The UFC has officially announced a middleweight bout between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan for June 7 at UFC Vegas 118. The matchup pairs two established middleweights looking to climb the rankings. Both fighters have experience in the division and have competed against top-level opposition. The bout was confirmed through official UFC channels. No additional details about bout positioning or contract terms were provided in the announcement.
The UFC has officially booked a middleweight matchup between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan, with the fight set to take place on June 7 at UFC Vegas 118.
Allen enters the bout as the No. 5 ranked middleweight in the UFC. The 30-year-old from the United States trains out of Kill Cliff FC and carries a record of 26-7-0 into the contest. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Allen fights out of an orthodox stance and is a well-rounded threat. He lands 3.59 significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy clip, while also generating consistent grappling pressure with 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Shahbazyan, known as "The Golden Boy," is a 28-year-old American fighter out of Xtreme Couture with a record of 16-5-0. He shares an identical physical profile with Allen — six-foot-two, 75-inch reach, orthodox stance — making for a closely matched contest on paper. Shahbazyan generates a slightly higher striking output at 3.8 significant strikes per minute, though his accuracy sits at 48 percent. He also averages 1.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Allen's No. 5 divisional ranking means a strong performance could push him toward title contention
- A win for Shahbazyan would mark a significant step back toward the upper tier of the division after a mixed run of results
- Both fighters share near-identical physical dimensions, shifting the edge to pace, grappling execution, and fight IQ
- The all-American pairing of two orthodox strikers with comparable output sets up a competitive stylistic clash
