen, staying active matters more than waiting around for the perfect stylistic or promotional matchup.

He also said he intends to make a strong statement on Saturday night. Allen described himself as bigger, tougher, more experienced, and more skilled than Shahbazyan, and promised to pressure him from the opening bell. While Allen said takedowns are part of his game plan, he emphasized that he is also prepared to strike and overwhelm his opponent on the feet if the wrestling does not come together.

Allen said he wants to remind the division and the fans what he can do, regardless of how the fight was arranged. His goal is to dominate, keep Shahbazyan from building confidence, and leave no doubt about his level as a contender.