- Joined
- May 14, 2017
- Messages
- 4,536
- Reaction score
- 9,603
"If Chimaev wants a young guy that's good at grappling, can strike, and give him all the challenges he wants, then I'm your man," Allen said.
"But if he wants a guy who is a striker with pretty good takedown defense, but his ground isn't really up to par, then he takes Imavov. Before this was a question,
if de Ridder was in the topic, it's just a guy that's got good ground but no wrestling, and his hands aren't really that good. He's just awkward."
"Then you take that. But again, he's the champion. He won that belt. The UFC and him make those decisions above my pay grade. I just go in there and fight who
I'm supposed to. I've got a good contract. Life is good, I'm not complaining about nothing. I've just got to go out there and handle business."
Allen and de Ridder both train out of Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, but have purposely avoided working with one another in anticipation of a potential showdown.
Allen said he's heard nothing but good things about de Ridder and that it's not personal – just business:
"The point was to cross paths eventually, especially as he was gaining traction and getting more hype and everything like that," Allen says. "So for me, there was no
real reason to train with him, to be honest."
"I've learned now it's not about ego. I've always wanted to beat the guy at where they are best at just to prove a point. But I'm good everywhere. It's just implementing
all the things we strategize about and work really hard on in the training room. It's about being more mature and getting the win and trying to get it impressively. If it touches
the ground, which I'm sure it's going to touch the ground because I'm going to take him down at some point. But it's going to be on my terms! I'll show there is a big difference."
mmajunkie-eu.usatoday.com
"But if he wants a guy who is a striker with pretty good takedown defense, but his ground isn't really up to par, then he takes Imavov. Before this was a question,
if de Ridder was in the topic, it's just a guy that's got good ground but no wrestling, and his hands aren't really that good. He's just awkward."
"Then you take that. But again, he's the champion. He won that belt. The UFC and him make those decisions above my pay grade. I just go in there and fight who
I'm supposed to. I've got a good contract. Life is good, I'm not complaining about nothing. I've just got to go out there and handle business."
Allen and de Ridder both train out of Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, but have purposely avoided working with one another in anticipation of a potential showdown.
Allen said he's heard nothing but good things about de Ridder and that it's not personal – just business:
"The point was to cross paths eventually, especially as he was gaining traction and getting more hype and everything like that," Allen says. "So for me, there was no
real reason to train with him, to be honest."
"I've learned now it's not about ego. I've always wanted to beat the guy at where they are best at just to prove a point. But I'm good everywhere. It's just implementing
all the things we strategize about and work really hard on in the training room. It's about being more mature and getting the win and trying to get it impressively. If it touches
the ground, which I'm sure it's going to touch the ground because I'm going to take him down at some point. But it's going to be on my terms! I'll show there is a big difference."
Brendan Allen refuses delusions ahead of UFC Vancouver main event
Brendan Allen is trying to keep it real ahead of his UFC Vancouver main event.
mmajunkie-eu.usatoday.com
