UFC Vegas 117 Pre-Event Facts: Headlining Featherweight Holds Lengthy Win Streak

Featherweight strikers take control of the Meta Apex this weekend at UFC Vegas 117. Taking top billing for the event, divisional luminary Arnold Allen comes to blows with streaking Brazilian contender Melquizael Costa. 

Taking the co-main event slot, South Korean veteran Choi Doo-ho attempts to make it three in a row when he meets Daniel Santos. 

Check out the most interesting pre-event facts about the main card fighters of UFC Vegas 117 down below. 

UFC Vegas 117: Nikolay Veretennikov vs. Khaos Williams

Nikolay Veretennikov

Veretennikov is a former United Fight League welterweight champion. He is one of only two fighters on the entire UFC welterweight roster that are from Kazakhstan, the other being Shavkat Rakhmonov

He holds 10 wins by knockout  

Khaos Williams

Williams is currently on a two-fight losing skid and has not won a fight since May 202. He has earned four Performance of the Night bonuses over the course of his UFC tenure 

Williams' appearance at UFC Vegas 117 is his sixth time in his 10 fights under the UFC banner that he will be competing in Las Vegas 

UFC Vegas 117: Timothy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj

Timothy Cuamba

Cuamba has won his last two contests in a row, including a second-round stoppage over Roberto Romero. His UFC record currently stands at 2-2.

The combined records of his last three opponents totals 33-8-1. 

Bernardo Sopaj

Sopaj's appearance at UFC 117 will be his first fight since January 2025 after defeating Ultimate Fighter champion Ricky Turcios at UFC 311. 10 of his 12 wins as a professional have come by way of finish.

He currently holds one Fight of the Night bonus, earning said honor after losing to Vinicius Oliveira by third round knockout at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev in his company debut 

UFC Vegas 117: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Christian Edwards

Modestas Bukauskas

Bukauskas' overall UFC record currently stands at 7-5 across two separate stints. His match with Edwards at UFC Vegas 117 serves as his first-ever catchweight bout. 

He is a former Cage Warriors light heavyweight champion and possesses 11 victories by knockout. 

Christian Edwards

Edwards fought extensively in Bellator, racking up a 5-3 record with the promotion over the span of four years. He has a win over UFC veteran Jake Collier, stopping him in the first round at Shamrock FC 360.

UFC Vegas 117: Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Juan Díaz 

Malcolm Wellmaker

Wellmaker is coming off of the first loss of his professional career to Ethyn Ewing  last November at UFC 322. His last four victories have come as a result of knockout, including three happening in the first round.

He currently holds two Performance of the Night bonuses, earning both in his first two scraps in the UFC

Juan Díaz 

Diaz will be making his UFC debut after earning a contract with the organization on the Contender Series last year. He has not lost a bout since 2021, owing a current eight-fight winning streak. 

He is a former LUX Bantamweight Champion; he defended the strap two times in the span of just three months. 

UFC Vegas 117: Choi Doo-ho vs. Daniel Santos

Choi Doo-ho

Choi has been a member of the UFC roster since 2014, compiling a company record of 5-3-1. He resides in the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing Class of 2022 for his match with Cub Swanson at UFC 206.

Choi currently holds five UFC post-fight awards. He has won his last two consecutive tilts by knockout. 

Daniel Santos

Santos has been victorious in his last four fights, winning two by strikes in the second round. His UFC record stands at 4-1.

His bout with Choi Doo-ho will be his third opponent in a row who hails from South Korea. He is currently 2-0 against South Korean fighters in the UFC

UFC Vegas 117: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa   

Arnold Allen

Allen has been a part of the UFC roster since 2014. He once held the record for longest win streak in UFC featherweight history with 10 successive victories.

All of his losses in the promotion were at the hands of former and then-ranked 145-lb contenders  

Melquizael Costa

Costa has won his last two matches by knockout against fighters who had never been beaten due to strikes, taking out both men in the first round. He is currently 7-0 since moving up to the featherweight class in 2023.

Costa is currently tied with Conor McGregor, Giga Chikadze, and  Ilia Topuria for the sixth longest win streak in UFC featherweight history at seven