Allen taps Duncan late, eyes du Plessis

UFC Vegas 122 carried the day: a finish-heavy card at the Meta APEX where Brendan Allen outlasted Christian Leroy Duncan over five rounds, Andre Fili uncorked a Knockout-of-the-Year candidate, and Gerald Meerschaert walked away after 60 pro fights. Away from the cage, the UFC moved on from its stalled Strickland saga by slotting a new UFC 335 headliner, and Michael 'Venom' Page resurfaced in KSI's Misfits Boxing.

Allen chokes out Duncan in the fifth, calls for du Plessis

Brendan Allen (28-7) submitted Christian Leroy Duncan via rear-naked choke at 2:46 of round five in the UFC Vegas 122 main event at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. It was a scrappy, error-filled fight in which Duncan lost a point in the second round for an eye poke, but Allen's grappling edge decided it as he took the back late and forced the tap. The win is Allen's fourth straight and earned a $100,000 Performance bonus; Duncan's five-fight streak ends. Afterward, Allen called for a title shot or a bout with former champ Dricus du Plessis.

Why it matters: Allen reinforces his top-five standing but stays stuck in middleweight no-man's land while the title picture is frozen by the Strickland pay standoff. A du Plessis matchup is the most realistic next step toward a shot.

Fili starches Kamaka with a 22-second head kick

Veteran Andre Fili (26-14, 1 NC) knocked Kai Kamaka III out cold with a right head kick just 22 seconds into the second round of their featherweight bout at UFC Vegas 122. The 36-year-old, in his 28th Octagon appearance, snapped a two-fight skid and drew praise from peers for pulling his follow-up punch once he saw Kamaka was already out. The finish, a Knockout-of-the-Year candidate, landed Fili a $100,000 Performance bonus.

Why it matters: Thirteen years into his UFC run, Fili remains a dangerous divisional stalwart and an ideal measuring stick for rising featherweights.

Meerschaert retires after 60 fights and a sixth straight loss

Gerald Meerschaert hung up his gloves in the Octagon following a second-round TKO loss to Julius Walker in the UFC Vegas 122 prelim headliner. The 38-year-old, who moved up to light heavyweight for the bout, was overmatched and finished on the ground, closing his run with six consecutive defeats. 'GM3' retires 37-23 across a near-20-year career, holding the records for most finishes and most submission wins in UFC middleweight history.

Why it matters: One of the division's most dangerous finishers walks away; even in defeat, his submission legacy outlasts a rough final stretch.

Michael 'Venom' Page lands at Misfits Boxing after UFC walk

Michael 'Venom' Page signed a multi-fight, multi-year deal with KSI's Misfits Boxing, announced in the ring at the promotion's London card. Per Ariel Helwani, it's an exclusive combat deal that still permits grappling and wrestling bouts. The UFC declined to re-sign the 39-year-old despite a 5-1 Octagon run and a four-fight win streak; Page said he felt 'disrespected' by how his exit was handled and that he now feels 'free.'

Why it matters: The UFC let a marketable crossover name walk over money, and influencer boxing keeps scooping up that talent — though at 39 and out of a tepid UFC stretch, what Page delivers in the ring is an open question.

UFC books Oliveira-Lopes BMF for UFC 335 as Strickland digs in

With champion Sean Strickland declaring he 'will not fight or sign any contract' until his pay dispute is resolved, the UFC pivoted its UFC 335 headliner (Dec. 12) to a Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes BMF title bout. A planned Strickland title defense against Nassourdine Imavov is on hold. A new report confirmed Strickland signed a six-fight deal and earned over $1 million for his UFC 328 win over Khamzat Chimaev, complicating his public push for more money. Jorge Masvidal publicly urged the promotion to pay him.

Why it matters: The middleweight title scene is frozen, and the UFC is signaling it will build cards around other stars rather than meet its champion's demands.

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