Allen seeks to stabilise ranking as Costa arrives with knockout momentum at UFC Fight Night

Arnold Allen defends his position within the top 10 of the featherweight division against Melquizael Costa at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, 16 May 2026. The main event takes place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, marking a critical juncture for Allen as he attempts to reverse a recent downturn in his career trajectory.

Allen enters the bout with a 1-3 record in his last four appearances, having suffered losses to Movsar Evloev, Jean Silva, and Max Holloway. The Australian fighter, who was previously undefeated in his first 10 UFC victories against opponents such as Gilbert Melendez and Dan Hooker, attributes his recent struggles to ring rust, layoffs, and injury. Despite the official record, Allen maintains he won the decisions against Silva and Evloev, viewing only the loss to Holloway as a genuine defeat.

In contrast, Costa arrives with significant momentum following a first-round knockout victory over Dan Ige. The win ended Ige’s 30-fight unbeaten streak in the organisation, a notable achievement against a veteran who has faced top division finishers including Diego Lopes, Josh Emmett, Chan Sung Jung, and Edson Barboza without being stopped. Costa, speaking through a Portuguese interpreter, stated he is only expressing 30 percent of his confidence, emphasising the work conducted with his team.

CBS Sports analysis suggests Allen is likely to secure a unanimous decision, citing his five-round experience and defensive capabilities against Costa’s style. The assessment notes that while Costa is the first to stop Ige, Allen’s defensive sensibilities and experience are expected to allow him to stretch the fight and make better reads as it progresses. Allen’s approach to rectifying his recent form has been described as direct, with the fighter expressing frustration over decisions he believes were unjust.

The co-main event features Doo Ho Cho against Daniel Santos. Cho, a veteran known for a notable brawl against Cub Swanson a decade ago, is currently on a two-fight win streak. Santos, who has won four consecutive fights since his UFC debut in 2022, faces a challenging test against the experienced Cho. The entire card will be streamed on Paramount+, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET.