Edmen Shahbazyan Looking to Get Back into Top 15 at UFC Vegas 118
Edmen Shahbazyan is eager to get his name back into the rankings this weekend.
After an incredible run in 2025, Edmen Shahbazyan is preparing to make his return to the middleweight rankings this weekend at UFC Vegas 118.
Edmen Shahbazyan Has Accumulated Best Win Streak in Years
Following a bizarre and massive upset defeat to Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Vegas 96 back in 2024, Edmen Shahbazyan has gotten back on track as one of the best unranked 185-lb fighters in the world. Starting with a phenomenal first round stoppage of Dylan Budka, the Xtreme Couture product had won his last three contests in a row in 2025. His other two victories would come against Ultimate Fighter standout Andre Petroski and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace André Muniz, taking out the latter in four minutes by knockout.
Now in the midst of his first win streak since 2019, Shahbazyan is gearing up to take on his most stalwart adversary to date when he meets preeminent middleweight name Brendan Allen on the main card of UFC Vegas 118 this weekend.
Riding a huge wave of success himself,Allen recently picked up a career-defining triumph over previous ONE Championship two-division champion Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vancouver last October. Breaking the Dutchman down over the course of 20 minutes, “All In” was able to secure the TKO win after de Ridder wouldn’t answer the call for the last round due to his severely depleted stamina.
With the prospect of having a number next to his name after falling out of the top 15 several years ago, Shahbazyan is looking to fulfil his potential as the top-tier contender that many pundits made him out to be at the height of his powers.
Tempered by the bitter past defeats that forged him into a stronger competitor, “The Golden Boy” will stop at nothing to achieve the dream he has sought after since stepping into the Octagon for the first time: getting UFC gold wrapped around his waist.
Edmen Shahbazyan's Early UFC Days and First Ever Loss
Starting off his professional mixed martial arts journey by winning his first six consecutive matches on the Californian regional scene, Edmen Shahbazyan wound up receiving a potentially life-changing call when he was asked to fight on the Contender Series in 2018. It didn’t take long for him to secure a UFC contract, with the Glendale native capturing a spot on the roster with an electrifying 40 second knockout of Antonio Jones.
Although his UFC debut later that year came down to the wire after a split decision win over Darren Stewart, Edmen Shahbazyan swiftly shot up the middleweight ladder with three back-to-back first round finishes, notably taking out divisional luminary Brad Tavares with a stunning head kick. Now seen as a possible contender in the weight class, he was immediately thrust into a high-profile matchup in 2020 opposite veteran athlete Derek Brunson at UFC Vegas 5, with the event serving as his first promotional main event.
A fighter under the company's banner since 2012, Brunson had shared the cage with several of the 185-lb categories’s most stern opposition, having fought the likes of Robert Whittaker, Anderson Silva, and Israel Adesanya. He also had proven himself as a capable striker, garnering knockout triumphs over Uriah Hall and Lyoto Machida.
Despite his status as a young and up-and-coming talent, Shahbazyan was still very much green in comparison to his more experienced foe in Brunson. Possessing no answer for the top pressure of “The One,” the then 22-year old found himself helpless on the ground as Brunson rained down punches to take home the knockout finish, handing Edmen Shahbazyan his first defeat as a professional.
Edmen Shahbazyan: Inconsistencies and Putting it All Together Again
In the coming four years, Shahbazyan would encounter a large stint of inconsistent performances, winning just two of his next six tilts. His most notable losses over this period came against then and future middleweight contenders like Jack Hermansson, Nassourdine Imavov, andAnthony Hernandez.
Heading into 2025, Shahbazyan was likely fighting for his spot on the UFC roster. This made his fight with Dylan Budka all the more stressful as he looked to demonstrate he still had what it took to compete in the most elite mixed martial arts organization ever. Proving the doubters wrong, “The Golden Boy” capped off one of his best years in the promotion with three straight victories, earning himself a chance to contend for his first ranking in some time this weekend at UFC Vegas 118.
