Can Melquizael Costa Score Another Knockout in His First Main Event?

When Melquizael Costa lost to Steve Garcia at UFC Vegas 83 back in 2023 by stunning knockout, it looked as though the mixed martial arts world was witnessing the fall of another promising prospect. However, after dropping down to the UFC featherweight division following the defeat, the Brazilian has undergone a staggering career resurgence. Winning his last six fights, with four of those coming inside the distance, Costa has bulldozed his way into the 145-lb top 15.

This weekend, he makes his UFC main event debut in Las Vegas at the Meta Apex Center for UFC Vegas 117 against fellow contender Arnold Allen, a man who has occupied the upper echelon of the weight class for some time.

Arnold Allen Stalwart, Durable Featherweight Luminary Ahead of Melquizael Costa Fight

Making his first walk to the Octagon back in 2015, Allen had embarked warpath up the featherweight ladder, amassing a 12-bout winning streak, while collecting victories over elite opposition like Sodiq Yusuff, Dan Hooker, and Calvin Kattar, finishing the latter two.  In recent years, the Englishman has encountered a great degree of difficulty in breaking through to the top of the mountain, as losses to Max Holloway, Movsar Evloev and Jean Silva have kept him far out of reach of the title. Seeking to resume his march towards the championship, “Almighty” has set his sights on derailing the hype train of Melquizael Costa. 

At the time of this writing, Melquizael Costa stands as a slight underdog to his main event adversary. Given his experience fighting some of the UFC featherweight division’s greatest names for over a decade, Allen is by far the most credentialed foe he has faced in his journey in the company. What’s more, the European has also never been stopped as a mixed martial artist, both professional and amateur. In fact, he hasn’t been knocked down in any of his contests under the UFC banner. 

Although, while Allen’s chin has held up immensely in his 14 tilts with the promotion, Costa may very well be the first man to finally shatter it. By this point in his surge up the rankings, “The Dalmatian” has established himself as arguably the hardest-hitting fighter in the UFC featherweight class, proven by his last two Octagon outings.   

Will Melquizael Costa Be First Man to Starch Allen?

Across his last couple of expeditions to the cage, Costa had found himself going up against a pair of stiff opponents in France’s Morgan Charrière and Dan Ige. Both of these individuals have had more than 30 professional bouts each, and, before their meetings with the Brazilian, had never lost by knockout. 

Making his debut back in late 2014, Charrière had grown into a powerhouse on the French regional scene, including picking up a victory over future UFC athlete William Gomis. By the time of his match with Costa at UFC Vegas 112, Charrière was the proud owner of a 21-11-1 record. Given his experience with scraping with UFC featherweight knockout specialists like Chepe Mariscal and Nate Landwehr, few could have predicted “The Last Pirate” losing for the first time by strikes after Costa delivered a thudding head kick in just over a minute.  

In the case of Ige, his defeat to Costa at UFC Fight Night 267 stands as one of the most unexpected moments in the company in 2026. Having been a member of the roster since 2018, the Hawaiian had traded blows with several UFC featherweight power punchers like Josh Emmett, and Diego Lopes, taking all of them the distance.

Adding even more credibility to his durability, Ige had absorbed 957 significant strikes in his 21 bouts in the organization, leading some to believe that Costa was going to have to trump “100k” on the scorecards. That wouldn’t be the case, however, as Costa ended up flattening Ige with a solid punch that put him out just before the first round ended.

Sizing Up Melquizael Costa, Arnold Allen Before UFC Vegas 117 Main Event

Possessing an uncanny trait of sending his opposition into unconsciousness regardless of the strength of their chins, Costa poses a very real threat to Allen. In his time with the UFC, the Englishman has notably never quite tested himself against foes with superb striking power, other than the Fighting Nerds product Jean Silva, whom “Allmighty” lost to in his previous match at UFC 324 earlier this year. 

For both men, UFC Vegas 117 also serves as a pivotal crossroads. Allen, who has been a part of the UFC featherweight elite for years now, is looking to push back a strong up-and-comer to kickstart another hopefully fruitful run towards organizational gold. For Costa, a victory this Saturday will not solidify his status as a contender, it will surely set him up for a key fight later in 2026, as he attempts to create his own argument for a coveted title shot.