Ian Heinisch and Brendan Allen have been talking about fighting one another for years now.
Both Heinisch and Allen were fighting in LFA and Allen had been calling Heinisch out. But, “The Hurricane” went on to win the interim middleweight belt and get on the Contender Series and get a UFC contract. Allen, meanwhile, had to stay fighting in LFA for another year, but when he signed to the Las Vegas-based promotion, he started calling out Heinisch once more, and at UFC Vegas 13, they will finally fight.
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“We have exchanged words from LFA to now in the UFC. He is on a little hot streak but I have this mission in my head and it is Hurricane 2.0,” Heinisch said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I’m much more comfortable in the cage, I know where I belong. It takes a lot to get ranked in the UFC, let alone make that run for a belt. I’m finally falling into my own and the new version of me has come out. I feel like I will destroy anyone in my path and Brendan Allen is in my way.”
Entering the fight, many are viewing this as a rivalry fight of sorts. For Heinisch, he doesn’t feel that way at all as he believes he is on a different level than Allen.
“I don’t really know, it doesn’t feel like a rivalry for me because I am on a different level than the kid. He will come out tough and is on a winning streak, but he saw what I did to his teammate in Meerschaert,” he explained. “These guys are calling me out and I’m delivering. I’m not looking past the kid, I know it will be a tough fight but I don’t feel a huge rivalry and he is a kid trying to make a lot of noise. I will show him what the levels are to this game.”
Not only will Ian Heinisch look to show Brendan Allen there are levels to this game, but he doesn’t see a path to victory for the 24-year-old. He knows he is the better grappler and striker.
So, for Heinisch, he expects to teach Allen a lesson on Saturday night.
“Absolutely, these grappling guys have a tough time. Look at Antonio Carlos Junior, who is one of the best grapplers in the UFC. I weathered that storm and felt that level of grappling,” Heinisch said. “I’m a scramble king, and I’ll scramble until they get tired. I’ll get back to the feet and I know my striking is better as I don’t think Brendan Allen is comfortable on the feet. He has a decent clinch game but the clinch is one of my strong suits. I’m better everywhere than this kid. One day he will be great, he is young, he is hungry. At this time right now, it is time to take that lesson and grow from it and for me to truly fulfill my destiny.”
Although Heinisch is ranked and no doubt wants another ranked opponent, he is viewing Allen as a stepping stone to start fighting ranked opponents next.
Heinisch knows he has to do what Derek Brunson did to him, and that is put these newcomers in place.
“I believe it is a stepping stone to show that I belong where I’m at. I had to take a step back because I did lose to two ranked fighters,” Heinisch explained. “By beating Meerschaert when he was on a huge winning streak and taking out Brendan Allen. I can look forward again and get a ranked opponent whether it is Vettori or Shahbazyan. I feel very confident taking any of those fights.”
Ultimately, Ian Henisch is extremely confident he will hand Brendan Allen his first UFC loss and do so by stoppage.
“I will finish him early or I will finish him late. In the middle, it will be a lot of scrambling and grinding him out until he is worn out. I’ll finish him,” Heinisch concluded. “Or, I’ll catch him right off the bat because he loves to blitz and get into your face quickly. If he wants to step in that zone quickly I’ll be letting them fly. I see a finish.”
Who do you think will win, Ian Heinisch or Brendan Allen?