3 UFC fighters we want to see on the next UFC Fight Pass Invitational
- UFC has been hosting grappling events at the UFC APEX
- Several UFC fighters have appeared on the cards
- These are three we want to see on the next event.
UFC Fight Pass Invitational 6 airs live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 3. The no-gi submission grappling event is headlined by Craig Jones and Rafael Lovato. Since its 2021 inception, the competition has attracted some of the world's best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners.
Though the UFC Fight Pass Invitational is mostly a platform to showcase some of submission grappling's most talented athletes, it has included several UFC fighters throughout its run.
Glover Teixeira and Anthony Smith competed in the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 co-main event. Perennial flyweight contender Alex Perez also grappled that same night against Roman Bravo-Young.
This upcoming event is no different, including UFC strawweight Denise Gomes matching up with Gigi Canuto. UFC women's bantamweight fighter and BJJ black belt Karol Rosa also competes with Raquel Canuto.
As the UFC Fight Pass invitational gains prestige and popularity, it's likely to include more UFC athletes. After all, it's not uncommon for mixed martial artists to engage in grappling competitions to keep their skills sharp. Many MMA fighters also cut their teeth on the grappling scene before ever stepping foot in the cage.
Here are three fighters worthy of inclusion in the next UFC Fight Pass Invitational.
3. Brendan Allen
Brendan Allen (23-5) is one of the UFC middleweight division's most dangerous BJJ black belts. His recent six-fight win streak includes five submissions. Allen has choked out fellow accredited black belts Paul Craig and André Muniz in this stretch.
Allen holds 14 total career submission victories. He is an expert at taking his opponent's back and locking in the rear naked choke.
The 28-year-old's grappling prowess is no surprise. He began BJJ training at 13 years old and a professional MMA career at 20 years old.
Allen punched his UFC ticket on DWCS in 2019 by earning a submission over Aaron Jeffrey. He's collected seven total UFC submissions since, tapping out BJJ black belts like Kevin Holland and Bruno Silva along the way.
Though the No. 6 ranked middleweight's eyes are likely set on UFC gold, witnessing him demonstrate how truly dangerous he is on the ground against one of grappling's elite competitors would certainly be a delight.