Allen had a rough start to the fight as de Ridder (21-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) mounted him in the opening minute. But after he survived dominant positions and submission attempts, Allen totally exhausted de Ridder – so much so that the Dutchman's team called off the fight between the fourth and fifth round. The scenario was rare, but one Allen envisioned.

After months of a heated back and forth, Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori finally got to settle their differences this past summer. In July at UFC 318, the two middleweights collided in a grudge match that had the attention of the MMA world.