Melquizael Costa has boldly claimed that he will record a sensational knockout win over Featherweight star Arnold Allen in the main event of UFC Vegas 117 at the Meta Apex arena on Sunday morning.
The main card set to commence at 2:00am (CAT, GMT+2).
As perhaps one of the most exciting Featherweight bouts in recent memory, Costa and Allen will be keen on climbing up the division’s rankings this weekend.
According to the UFC Rankings system, Costa (26-7-0) comes in at 12th position at Featherweight, while Allen (20-4-0) is considered a top contender in seventh place.
Costa, who has been a regular at UFC Fight Night in recent times, last recorded a dramatic spinning back kick win against Dan Ige on 21 February to claim the Performance of the Night award in a card headlined by Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez. Costa is currently on a six-fight win streak in the UFC, while Allen has recorded three losses in his last four fights.
While Allen comes into his next fight on the back of a unanimous decision loss against Jean Silva at UFC324, the Englishman suffered notable defeats to Mosvar Evloev and Max Holloway between April 2023 and January 2024.
'I'LL BE THE FIRST'
Speaking ahead of the fight, Costa expressed his intention to knock out Allen, a feat the 32-year-old is yet to experience in the UFC.
“I believe I’m going to knock Allen out, and that’s going to catch everyone off guard, because nobody has ever knocked him out,” Costa said.
“I’ll be the first to do that. I’ve already knocked out two guys who’d never been stopped before, so I believe I’ll do the same to Allen.
“After that, there won’t be much left to say, because my next fight, if it’s not straight for the belt, will likely be against Lerone Murphy.
“That’s a fight that would put me right on the doorstep of the title. He’s ranked third, so it makes sense. But in terms of entertainment value, there are other names out there too.”
The main card features several adjustments down the fight list, with Bellator star Christian Edwards stepping in for Rodolfo Bellato to face Modestas Bukauskas in a 215-pound Catchweight bout.
In the Co-main event, Featherweight prospects Choi Doo-ho (16-4-1) and Daniel Santos (14-2-0) will do battle as they seek to make a name for themselves in the UFC.