Allen taps UFC signing Gasanov with heel hook to retain ACBJJ title in Istanbul

Brendan Allen retained his ACBJJ All-Stars grappling title at Ora Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, submitting UFC signing Magomedrasul Gasanov with a heel hook just before the five-minute mark at ACBJJ 22. The finish underlined Allen’s reputation as one of the most dangerous submission artists in the middleweight division.

The match was an evenly contested affair before Allen (27-7) found his opening, locking in the heel hook to force the tap and successfully defend the title he won in July with a first-round submission over Ramazan Kuramagomedov.

The victory extends what has been a strong run of form for Allen across both grappling and MMA. “All In” is currently riding a three-fight winning streak inside the UFC, with two bonus-winning performances among victories over Marvin Vettori, Reinier de Ridder, and Edmen Shahbazyan.

Gasanov (23-2) enters the contest as a notable scalp. The middleweight standout signed with the UFC earlier this year but has yet to make his promotional debut, having withdrawn from a scheduled appearance in Abu Dhabi last month for undisclosed reasons. His performance in Istanbul showed he could compete at a high level on the mat, even if the finish ultimately went Allen’s way.

For Allen, the ACBJJ outing serves as further evidence of his grappling credentials ahead of what figures to be a significant stretch in his UFC career. With a top-tier submission game and momentum behind him, the 27-7 middleweight is positioning himself as a genuine title contender in one of the promotion’s most competitive divisions.