Duncan Targets Du Plessis or Title Shot With UFC Vegas 122 Win

Christian Leroy Duncan is already mapping his route to the top of the UFC middleweight division before he even steps into the cage on Saturday night. The No. 10-ranked contender headlines UFC Vegas 122 against No. 5 Brendan Allen (27-7) at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, in a five-round main event streaming on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET. And Duncan (15-2) believes victory over Allen could put him in line for either a fight with former champion Dricus Du Plessis or an outright title shot. Asked by MMA Fighting whether beating Allen would earn him a crack at gold, Duncan was unequivocal: "I don't see why not." "A great performance in the win this weekend definitely puts us in the top," Duncan continued. "We've got Strickland and Imavov, which are supposed to be fighting next for the belt, and we've got DDP among that mix of former champions, it would be great to then put my name in that hat at the top level." The Briton framed it as a natural progression. He fought Roman Dolidze as a top-15 contender this year, then Jared Cannonier as a top-10 test, and now Allen as a top-five hurdle — meaning a former champion should logically come next. Reigning champion Sean Strickland is expected to face Nassourdine Imavov in a title fight targeted for early 2027, leaving Du Plessis and the winner of Saturday's main event circling the same conversation.