Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa is locked in as the main event for the May 16 UFC Fight Night card in Las Vegas. CBS Sports’ 2026 schedule lists the matchup as a five‑round featherweight headliner, continuing Allen’s push to remain a contender at 145 pounds while Costa looks to make a major rankings leap. The event will take place at the UFC’s Meta APEX facility and air on Paramount+. With featherweight in flux around the title picture, the winner will be well positioned for a high‑profile opponent later in the year. The full undercard is expected to feature additional rising prospects.
Arnold Allen will step into the main event spotlight when he faces Melquizael Costa in a five-round featherweight headliner at UFC Fight Night on May 16, with the card set for the UFC's Meta APEX facility in Las Vegas and airing on Paramount+.
Allen, known as "Almighty," enters the bout ranked fifth in the featherweight division and carrying a 21-4-0 record. The 32-year-old Englishman trains out of Tristar Gym and brings a measured, technically sound game to the cage. Fighting out of a southpaw stance at five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, he lands 3.52 significant strikes per minute at 43 percent accuracy and supplements his striking with 1.24 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a consistent threat across multiple phases.
Costa, the Brazilian prospect nicknamed "Melk Cauthy," holds an impressive 26-8-0 record and represents a significant step up in competition as he looks to force his way into the featherweight rankings conversation. The 29-year-old out of Chute Boxe Joao Emilio is slightly larger, standing five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach, and brings heavier offensive output. He lands 4.29 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy and averages 1.53 takedowns per 15 minutes, adding 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes to his arsenal — a well-rounded profile that has carried him to 26 professional victories.
Why it matters
- Allen holds a top-five ranking at 145 pounds and needs a strong performance to stay in title contention in an unsettled division.
- Costa enters with more volume and finishing threat, giving him a clear path to a major rankings jump with a win.
- Both fighters are southpaws with takedown ability, setting up a technical, potentially grinding stylistic clash.
- The five-round format rewards the more complete fighter and could define the featherweight landscape heading into the second half of 2026.
