Overview
- Multiple outlets report the bout is in the works for UFC Vegas 118 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas in June, with the UFC yet to make an official announcement.
- Journalist Marcel Dorff first reported the pairing, which was later corroborated by MMA Fighting and verified to MMA Junkie by a person with knowledge.
- Brendan Allen enters as the UFC’s No. 6 middleweight after a short‑notice stoppage of Reinier de Ridder in October 2025.
- Edmen Shahbazyan is currently unranked but has won three straight, most recently a first‑round knockout of Andre Muniz at UFC 320.
- Allen publicly accused former champion Dricus du Plessis of avoiding a fight, and coverage frames the booking as a surprising step back as the card is expected to be headlined by Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim.