Duncan targets Du Plessis or title shot after UFC Vegas 122: 'I don't see why not'

Christian Leroy Duncan believes a convincing win over Brendan Allen in the UFC Vegas 122 main event at the Meta APEX on Saturday could propel him straight into middleweight title contention, with the British fighter eyeing either a shot at Sean Strickland’s belt or a high-profile showdown with former champion Dricus Du Plessis.

Duncan enters the fight on a five-fight winning streak, most recently defeating Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision in July. A win over Allen — currently ranked fourth in the division — would extend that run to six and, in Duncan’s view, make a title bypass hard to justify.

“I don’t see why not,” Duncan told MMA Fighting. “We have a good performance this weekend, I don’t see why not. I feel that I’m ready and I’ll make sure that I’m ready for that time when it comes. But yeah, we’ll see how things play out and if that is one of the options, then we’re ready.”

The more immediate path to a title shot appears complicated by a reported financial impasse surrounding the Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov fight, which is the expected next title bout. Should that matchup fall through, Duncan sees himself as a natural candidate to step in. If the belt isn’t immediately available, he has a clear alternative in mind.

“DDP could very well be next,” Duncan said of Du Plessis, framing a potential London headliner in the first quarter of 2027 as an ideal scenario. “This year I fought Roman being a top 15 fighter, Cannonier being a top 10 fight, and now Brendan Allen being a top five, so the natural progression from that would be a former champion. I’m ready for whatever comes, but that’s where my sights are set.”

Duncan also weighed in on the Strickland-Imavov matchup itself, refusing to dismiss either man. Imavov arrives on a five-fight winning streak that includes victories over Israel Adesanya and Caio Borralho, but Duncan noted that Strickland has a habit of defying expectations.

“Imavov poses a lot of problems for Strickland, and Strickland is a very awkward and difficult guy to deal with,” Duncan said. “We’ve seen him in fights where the odds were against him and he’s performed very well. He’s no guy to look over. Anything could happen with that one, but whoever does have the belt, that’s who my eyes are set on.”

First, though, Duncan must get past Allen, a seasoned veteran of 19 UFC appearances who has won three straight and arrives in dangerous form. The main event at the Meta APEX on Saturday represents the stiffest test yet of the former Cage Warriors champion’s title credentials.