Brendan Allen uses late submission to win Fight Night main event

Middleweight Brendan Allen survived a grueling war of attrition before securing a fifth-round rear-naked choke submission over Christian Leroy Duncan to cap UFC Fight Night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The high-octane headliner capped a main card featuring back-to-back second-round head-kick knockouts and two back-and-forth decisions.

The 30-year-old Allen earned his 15th career UFC middleweight victory by submitting the 31-year-old Duncan (15-3), a native of England, at 2:46 of Round 5.

Duncan controlled long stretches on the feet with crisp jabs, body kicks, and close-range elbows, though referee Marc Goddard docked him a point in the second round after an accidental eye poke. Allen (28-7) swung the momentum with his grappling, repeatedly grounding Duncan and working toward submissions. In the final frame, Allen shot on the hips along the fence, transitioned to Duncan's back, and sank the choke to snap the Brit's five-fight winning streak.

"These guys are tough," Allen said of the division on the post-fight show. "They're hungry. They're trying to come take my spot."

English veteran Jai Herbert turned back his second consecutive rising prospect, surviving late opening-round danger to defeat Brazilian newcomer Matheus Camilo by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in the lightweight co-main event.

Herbert, 38, established his 77-inch reach early behind a steady jab before the 25-year-old Camilo (11-4), fighting out of Rio Branco, Brazil, clipped him against the fence late in the frame.

Camilo carried that momentum to the mat in Round 2, but Herbert (15-6-1) reversed position with a sweep and spent the second half of the round landing short strikes from top control, setting the tone for the eventual win.

In a grueling 117-pound catchweight bout, Mexican-Canadian contender Loopy Godinez (15-6) grinded out a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Brazilian striker Ketlen Souza (17-7).

Featherweight veteran Andre Fili (26-14, 1 no contest) delivered the night's most emphatic stoppage, knocking out fellow Las Vegas resident Kai Kamaka III (18-9-1) with a head kick just 22 seconds into the second round.

Georgian prospect Otari Tanzilovi (11-2) earned his first Octagon win in highlight-reel fashion, knocking out Dana White's Contender Series graduate Malcolm Wellmaker (10-3) with a head kick at 2:39 of the second round.

The UFC takes its Fight Night series to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada next Saturday.