- Arnold Allen vs Melquizael Costa
- UFC Vegas 117
- Meta APEX in Las Vegas
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
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On Saturday, May 16, 2026, Arnold Allen will face off against Melquizael Costa at UFC Vegas 117. The odds currently favor Allen at -145, whereas Costa comes in at +125.
Arnold “Almighty” Allen boasts a professional record of 20-4-0. At 32 years old, he competes in the featherweight division, weighing 145 lbs and standing at 5’8″. Allen is a southpaw fighter with a reach of 70 inches. Meanwhile, Melquizael “The Dalmatian” Costa, who is 29 years old, stands at 5’10” and also weighs 145 lbs. His reach measures 71 inches. Costa has a record of 26-7-0. In terms of striking, Allen lands approximately 3.47 significant strikes per minute, while Costa averages 4.38 per minute. Allen has a striking accuracy of 42%, and Costa’s accuracy sits at 49%. Defensively, Allen absorbs 3.04 significant strikes per minute, compared to Costa’s 2.97. Allen manages to defend against 60% of strikes aimed at him, while Costa defends against 54%.
| UFC Vegas 117 | Arnold Allen | Melquizael Costa |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Odds | -145 | +125 |
| Record | 20-4-0 | 26-7-0 |
| Average Fight Time | 13:43 | 9:11 |
| Height | 5’8″ | 5’10” |
| Weight | 145 lbs | 145 lbs |
| Reach | 70″ | 71″ |
| Strikes Landed Per Minute | 3.47 | 4.38 |
| Striking Accuracy | 42% | 49% |
In wrestling metrics, Arnold Allen’s takedown efficiency is lower, averaging just 0.86 takedowns every 15 minutes with a success rate of 47%. He successfully defends against 71% of takedown attempts. In contrast, Costa completes 40% of his takedown attempts and defends against 58% of those executed against him. For submissions, Allen attempts 0.3 submissions every 3 rounds, while Costa is more aggressive, seeking 1.1 submissions per 15 minutes.
In his previous Octagon appearance, Arnold Allen faced Jean Silva, suffering a loss by unanimous decision in the third round. Silva managed to land 78 out of 141 total strikes, while Allen connected on 60 of 121. Silva’s significant strikes tally reached 74 out of 136, with 54% accuracy, delivering 43 of 103 to the head. Allen, on the other hand, landed 48% of his significant strikes, achieving 56 out of 116, with 37 out of 86 aimed at the head. Notably, 91% of Silva’s and 94% of Allen’s significant strikes were delivered at distance.
Melquizael Costa’s last appearance in the Octagon was against Dan Ige, where he secured victory with a swift spinning kick to the head in round one. Ige hit 100% of significant strikes at distance, while Costa achieved 68% accuracy at distance. Costa landed 47% of his total significant strikes, registering 19 out of 40, with 9 of those aimed at the head. In contrast, Ige connected on 7 of 11 significant strikes. Throughout the match, Ige managed to connect on 12 of 16 total strikes, while Costa landed 26 out of 48.
Another matchup to keep an eye on is between Dooho Choi and Daniel Santos. Choi enters this contest with a record of 16-4-1. At 35 years old, he weighs 145 lbs and stands 5’10” tall with a reach of 70 inches. Daniel Santos, measuring 5’7″ and also weighing 145 lbs, holds a record of 14-2-0 at 31 years old, with a reach of 67 inches. On the grappling front, Choi averages 1.43 takedowns every 3 rounds, while Santos manages 3.01 takedowns per 15 minutes. In striking terms, Choi delivers 4.67 strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 56%, whereas Santos lands 4.76 strikes per minute with its own 40% accuracy.
Fans of entertaining fights will want to tune in to Juan Diaz versus Malcolm Wellmaker. Wellmaker seeks to improve his impressive record of 10-1-0. At 31 years old, he weighs in at 135 lbs and stands 5’10” tall with a reach of 71 inches. Diaz, on the other hand, measures 5’8″, weighs 135 lbs, and holds a record of 15-1-1 at 27 years old, with a reach of 69 inches. In terms of takedowns, Wellmaker successfully defends against 57% and achieves takedowns on 15% of attempts. Diaz completes 33% of his takedowns while also defending against 15%. Striking data shows Wellmaker absorbs 5.39 strikes per minute while landing 5.80, in contrast to Diaz, who absorbs 5.02 but connects on 5.82.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s UFC match covering the spread?
Prediction: Back Arnold Allen (-145)
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