Brendan Allen Demands Main Event Status for UFC Paris Bout Against Nassourdine Imavov

Brendan Allen (right), Nassourdine Imavov (left)

Brendan Allen isn't backing down when it comes to his next UFC fight, especially if it means heading to Paris to face Nassourdine Imavov. The UFC middleweight contender has made it clear that he will only accept the fight if it headlines the upcoming event in Paris this fall.

After securing a hard-fought split decision victory over Chris Curtis in the main event of UFC Vegas 90, Allen's momentum has soared with seven consecutive wins, propelling him to the No. 7 spot in the UFC middleweight rankings. Now, with talks of facing Imavov in Paris, Allen has laid down his terms.

In a candid video posted on Instagram, Allen expressed his stance:

"Two weeks ago, they told me it's Imavov in Paris. I said yes, but I want to be the main event. I've headlined three times in a row and won them all. If I'm going into enemy territory, let's make it count. Main event."

However, Allen voiced frustration upon learning that Benoit Saint-Denis and Renato Moicano were slated as the main event for the Paris card.

"I'm not flying all the way to Paris to play second fiddle to guys like that," Allen asserted. "One's coming off a loss, the other barely scrapes by. It's not right."

The UFC's return to Paris on September 28th marks their third event in the city, with Saint-Denis and Moicano headlining. Moicano, known for his "Money" persona, recently claimed a TKO victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 300, while Saint-Denis, despite his Special Forces background, suffered a loss in his last bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 299.

In response, Allen challenged Imavov to reconsider and face him in the United States instead:

"Imavov, if you're up for it, come to America, and let's settle this. We shouldn't be below those guys in the pecking order. It's about the fight and the challenge, not just social media numbers."

Ranked No. 4 in the UFC middleweight division, Imavov is fresh off a controversial win over Jared Cannonier at UFC Louisville. Training in Paris, Imavov has yet to compete in his home country since the UFC's debut event there in 2022, leaving his response to Allen's proposition uncertain.

As the debate over main event status continues, fans eagerly await a resolution to see if Allen and Imavov will face off, either in Paris under different circumstances or on American soil.