Arnold Allen VS Melquizael Costa

Arnold Allen defeated Melquizael Costa by unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas on May 16, 2026. All three judges scored the featherweight bout 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46 as Allen controlled all 25 minutes with consistent pressure and grappling output. Allen established his game plan immediately, landing a takedown in the opening minute of round one that Costa never found a clean answer to across the contest. The win snapped Costa's six-fight winning streak — a run that had included a head kick knockout and a spinning back kick TKO in his previous two fights. Allen, making his first career main event appearance coming off a 2-3 run over his last five bouts, showed the urgency and intensity that had been missing from his recent performances.

Arnold Allen steps into his first career main event needing a statement win after going 2-3 over his last five bouts, while Melquizael Costa arrives on the back of back-to-back spectacular finishes — a head kick knockout and a spinning back kick TKO — that have made him one of featherweight's most dangerous threats. Two southpaws with grappling and striking depth meet in a matchup that could reshape the division's top ten.