Christian Leroy Duncan secured a unanimous decision win over UFC newcomer Andrey Pulyaev at UFC London on Saturday, March 22, 2025, and now has his sights firmly set on entering the middleweight top-15 rankings.
In a competitive middleweight clash at London's O2 Arena, Duncan (11-2) displayed effectiveness in his clinch and striking skills but couldn't secure a finish. Reflecting on his performance during the post-fight press conference, Duncan told reporters, including Cageside Press, "I really wanted to get the finish tonight, and I thought we were very close toward the end, but we ran out of time unfortunately. Still, we got the win."
Duncan praised Pulyaev's toughness, acknowledging the Russian fighter’s impressive resilience and durability. "I have to give it to Pulyaev; he's a very tough fighter. He absorbed a lot of shots and hung on. Sometimes fighters are just tough and can take a lot of hits," he said respectfully.
With his win at UFC London, Duncan aims to continue dominating future opponents to break into the UFC's official middleweight rankings. "My vision now is to dominate all my fights moving forward, head toward the rankings—the top 15—and get that number next to my name. No matter who they select for me, I accept any challenge, but ultimately I want to reach those rankings," Duncan shared confidently.
This important victory over Pulyaev positions Duncan for potentially bigger and higher-stakes fights in the coming months, increasing anticipation for his next matchup within the highly competitive UFC middleweight division.
