Brendan Allen has been waiting for his opportunity to face Krzysztof Jotko for a while now. At UFC Vegas 61, he will finally get his shot.
Allen (19-5-0) is a rising talent in the UFC’s middleweight division who could be a few consecutive wins from getting an opportunity at the top 15. Despite previous losses to Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis, his wins in the Octagon include opponents like Kevin Holland, Kyle Daukas, and Punahele Soriano. Entering Saturday’s event, he has earned victories in consecutive appearances and looks to make it a streak against Jotko (24-5-0). Leading up to the fight, the war of words has already begun.
Brendan Allen and Krzysztof Jotko Exchange Words Ahead of UFC Vegas 61
In a recent interview with LowKick MMA, Jotko said, “[Allen] is a tough opponent, but my opinion is he fights very emotional and very stupid. Maybe he is very tough guy, but not too smart guy.” Sitting down with All Access MMA’s Ryan Jarrell to preview the fight with Jotko, Allen shrugged off the slight.
“I don’t care what he says,” Allen said in the interview. “He’s gonna see Saturday night if I’m stupid, smart, any of the rest, it doesn’t matter. A mouth can say anything, so I’m going to be here – s**t, I’m already here in Vegas, so I’ll be here. Nothing’s gonna change.”
“As far as [Jotko] as a fighter, he’s fought a lot, ya know. He’s had a lot of fights in the organization, but then again, who has he beat? Because I don’t know any of the guys he’s beat besides my friend Gerald [Meerschaert]. Other than that, ya know? [shrugs] And Gerald didn’t look good. So, ya know, I don’t really care. He’s got a test on his hands Saturday, I know I’ve got a test on my hands Saturday. He’s a hard puzzle to figure out, but obviously, I think I know how to solve that puzzle, and I’m looking forward to doing just that.”
While the words might sting, Allen insists there is no ill will behind them, but rather the opposite. “To be honest,” he told AAMAA, “when I want a fight like this, it’s just because I respect the guy. It’s not out of disrespect – I’m not here to fight easy guys. So if I say I want to fight somebody and I’ve wanted to fight somebody, it’s only out of respect. If he takes it some other way, I don’t really care.”
Brendan Allen Has Wanted to Fight Krzysztof Jotko for Years
When Jotko entered the UFC, it didn’t take long for him to make a name for himself, no matter who he was fighting. Ripping off a run of victories right from the start, the Polish fighter’s name quickly carried some weight, and Allen has wanted a shot at him to further his own career.
“I’ve been trying to fight him for like two years,” he claimed. “I know he’s turned me down before. Like, it’s a fact, he’s turned me down before. So, he can’t really say anything. If he was so good and he wanted to fight me, and whatever he thought, he’s had the opportunity before and never accepted it.”
“I know, and he knows, at the end of the day, I’m way harder of a fight than anyone he’s fought so far. This time he just couldn’t deny the fight for any reason, because the UFC wanted the fight to happen. So, now he’s got it and now he has to accept it, and in order for him to take the next step back to where he was in his career, he has to fight me. In order for me to take the next step in my career, I have to fight him, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m ready to go.”
Brendan Allen Prediction for Krzysztof Jotko Fight
In his first seven contests, Jotko won six of them and all by decision, showing he could go the distance in the Octagon. He has relied on that strategy of scoring points throughout his career in the UFC, and Jotko’s willingness to fight to the bell that Allen believes will be his opponent’s downfall at UFC Vegas 61.
“To be honest with you,” Allen noted, “he’s the kind of guy that fights to not lose.”
“He doesn’t come to fight, he just comes to not lose. I just think I’m better everywhere. For me, he’s the kind of guy who’s never got beat by someone beating him everywhere soundly. So, if I can beat him soundly everywhere and just win a decision by beating him soundly everywhere, I’m good with that. But obviously, I have a finisher’s mentality, so I’m coming to finish him.”
Allen and Jotko will be a can’t-miss contest on the preliminary card at UFC Vegas 61, pending any lineup changes. Click HERE for UFC Vegas 61 start times, fight cards, and odds, as well as a preview of the main event, Mackenzie Dern vs Yan Xiaonan.
