By Caoilte de Barra
On New Year’s Eve, Christian Leroy Duncan became the latest athlete that competed in the IMMAF ranks to sign with the UFC.
The announcement came at Cage Warriors 148, a card on which the two-time IMMAF medalist was due to compete. However, an unexpected incident left his opponent, Jesse Taylor, unable to compete, meaning Duncan’s second title defence was cancelled.
During the broadcast, Duncan spoke about the bout cancellation before he announced the exciting news.
“At this time, I think we’ve made a decision. I’ll be handing this belt back to Cage Warriors, and next year, in 2023, in London, March, I’ll be looking to make my UFC debut in London.”
It is no surprise that Duncan has earned the call-up to the UFC. Since turning pro, he has been thriving in the Cage Warriors middleweight division, achieving promotional gold in his sixth outing, less than two years after his professional debut. Ahead of his move to the UFC, Duncan’s pro record sits at 7-0, with six of those coming via finish.
As an amateur, the 27-year-old competed in IMMAF on thirteen occasions over four competitions. Representing England, his accolades include a 2017 World Championships Middleweight Bronze and a 2019 European Championships Male Middleweight Silver.
