The rivalry between Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen came to a close at UFC 318, as Allen finally secured a decision win over the Italian middleweight. But this bout was more than just a grudge match; it was a redemption fight for Vettori, who was grappling with the devastating loss of his brother in a house fire earlier this year. Despite the heat of their rivalry, Allen put animosity aside after the win, showing true class by not only respecting Vettori’s warrior spirit but also offering heartfelt sympathy for his unimaginable loss.

After his victory against Vettori, Allen had a conversation with the media where he expressed his sorrow over the loss of Vettori’s brother. In a respectful tone, the fighter stated, “I’m very sorry for him and his family. It touches my heart. My brother’s over there in the wheelchair — he wasn’t always like that, and it hurts. So I can’t imagine what it feels like to fully lose your brother.”

He further added, “My heart goes out to him and his family for that. Respect to him for coming here and still fighting, ’cause I wouldn’t fight if something happened to my brother. As far as him personally, it’s up to him, man. I don’t hold any beef. It is what it is.” Allen dropped all of his rivalry with Vettori. For those who are unaware, their rivalry is nothing new.

Both of them were supposed to fight at UFC Vegas 90 in April 2024, but the fight never happened as the Italian pulled out due to injury. With Vettori’s withdrawal, Allen ended up fighting Chris Curtis and won the bout via split decision. After the victory, Vettori took to his X handle to take a dig at Allen, writing, “Allen… you looked like dog s–t, got rocked every single round.” In response to the callout, Allen referred to Vettori as irrelevant.

That’s not all, tensions boiled over at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, after a PFL event in August 2024. Various reports suggest that Vettori tried to strike Allen’s teammate Tuco Tokkos. Allen intervened and threw multiple punches at Vettori, officially sparking a casino scuffle. Their long beef finally came to an end at UFC 318; however, he still holds a beef against his coach: “But f-k his coach though—my boy already f—d him up.” Amidst the chaos, Dustin Poirier even came forward to react to Allen’s victory.

Dustin Poirier gives a thumbs-up to Brendan Allen after UFC 318 victory

While Brendan Allen was speaking to the media, Dustin Poirier walked in front of him. Allen respectfully called out to Poirier, and the former interim lightweight champion responded with a thumbs up, creating a moment of mutual respect between two world-class fighters. After a brief moment when the host asked Allen about Poirier, and Allen stated that he is one of the reasons why he is not retiring from the sport.

“He is one of the reasons I’m like, ‘Man, sometimes I’m like, I need to retire, man. This shit’s hard.’ And then I’m like, ‘Look at him — it took him so long. So you just gotta keep pushing. You never know what’s on the other side.’ I was very frustrated the last time, and changes were made, and I think it showed tonight,” said Brendan Allen.

With a career spanning 15 years in the UFC, Dustin Poirier is one of the most well-known faces of the promotion. However, UFC 318 will mark the end of his glorious run. With his retirement, we must say goodbye to countless memories. One thing is certain though — his legacy will serve as a guiding path for all the young fighters entering the UFC.