Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Rising UFC middleweight contender Christian Leroy Duncan will fight in his first UFC main event against one of the division’s toughest puzzles.

After Sean Strickland pulled off the monumental upset over Khamzat Chimaev earlier this year, the UFC’s middleweight division is going through another transitional period. As Strickland prepares for his second championship stint, there’s a slew of contenders waiting for shots at the title.

One such rising star is Christian Leroy Duncan, who has won five consecutive fights and is fresh off a unanimous decision win over Jared Cannonier in July. The talented UK standout is finally starting to perform up to the lofty potential many analysts felt he would live up to when he made his way to the UFC.

Duncan proved he’s a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight title mix with his most recent victory over Cannonier. As Strickland’s next fight remains uncertain, Duncan will clash against one of the division’s hottest contenders in a highly anticipated headliner.

Christian Leroy Duncan set for title eliminator bout vs. Top 5 mainstay

As announced by the UFC on Tuesday, Duncan and No. 5 middleweight Brendan Allen will headline UFC Vegas 122 on October 10th. Allen has won three fights in a row since suffering back-to-back losses to Anthony Hernandez and Nassourdine Imavov.

Allen returns to the Octagon after recent wins over Edmen Shahbazyan and Reinier de Ridder. The former Dana White’s Contender Series standout has traded wins and losses in his UFC tenure, but is knocking on the door of a potential title shot.

UFC Vegas 122 features a strawweight showdown between Loopy Godinez and Ketlen Souza. Rising stars like Malcolm Wellmaker, Jai Herbert, and Julius Walker round out an intriguing card at the UFC Apex.

What is your prediction for Brendan Allen vs. Christian Leroy Duncan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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