LAS VEGAS – Christian Leroy Duncan was elated when the update came.
He wouldn't be fighting Brendan Allen on the UFC 332 main card in Salt Lake City, no. Instead, his face would be prominently featured on the poster with a UFC Fight Night 290 main event booking. That bout takes place Saturday at Meta APEX and the always laid-back Duncan (15-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) feels the same he always has for this one – perhaps just a little more appreciative for the moment.
"To compete against Allen, it's a big opportunity," Duncan told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. "I think he main (evented) one of the cards here in the APEX when I first come here to the UFC. To now be able to main (event) against him is an amazing opportunity.
When I first heard that we were fighting, it was originally set to be in Utah last weekend. I wouldn't have been the main event, though. To now step up and be a five-rounder, we've had to adjust training in a certain way. It's five rounds. It made the excitement even more so the preparations were very, very good."
Duncan, 31, has been recognized as one of the middleweight division's top rising stars since his emergence as a contender for leading European regional promotion Cage Warriors. But that doesn't mean the road has been easy, nor does it mean it's been flawless.
In July 2024, Duncan lost a unanimous decision to Gregory Rodrigues, a fighter who has emerged as a top contender in recent performances. It was a necessary growing pain, according to Duncan, who has won five fights in a row heading into the Allen (27-7 MMA, 15-4 UFC) fight.
"I'm glad that happened early in my career," Duncan said. "You can iron out those things that you need to put me on this momentum I'm riding right now. I came into both the sport and the UFC very green. I came into the sport not having any kind of background in MMA. I picked everything up as I went along in the UFC. We had some learning lessons on the way and that made me go and step out and get some next-level kind of training. I'm around some great people. I've got some great mentors now. You can see the evolution of my abilities."
Saturday's headliner is an important bout for the division and will likely propel the victor into a title eliminator-type matchup next time out. Duncan respects Allen tremendously but is confident his abilities will get him the nod whether the fight lasts five rounds or five seconds.
"It was a grueling camp to get prepared for what Allen brings. We've done everything we need to do to be prepared. To be in the main event, it's a massive opportunity. I would say in terms of pressure, there's no more pressure than what I've felt in my previous fights. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and my confidence comes from my training and my performances. In terms of the opportunity it brings, it's huge. In terms of me and my mindset, it's the same as any other fighter.
"... I'd say Brendan is a young veteran. He's been in the UFC since 2018. I was an amateur then. He's refined his skillset. He's matured in the UFC. He has a very specific path to victory in his fights. He's good at what he does. Him knowing and him being a smart fighter, he knows what I bring to the table. We're prepared for that version of him. I like to pay respect to these sort of fighters by making sure I'm there and ready to give them the fight they deserve. ... Him being top-five ranked and the way the division is moving with interesting movement at the top now, I feel it will put my name in that hat toward a contender."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Christian Leroy Duncan elated by first UFC main event vs. 'young veteran' Brendan Allen
