Brendan Allen believes he, not Benoît Saint Denis, deserves the spotlight as the headliner of the UFC Paris fight card.
The UFC is making its much-anticipated return to the "City of Lights" this weekend at the Accord Arena in Paris, exactly one year after its last event, with a Fight Night event packed with French talent.
Headlining the upcoming event is a lightweight showdown between Renato Moicano and Saint Denis. Meanwhile, the co-main event promises fireworks as Allen faces Nassourdine Imavov in a high-stakes middleweight clash that could have serious implications in the division.
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When announcing the fights last month, UFC CEO Dana White emphasized Allen's seven-fight win streak, positioning him on the verge of title contention. Believing his bout holds greater weight, "All In" argues that, from a competitive standpoint, his matchup carries far more significance than the Moicano vs. Saint Denis clash, which he feels lacks meaningful consequence.
Allen On Saint Denis Headlining UFC Paris: 'Just Put Him On The Card, People Will Still Come Watch'
During a recent interview with MMA Fightingo, Allen voiced his frustration over not being selected to headline UFC Paris.
"All In" admitted he felt a slight sense of disrespect, considering his fight is a potential title eliminator yet was relegated to the co-main event. He argued that the Moicano vs. "God of War" matchup should have taken the co-headliner spot, given that neither fighter holds a high ranking in the division.
I feel like it's a little disrespectful to me and not just to me, but to Imavov as well," Allen said. "Our fight has potential title implications wrapped around it, whereas this is #11 and #14 [#12], I think, if I'm not mistaken. The two guys in the main event should be the co-main event under us.
Allen went on to say that while Saint Denis is understandably popular in his home country, fans will show up regardless to support their fellow compatriot no matter his card position. However, the 28-year-old South Carolina native emphasized that both he and Imavov have global recognition
I get it, Saint Denis is super famous here, but at the end of the day, people are going to come watch the fight no matter what, whether he's on the co-main or the main [event]. Just put him on the card—people are still going to come watch. But when it comes to worldwide MMA and fans, everyone knows me and Imavov are the real main event. I just felt, being as we're so close to a title, one of us is obviously going to move forward into that potential opportunity. That's why I feel like we should have fought five rounds.