Brendan Allen: I can beat Sean Strickland everywhere now
Brendan Allen believes he can beat Sean Strickland in a rematch.
Allen dropped a decision to Strickland in 2020 when he was 25 and still green at middleweight. Strickland has since captured the title twice, most recently stopping Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 last month. Allen has climbed into contention himself, and after beating Strickland's American Top Team teammate Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision, he told Home of Fight that the gap between them has flipped.
Allen says Strickland hasn't evolved since 2020
"He's still the same guy that I fought then, and I'm not even close to the same guy," Allen said, per Sherdog. "I'm more mature, I'm older, more of a vet. I've been around the block a time or two. And I think I could beat him everywhere."
Allen went further, claiming Shahbazyan is actually a better version of Strickland despite lacking the same résumé. He credited Shahbazyan as faster and more technical, saying Strickland's main wrinkle is an awkward backward lean that throws off opponents but doesn't compensate for a lack of development. "I think Edmen is a little bit better," Allen added.
Allen is 27-7 overall and has won five straight at 185 pounds. Strickland is 31-7 and defends the belt next at a date yet to be announced.
Photo: MMAnytt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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