Brendan Allen vs Edmen Shahbazyan officially set for June 7 at UFC Vegas 118

The UFC has made official a middleweight matchup between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan, slated for June 7 at UFC Vegas 118 inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Allen, nicknamed "All In," enters the fight ranked fifth in the middleweight division and carries a record of 26-7-0. The 30-year-old American trains out of Kill Cliff FC and presents a well-rounded threat. He lands 3.59 significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate — among the sharper marks in the division — and supplements his striking with 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes and a consistent submission threat, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Shahbazyan, known as "The Golden Boy," is 28 years old and holds a 16-5-0 record. The Xtreme Couture product is slightly more active on the feet, averaging 3.8 significant strikes per minute, though his accuracy sits at 48 percent. He also averages 1.62 takedowns per 15 minutes, edging Allen in that category. Both fighters share identical physical dimensions — six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach — making this a strikingly even matchup on paper.

Why it matters

• Allen is ranked fifth at middleweight, meaning a convincing win or loss could significantly shift his trajectory toward a title shot
• Shahbazyan has something to prove after a rocky stretch, and a win over a top-five opponent would re-establish him as a legitimate contender
• The near-identical size and complementary skill sets — Allen's submission volume versus Shahbazyan's striking output — set up an intriguing stylistic contest
• Both fighters are Orthodox and physically mirrored, which puts premium pressure on footwork and timing rather than physical advantages