Brendan Allen vs. Edmen Shahbazyan officially booked for UFC Vegas 118 on June 7

The UFC has officially confirmed a middleweight showdown between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan, set to take place at UFC Vegas 118 on June 7, 2026.

Allen, nicknamed "All In," enters the bout as the No. 5 ranked middleweight in the UFC. The 30-year-old American, who trains out of Kill Cliff FC, carries a record of 26-7-0 and has established himself as one of the more well-rounded fighters in the 185-pound division. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Allen lands 3.59 significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, while also presenting a consistent grappling threat with 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Shahbazyan, known as "The Golden Boy," is a 28-year-old Xtreme Couture product also sitting at six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. He holds a 16-5-0 record and enters looking to reassert himself as a contender in a crowded division. Shahbazyan generates a slightly higher volume on the feet at 3.8 significant strikes per minute, though his striking accuracy sits at 48 percent.

Why it matters

• Allen's No. 5 ranking means a win or loss could significantly reshape the upper tier of the middleweight division
• Shahbazyan needs a statement victory to re-enter the rankings conversation after a difficult stretch
• Both fighters share near-identical physical dimensions and orthodox stances, making the stylistic contrast on the feet and mat all the more interesting
• Allen's submission threat against Shahbazyan's relatively low submission attempt rate of 0.4 per 15 minutes sets up a notable dynamic on the ground