Belal Muhammad, a teammate of UFC middleweight fighter Brendan Allen, revealed that his friend had a fight-week illness before UFC Vegas 122.
Allen defeated Christian Leroy Duncan via fifth-round submission at the conclusion of a back-and-forth war that saw both men fight hard until the bitter end.
It was a terrific performance by Allen, one that won him $100,000 for Performance of the Night, and according to Muhammad, he was fighting through an illness all week long, making the performance even more impressive.
Belal Muhammad Reveals Brendan Allen’s Fight-Week Illness
Taking to social media following Allen’s big win over Duncan, Muhammad revealed his teammate was suffering from a staph infection all week long, yet managed to go out there and get the win after taking antibiotics.
“What people don’t know is Brendan was dealing with a staph infection since Tuesday of fight week. Had to get on antibiotics, still has 5 days left on them, and despite all that adversity, went out there and got the finish. Never complained, never made excuses, just found a way to win. That’s the heart of a champion. Proud of my brother,” Muhammad wrote on his X.
What’s Next for Brendan Allen?
This win over Duncan was huge for Allen, who not only won, but also finished the fight impressively late in the fifth round of a closely fought battle.
Allen has now won four fights in a row, and after beating Duncan by submission, he should be getting someone ranked in the top five of the weight class next.
He has already called out Dricus du Plessis, and that’s a fight that makes a whole lot of sense, as the former UFC middleweight champion is coming off a big win over Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City and is due for a big fight in his own right.
We’ll see what the UFC matchmakers think about this bout, but from a rankings perspective, it’s one that certainly seems feasible, with the winner of that bout potentially earning a title shot at 185 lbs depending on how a potential Allen vs. du Plessis UFC middleweight fight plays out.
Team Brendan Allen Reveals Fight-Week Illness Before UFC Fight