Birds of a feather might flock together soon in Dana White‘s UFC – in the middleweight division, to be specific. Marvin Vettori has put the boss on alert with a scathing message directed at Brendan Allen. Following his disheartening loss to Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 104, ‘The Italian Dream’ immediately called out Allen, reigniting a long-running personal grudge. Vettori took to his X account to offer a bold warning to Allen, hinting at both his return and the prospect of retirement in one breath. This was eerily similar to what Allen had said after his UFC Seattle co-main event loss to Anthony Hernandez.
“Just ain’t the guy I thought I was. Hats off to [Hernandez], love the guy through the shit this sport brings. Who knows what’s next. Thanks to my team and those who stuck with me,” Allen wrote. Now, Vettori has come up with an answer for ‘what’s next.’ He wrote on X, “Saturday sparked the fire again; 21 months out was a bit. Angry Vettori might be back lol. Time to win some fights, Allen, before I see you outside. What you doing next? Who is gonna retire who?”
His words stoked speculation about his future while simultaneously putting Allen on notice. If this actually marks the return of an ‘angry Vettori,’ the animosity between the two is far from over. But what if he loses? Well, his tweet then suggests that he might go into retirement.
For the unaware, their feud began after Allen intervened in a heated argument between Marvin Vettori and George Tokkos at a Hard Rock Casino. According to witnesses, ‘All In’ struck a one-two combination that sent Vettori falling into a roulette table, causing chaos on the casino floor. ‘The Italian Dream’ has publicly expressed his dislike for Allen, stating, “I’ll smash your face just because you look funny to me. I’ll see you soon.” With Vettori promoting a fight against Allen.
Marvin Vettori calls out Brendan Allen pic.twitter.com/euxD9zmvhT
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) March 17, 2025
Now, many are wondering if the animosity will finally be resolved inside the Octagon. After all, Dana White has a history of capitalizing on real-life rivalries, and this situation has all the makings for a blockbuster bout. Marvin Vettori’s next move is uncertain—will he fight his way back into title contention or retire from the sport entirely? In any case, one thing is certain: if he does return to the cage, Brendan Allen could be the first person he targets. But what other fight can he opt for? Well, there is one high-profile opponent waiting on the sidelines.
Marvin Vettori might go one-on-one against a former champion
While a fight with Brendan Allen appears to be the inevitable next step for Marvin Vettori, another high-profile bout—a trilogy fight with Israel Adesanya—could propel him back into the title picture. The two have already fought in the Octagon twice, with ‘The Last Stylebender’ emerging victorious both times. Their first fight at UFC on FOX 29 in 2018 concluded in a close split-decision victory for Israel Adesanya. When they met again at UFC 263, ‘Izzy’ dominated, winning by unanimous decision.
Despite his setbacks, ‘The Italian Dream’ refused to accept defeat, believing he could still establish himself against the former champion. Marvin Vettori’s inactivity and injuries may have hindered his momentum, as evidenced by his subpar performance against Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 104. Despite being 31 years old, he remains a prominent contender in the middleweight division, now ranked at #10. This suggests he is still capable of facing the division’s finest. On the other side, Israel Adesanya, who is on a three-fight losing streak, may be searching for a comeback fight to rebuild confidence.
A bout between the two might benefit both fighters—Vettori gets another chance to prove he can beat Adesanya, and ‘The Last Stylebender’ gets a chance to end his losing streak. However, Adesanya has not commented on the idea of facing Vettori for the third time. While the fight makes sense in terms of rankings and plot, the former champion may have other intentions for his comeback. Regardless, if Vettori wants to restore himself as a legitimate title challenger, he will have to face a high-profile opponent. Whether it’s Allen, Adesanya, or someone else entirely, ‘The Italian Dream’ has a lot to prove in his next bout. What do you think? Who will he fight next? Let us know in the comments.
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