Overview
- The co‑main between No. 4 middleweight Brendan Allen and unranked Edmen Shahbazyan is confirmed for UFC Vegas 118 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 6.
- Allen says he took the fight to stay active and get paid and has publicly accused former champion Dricus du Plessis of refusing a previously discussed matchup.
- Shahbazyan accepted the offer immediately, enters on a three‑fight win streak, and says training at Xtreme Couture with elite partners has improved his grappling defense for this chance to re‑enter the rankings.
- Sportsbooks list Allen as the favorite (roughly -205) while coverage highlights a matchup of Allen’s takedowns and top control against Shahbazyan’s knockout power and improved technique.
- The bout spotlights broader issues in UFC matchmaking: it shows how fighters balance pay and activity with ranking risk and could rapidly reshape the middleweight pecking order depending on Saturday’s result.