Brendan Allen is putting his top-five middleweight ranking on the line against dangerous knockout artist Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 118.
The matchup is set for Sat., June 6, 2026, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Allen, ranked No. 5 at 185 pounds, meets an unranked but heavy-hitting Shahbazyan.
Allen accepted the fight as soon as the UFC offered it and made it clear he sees himself as a constant defender of his place in the division. “I’ve defended my spot many, many times, probably more than anyone in my division — outside the top 15 or in it. I win one, and then I have to defend two or three times, then go back. If I lose, then it is like four times. There is always a longer road for me, and I don’t know why. Maybe I’m not that much of a likable guy, I guess. It is what it is.”
The bout comes after Allen’s win over Reinier de Ridder, which pushed him to No. 5 at middleweight and continued a UFC run that now stands at 19 fights and a 14-4 promotional record. “This is my 19th UFC fight, I’m 14-4 in the promotion, and I’ve fought the best guys I can fight,” Allen said, adding, “I’ve only asked for the best guys that I could get. I hope they appreciate what I do, and I know that they know I’ve stepped up many times — when I shouldn’t have — but I still step up. And when I sign the contract, I’m going to fight.”
Shahbazyan enters UFC Vegas 118 after spending the previous year rebuilding himself and now gets a high-stakes shot at a ranked contender.
