10/10/26
The UFC returns to the Apex for a night full of brutal knockouts, highlight finishes, and dog fights at the highest level. Veterans, prospects, and title contenders all squared off throughout the card for a great night in Vegas. Here is a recap of UFC Fight Night: Allen vs Duncan
Malcom Wellmaker vs Otari Tanzilovi: Bantamweight
In the first round, fighters got to work right away and established their range. While Wellmaker marched forward more often, Tanzilovi landed the cleaner shots early. Tanzilovi did rush in and stun Wellmaker with a combination, but Malcom recovered well. He responded by landing a big right hand that dropped Otari and landed decent ground and pound, but Tanzilovi was able to grapple his way to the second round.
Otari delivered in the second round, though, mixing up his strikes and landing a massive head kick that knocked Wellmaker down. A few ground-and-pound strikes later, Otari would secure the round two TKO. Tanzilovi takes down a dangerous prospect and improves his professional record to 10-2 and his first win in the UFC.
Andre Fili vs Kai Kamaka III: Featherweight
Andre Fili showed his experience advantage in the first round as he used his great jab to set up combinations and countered well with check left hands. Kamaka landed here and there, but the volume and power were on the side of Fili. Kamaka would survive the first round but would not make it long in the second. He would be flatlined KO’d by a head kick from Fili that shut the lights off. A nasty knockout for one of the most tenured fighters in the division and showed how much high-level experience matters in the fight game.
Loopy Godinez vs Ketlen Souza: Women’s Strawweight
Ketlen Souza impressed everyone in the first round as she outstruck the #8-ranked fighter in the division, Loopy Godinez. She mixed up her shots beautifully and busted the nose of Godinez in the opening minutes, but Godinez did have more volume and was able to scrape a round-one win. The power advantage was evident, and with that also came more volume. Godinez was stunned going into the second round. Souza went right back to work in round two and continued to strike at range with good kicks and punishing boxing, which Godinez didn’t have much of an answer for. The volume of strikes was somewhat even, but the more significant shots came from Souza throughout the fight.
Godinez would survive round two but was beat up and bloody. She went back to her bread and butter, though she got a takedown early in the third. She controlled Souza on the ground and clearly won the round. Godinez would win by unanimous decision in a hard-fought battle, while Souza looked like a real threat in the division despite the loss.
Matheus Camillo vs Jai Herbert: Lightweight
The first round started with Jai Herbert having the advantage in the striking as he used his massive reach to pepper Camillo with strikes. Camillo was not very active on his feet as he tried to figure out the tricky Herbert. After a few minutes, Camillo would finally start to throw with volume and cracked Herbert, which wobbled him. Camillo would then secure a takedown, which changed the entire round going into the second.
Matheus seemed way more comfortable to start the second round and started to pressure Herbert. He would quickly secure another takedown and started to dominate Jai on the ground. Herbert, though, would reverse a Camillo transition and wound up in full guard. He stayed busy and landed clean on Camillo while controlling him on the ground. It was anybody’s fight going into round three.
The volume for both fighters picked up in round three as both fighters knew that the fight was likely tied in the third. Herbert was the more active fighter, though, and landed some good leg kicks and jabs that flustered Camillo. Metheus would clinch against the cage but was unable to get the fight down to the ground. Herbert sprawled on a takedown and got in full guard once again, which won him the fight. The experience of Jai showed, and he walked away with the unanimous decision win.
Brenden Allen vs Christian Leroy Duncan: Middleweight
Christian Leroy Duncan started off the fight with an intense pace and lots of pressure. It was nothing Brenden Allen hadn’t seen before, though, and he weathered the storm well. Duncan would clinch Allen against the cage, but Allen reversed and took Duncan down while obtaining decent control time. The two returned to the feet, and Duncan went right back to the pressure and landed a couple of big elbows that kept Allen at range.
Duncan would get in trouble with eye pokes on Allen and lose a point early in the second round, which led Brenden to capitalize with a takedown where he held Duncan down and went to work. He would take the back of Duncan and threaten submissions, but Duncan showed good defense. Duncan would survive as the fight went to round three
Allen shot for a takedown in the opening seconds of round three but overshot and wound up on the bottom, but a quick reversal got him back in a dominant position on the ground for most of the round. Duncan reversed and got on top and landed decent shots on the ground. Both survived to see round four. Round four stayed on the feet, and both fighters increased their pressure and volume despite being tired. Both also landed clean, and while Allen had more pressure, the more significant strikes seemed to come from Duncan. It would all come down to the fifth round.
Both went for broke to start the fifth round, but Duncan was seemingly landing the more punishing strikes with kicks to the body, elbows, and boxing combinations. Allen would get a takedown, though, and slipped in a rear-naked choke within seconds. Duncan could do nothing but tap, and Allen secured the submission victory as he chases championship contention soon.
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