Brendan Allen vs Edmen Shahbazyan officially set for UFC Vegas 118

The UFC has made official a middleweight clash between Brendan Allen and Edmen Shahbazyan, scheduled for June 7 at UFC Vegas 118 in Las Vegas on a Fight Night card.

Allen, nicknamed "All In," enters the bout ranked fifth in the middleweight division and carrying a 26-7 record. The 30-year-old American trains out of Kill Cliff FC and has built a reputation as one of the more well-rounded fighters in the 185-pound weight class. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he lands 3.59 significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, while also threatening consistently on the mat with 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Shahbazyan, known as "The Golden Boy," comes in at 16-5 and is looking to reassert himself as a legitimate middleweight contender. The 28-year-old Xtreme Couture product shares Allen's six-foot-two frame and 75-inch reach, and is slightly more active on the feet, landing 3.8 significant strikes per minute, though his striking accuracy sits at 48 percent. He also averages 1.62 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him a credible ground threat of his own.

Why it matters

• Allen's fifth-place ranking means a strong finish could push him into title contention conversations
• Shahbazyan needs a decisive result to re-establish himself after a difficult stretch in his career
• Both fighters share nearly identical physical profiles, putting the emphasis squarely on technical execution
• The all-Orthodox, twin-reach matchup sets up a closely mirrored stylistic battle that could go anywhere