Arnold Allen will return to the spotlight on May 16, when he faces Melquizael Costa in the main event of UFC Fight Night 276 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The featherweight clash tops a busy combat sports night that also includes Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano headlining Most Valuable Promotion's inaugural MMA event on the same date. That card is also slated to feature the MMA returns of Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou.
Allen addressed the competing attractions with characteristic candor. "I mean, the fact it's me and Melky headlining against them, I don't think the UFC are really trying to compete, right?" Allen said. "Not trying to put me and Melky down, but let's be real: star power. Like, they ain't trying to compete."
Still, Allen is confident in the quality of his matchup with Costa. "They're not going to try to compete with that. I don't think they really care. I know you have a vested interest in it, but I know what fight I'd rather watch. I'm not going to talk sh*t, but let's be real. This is two guys in our primes, at the height of MMA. It's at the Meta APEX. That kind of blows, but the fight itself is sick."
Allen enters the bout coming off a decision loss to Jean Silva at UFC 324 in January. He holds a 20-4 professional record, including 11-3 in the UFC. Costa, 26-7 overall and 7-2 in the UFC, rides a six-fight winning streak and most recently finished Dan Ige with a spinning back kick at UFC Fight Night 267.
