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Join 411’s Live UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa Coverage

May 16, 2026 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa Image Credit: UFC

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MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)
#7 Arnold Allen (145 lbs.) vs. #12 Melquizael Costa (145.5 lbs.)
Dooho Choi (146 lbs.) vs. Daniel Santos (145 lbs.)
Juan Diaz (135.5 lbs.) vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (135.5 lbs.)
Modestas Bukauskas (213.5 lbs.) vs. Christian Edwards (214.5 lbs.) – 215-pound contract weight
Timmy Cuamba (136 lbs.) vs. Bernardo Sopaj (136 lbs.)
Nikolay Veretennikov (170.5 lbs.) vs. Khaos Williams (170.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)
Ivan Erslan (205.5 lbs.) vs. Tuco Tokkos (205.5 lbs.)
Thomas Gantt (156 lbs.) vs. Artur Minev (155 lbs.)
#11 Jacqueline Cavalcanti (135.5 lbs.) vs. #5 Ketlen Vieira (136 lbs.)
Cody Brundage (185.5 lbs.) vs. Andre Petroski (185.5 lbs.)
Alice Ardelean (116 lbs.) vs. Polyana Viana (115.5 lbs.)
Daniel Barez (125.5 lbs.) vs. Luis Gurule (125.5 lbs.)
Shauna Bannon (115.5 lbs.) vs. Nicolle Caliari (115.5 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. We’ve got a pretty bad card on paper here, one of the worst of the year if we’re being honest. That said the main event is legitimately good, especially for a warehouse card. Perennial contender Arnold Allen is trying to defend his ranking against the surging contender Melquizael Costa. Allen’s been around the top of the division for a while but has struggled to really break through and now has to defend his spot, Costa has shown continued growth and now gets a shot at the top of the division. It’s a solid main event and really the only thing on this card worth really looking forward to. The co-main event is OK, Doo Ho Choi against Daniel Santos should at least be fun. After that it’s kind of dross, including a couple of late replacement fighters stepping up like Christian Edwards and Artur Minev. So while the fights on paper aren’t good we can always hope the action delivers.

UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa comes to the world from the Meta Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. John Gooden, Paul Felder, and Daniel Cormier will be on commentary for us with Bruce Buffer handling announcing and Charly Arnolt as our roving reporter. Also now that we’re no longer in that backwards New Jersey we’ve got 12-6 elbows and the more correct definition of a downed opponent for knees and kicks. Freaking Jersey man, get with the times.

Shauna Bannon has gone 2-2 in the UFC, she’s coming off of a loss though and is trying to avoid her first losing streak. Nicolle Caliari has gone 0-2 in the UFC and really needs to get that all important first UFC win here, she’s dropping to strawweight in hopes of achieving that goal. The odds like Caliari at -290 to Bannon’s +235 comeback.

Strawweight Bout: Shauna Bannon (7-2, 115.5 lbs.) vs. Nicolle Caliari (8-4, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Bannon is two inches taller with three inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Bannon. Quick left hook from Caliari as she’s pressing forward. Bannon starts stance switching. They tie up, Caliari with a headlock throw but they both just scramble back up into a clinch. Another headlock throw from Caliari and this time into full guard. Bannon just ties things up from the bottom and looks to stall. A few body shots from Caliari but not much is going on here. Caliari finally postures up but can’t pass. Bit of an elbow from Caliari. Bannon keeps trying to angle her hips for an arm attack but the fence is complicating things. A few more short elbows from Caliari, then she avoids an armbar attempt and lands a right hand. Caliari passes to side control, then north-south. Arm attack from Caliari, Bannon gets to a knee which is complicating things. Caliari just knees the body then gets the back and tries a choke as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Caliari

ROUND TWO: Both women miss punches to start the round. Bannon shows some kicks, bit of a spinning kick from Caliari. Caliari pushes into a clinch and knees the body a few times as they’re on the fence. Caliari slips to the back standing and knees the thigh. Takedown from Caliari into half guard. Bannon hip escapes to full guard and throws a few elbows from her back. Elbow from Caliari. Another elbow from Caliari, that’s got a knot forming over Bannon’s left eyebrow. Caliari lands another elbow. Illegal upkick from Bannon, the ref kind of botches things and forces a stand up. I don’t know what the ref was doing there. Caliari catches a body kick and forces another clinch. Bannon slips free this time though. A few more body kicks from Bannon, Caliari tries another takedown and finds her way into a clinch. Elbow from Bannon. Caliari tries a throw, then tries to switch to an armbar but fails and just winds up on bottom in half guard. Caliari shrimps to full guard. Bannon with a few hammer fists then looks to pass. Bannon moves to the ride and drops a few elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bannon, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Bannon comes out showing kicks again. Bit of a left hand from Bannon then a front kick. Spinning back kick from Bannon but Caliari lands a right hand. Caliari with a flurry of punches into a clinch, a jab went right into the left eye of Bannon and that seems to have bothered her. A few punches from Caliari in the clinch, Bannon tries a bad throw and Caliari counters to get on top in half guard. Some rights from Caliari, that left eye of Bannon is still a little messed up from the last round. Caliari with some short elbows, she’s trying to stay active with offense at least. Arm triangle attack from Caliari, she uses it to pass to mount, then the other side and that forces Bannon to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nicolle Caliari via Submission, arm triangle choke, at 3:08 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mrs. Caliari for her work. Mic time for Caliari and the translator, she’s very happy to get the win and is finally in the right division now. She talks us through the finishing sequence.

Finish can be found HERE.

Daniel Barez has gone 1-2 in the UFC, a win over Victor Altamirano being sandwiched by losses to Jafel Filho and Andre Lima. He’s coming off of the Lima loss and is trying to avoid his first losing streak. Luis Gurule has gone 0-3 in the UFC and really needs to get that first UFC win under his belt. Fairly close one here, -160 for Gurule to +135 on Barez.

Flyweight Bout: Daniel Barez (17-7, 125.5 lbs.) vs. Luis Gurule (10-3, 125.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Barez is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Both men move early. Calf kick from Barez. Gurule looks to show a jab. Barez with a left to the body. Barez catches a kick and lands a right hand. Gurule with a bit of a flurry, he lands a few punches in close. Elbow from Gurule. Barez gets a clinch and slips to the back standing. Gurule gets free and starts looking to punch again. Double leg from Barez, Gurule tries to defend but Barez gets the back. Barez switches towards an arm triangle attack but he loses the position and Gurule is on top in half guard now. Gurule goes for a d’arce choke, Barez is able to defend and they scramble back up into a clinch. They break without incident. Gurule gets back on forward pressure. Barez with a few jabs but Gurule lands a counter right hand. Bit of a right from Barez. Barez lands a knee to the head. Gurule defends a takedown and they hit the fence. Some positional jockeying, Barez lands another knee then Gurule lands a few lefts as they break. They both swing punches in close then Gurule misses a high kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gurule

ROUND TWO: Barez moves forward with some low kicks. Both men land punches in close. Left hand from Gurule. Barez jabs the body then lands an inside leg kick. One two from Barez but Gurule seems unbothered by the power. They trade calf kicks. Jab from Barez then a counter right hand hurts Gurule. Gurule tries a single leg but Barez defends. Combination from Barez then a calf kick. Another counter right from Barez. Bit of an elbow from Barez, Gurule seems a little lost at the moment. Barez with another right. Gurule tries another single leg but Barez defends. Barez is landing that right hand reliably now. Gurule lands a right hand, he’s trying to punch his way back into this. They trade in close again. Again they trade in close. Left hook from Gurule. Barez isn’t moving as much now and Gurule rocks him with a left hook. Gurule with punches in close then he gets to the back and this a German suplex. Barez moves to the fence and Gurule is into the ride. Barez wall walks into a clinch and lands a knee. Gurule misses an elbow as they break. Right hand from Gurule. Barez tries a single leg, Gurule is able to sprawl away though and into another clinch. Elbow from Gurule then a few punches on the break. Barez lands a jab then a right to the body. Overhand right from Gurule partially lands. Barez misses an elbow and Gurule lands a left hook as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gurule, 20-18 Gurule overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Barez with a left to the body. Some leg kicks go back and forth. Gurule with a combination, he’s just got a bit more fire power. Rights from Gurule, he’s got Barez on the fence and looks to unload in the clinch. Barez hangs on though and then pushes free. Gurule shows more kicks. Barez just can’t get anything going. Barez avoids a takedown then lands a right hand. Calf kick from Barez. Right hand from Gurule, Barez responds with a combination but his power seems just gone. Gurule lands a right hand. Barez lands a right hand. A few short rights from Barez. Gurule lands a left hook. Right hand from Gurule. Right to the body from Barez. Gurule lands another solid left hand. They exchange in close again but the power difference remains notable in favor of Gurule. Bit of a combination from Barez. Gurule lands a couple of rights. Left hook from Gurule. Barez with an uppercut but he can’t bother Gurule with his offense. They both swing punches in the pocket for the final 15 seconds or so.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gurule, 30-27 Gurule overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Luis Gurule via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Fun little fight. Mic time for Gurule, he feels good to finally win and thanks his support system and the people around him. He mentions working hard to stay on the front foot to minimize Barez’s combination work and keep him uncomfortable.

Alice Ardelean has gone 2-2 in the UFC but she’s on a two fight winning streak and at least one of those losses was a split decision that probably should have gone her way, she’s looking for a third consecutive win and to start aiming at some bigger names next. Polyana Viana has gone 4-7 in the UFC and is on a three fight losing streak, she really needs to break that skid here if she wants to demonstrate her value to the UFC. Ardelean closed at -190 against Viana’s +160.

Strawweight Bout: Alice Ardelean (11-7, 116 lbs.) vs. Polyana Viana (13-8, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Viana is two inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Both women show some early low kicks as they move around. Bit of a right hand from Viana. Ardelean with a right hand in close. Viana complains of an eye poke, it was a punch so we’re back fighting right away after a brief pause. Ardelean looks to flurry in close and lands a right hand. Both women swing in close, Viana is cut around that right eye. Ardelean lands a right to the body. Combination from Ardelean. Viana lands a body kick. Elbow from Viana in a clinch before they break. Ardelean with a right to the body then a left hook that drops Viana briefly. Viana recovers and lands a knee in a clinch. Ardelean just keeps punching her way forward and Viana isn’t moving much now. They clinch up and trade knees before hitting the fence. They break without incident. Ardelean back on pressure, she’s showing southpaw on occasion now. Hard right from Ardelean. Knee from Viana. Viana lands a body kick. Ardelean keeps up the pressure, I’m not sure why she’s showing southpaw as nothing is working for her in that stance. Left hook from Ardelean. Viana shows southpaw now too and lands a body kick. Ardelean with a right hand. Ardelean with a body kick, Viana returns it as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ardelean

ROUND TWO: Ardelean gets back to pressure and lands a left hand. Right to the body from Ardelean. Ardelean pushes into a clinch and takes Viana down into half guard. Not much going on here. A few punches go back and forth but nothing serious is landing yet. Viana shrimps to full guard and throws some elbows from her back. Ardelean throws to the body and lands a few hammer fists as well. Viana has gone to a body triangle for her guard, that’ll keep things locked down. Some more short arm punches go back and forth. Viana keeps trying a sweep with the body triangle guard, I’ve seen Anderson Silva hit that a few times but it’s super rare. Wait, that left leg of Viana is in an elevator position, that can be dangerous if Ardelean gets the leg trapped just right. Yeah she’s got it trapped between her legs and is able to crank the knee by leaning back and that gets Viana to tap. You almost never see that but it’s very legit.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alice Ardelean via Verbal Submission, capsule lock, at 4:36 of Round 2

Mic time for Ardelean after making history with that finish, it’s a first time in the UFC. She talks us through it and notes it’s a modified calf slicer, and her ground and pound isn’t great but she found ways to attack a body triangle from the bottom like that. She’s happy about making history by showing off that finish. Asked about the future she’s just training hard and recently moved to Orlando to focus more on that, then she thanks the UFC PI for helping her rehab an injury that she had preparing for this fight.

Andre Petroski has gone 3-4 in his last seven fights and is on a two fight losing streak, he’s trying to halt that skid and prove he’s finally finding his footing in the UFC and that maybe there’s a higher ceiling for him. Cody Brundage has gone 5-8-1 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, he’s on a three fight losing streak and hasn’t gotten a win since beating Julian Marquez over a year ago. Brundage really needs to halt his current skid or risk getting cut. The odds lean towards Petroski at -155 against +130 on Brundage.

Middleweight Bout: Cody Brundage (11-9-1 1 NC, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Andre Petroski (13-5, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Petroski has an inch of reach advantage. Circling from Brundage to start. Petroski slowly works his way forward and lands a front kick. Bit of a calf kick from Petroski. Both men miss punches. Petroski is showing stance switches now, pretty much all he’s got from southpaw is a left body kick but that wont stop him from showing it. Another calf kick from Petroski. Brundage misses a darting right hand. More pressure from Petroski, but he backs off right after throwing a calf kick. Bit of a knee from Petroski. Petroski tries a double leg, Brundage tries to jump for a guillotine but Petroski gets off to the safe side control. Brundage is still trying to squeeze, he’s got Petroski’s left arm tied up to block the counter Von Flue choke attack. Petroski gets his head free and scoots things to the fence. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Petroski

ROUND TWO: Brundage floors Petroski with a left hook to start the round. Brundage on top in guard looking to unload. Petroski doesn’t recover well and he’s just kind of covering up until the ref steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cody Brundage via TKO, punches, at :44 of Round 2

Mic time for Brundage, he feels great after the win and notes he’s been working on maximizing his killer instinct after hurting people. He talks us through the finish then wants a bonus.

Ketlen Vieira has perpetually been around the top of the division for quite a few years but a few key losses or weight misses always seem to keep her out of the title picture. Now at age 34 and having been in the UFC for almost a full decade if she’s going to ever make it into a title fight she cannot afford a loss here. Jacqueline Cavalcanti is on an eight fight winning streak including being 5-0 in the UFC, she’s been tackling steadily increasing competition during that time and win here would be the biggest of her career. Cavalcanti has been positioned as a rising contender and if she gets by a veteran like Vieira she could be poised to enter the very top of the division this year. Close one here, -155 on Cavalcanti while +130 on Vieira might tempt a few bettors.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: #11 Jacqueline Cavalcanti (10-1, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #5 Ketlen Vieira (15-5, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Cavalcanti has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get going. A little circling and feinting from both women. Vieira with a right hand. Cavalcanti lands a front kick. Calf kick from Cavalcanti. Vieira misses a right hand. They trade rights. Bit of a one two from Cavalcanti. Front kick from Cavalcanti. Inside leg kick from Cavalcanti. They’re both just missing with right hands. Another inside leg kick from Cavalcanti. Cavalcanti shows southpaw now and lands a calf kick. Front kick from Cavalcanti. Vieira misses a combination. They trade punches in close, Vieira got the better of that. Cavalcanti with a body kick then inside leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vieira but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Vieira tries a takedown, that hits the fence though. Cavalcanti defends as they’re on the fence and Vieira is looking for a high crotch. Vieira is really committed to this and eventually does get the single leg into full guard. Cavalcanti lands an elbow from her back. Vieira lands a few short elbows. Cavalcanti with another elbow. A few more punches land for Vieira. Cavalcanti keeps trying to angle her hips but Vieira is pretty easily smothering that. A few more hammer fists from Vieira, Cavalcanti just can’t seem to get up or do much under her. The round ends with Vieira still on top working her ground and pound.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Vieira, 20-18 Vieira overall

ROUND THREE: Both women come out jabbing. Cavalcanti lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a right from Vieira. Cavalcanti lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Cavalcanti, she’s getting her feinting game going now and lands a right hand. Cavalcanti really needs a finish though and she’s unlikely to get it just pot shotting like this. Bit of a combination from Cavalcanti. Jab from Vieira. One two to the body from Cavalcanti. Another right to the body from Cavalcanti. Vieira blocks a right hand. Right from Vieira, Cavalcanti responds with a left hand. Cavalcanti lands a front kick. Cavalcanti with another right hand but this isn’t going to get her a win with just one minute left. Vieira keeps moving around. Cavalcanti lands a left body kick. More pressure from Cavalcanti and she avoids a bad takedown attempt. Cavalcanti lands a left body kick again. Another body kick from Cavalcanti, she then lands a solid right hand but the round ends after that.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Cavalcanti, 29-28 Vieira overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ketlen Vieira via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Just too little too late from Cavalcanti. Mic time for Vieira and the translator, she thanks God then does her usual call for a title shot after a lackluster win. She puts over her team and sends love to her coaches.

Tommy Gantt is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he’s got a decent amount of hype as an interesting prospect and is looking to maximize his only chance at a first impression. Artur Minev is undefeated but took this fight on very short notice as he replaced Trey Ogden, he’s got a lot of finishes on his record though and will be trying to make the most of this opportunity. It’s not surprising to see the odds with Gantt at -180 to Minev’s +150.

Lightweight Bout: Thomas Gantt (11-0 1 NC, 156 lbs.) vs. Artur Minev (7-0, 155 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gantt is two inches taller with a serious seven inches of reach advantage, Minev is 11 years younger though. Some jabs from Gantt then he shoots into a clinch on the fence. A few knees from Gantt. Minev avoids a trip but can’t get out of the clinch. Polish throw from Gantt and he moves to the back as Minev stands. Minev gets chest to chest. Gantt with a few more knees while he’s looking for trips or throws. They jockey for position along the fence. Eventually Gantt gets to the back again and starts trying for mat returns. Minev wont stay down but he’s struggling to actually separate. They get chest to chest again. Some knees go back and forth. A few body blows from Minev, Gantt lands an elbow then a knee that goes into the groin so we’ve got a time out. Minev only takes 23 seconds, it was a glancing blow, then we’re back to fighting. Gantt tries a double leg and gets to the back standing again. Some knees to the leg from Gantt then Minev gets chest to chest. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gantt

ROUND TWO: Minev opens with a calf kick. Gantt pushes forward, he winds up getting a clinch but Minev pushes him into the fence. They jockey for position again, Minev’s balance is impressive thus far. Gantt with a few knees to the body. They break without incident. Gantt with a one two then tries another takedown and gets to the back standing. Some knees to the body and head from Gantt then he transitions to a double leg and finally gets Minev down into half guard. Quick wall walk from Minev and Gantt gets to the ride against the fence. Some knees to the leg from Gantt, then one to the head before hitting a mat return. Minev up again but he can’t get free. Gantt with short punches and knees while getting Minev back down. Gantt into a low back mount and lands punches. More punches from Gantt, Minev can’t move to defend and the ref eventually steps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Thomas Gantt via TKO, punches and elbows, at 2:51 of Round 2

Mic time for Gantt, he feels good but thinks the performance was a little lackluster overall. He puts over Minev for taking the fight on short notice, but that meant Gantt could eventually wear him down. He talks us through the finish, then when asked about the future he admits being 33 he doesn’t have time to waste.

Tuco Tokkos has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of that win and he’s trying to claw his UFC record to the .500 mark with a win. Ivan Erslan has gone 0-3 in the UFC and really needs to find that first UFC win here. Close one here but Erslan closed as the -165 favorite to a +140 comeback on Tukkos.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ivan Erslan (14-6 1 NC, 205.5 lbs.) vs. Tuco Tokkos (11-5, 205.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tokkos is two inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Tokkos shows jabs early. Erslan stalks forward and avoids a few punches. Jab from Erslan. Calf kick from Tokkos. Erslan with an uppercut as Tokkos tried a takedown, Erslan gets to the back standing off of that. Bit of a flurry from Erslan as the clinch breaks. Tokkos fires a right hand. Overhand right from Erslan stuns Tokkos, Tokkos shoots but Erslan sprawls and they scramble around. Tokkos comes up looking for a takedown along the fence, he’s really after it but Erslan is defending. Knee from Tokkos, then he grabs a standing guillotine. Tokkos rides things down with the front headlock, Erslan defends that but can’t get out of the clinch. Eventually Erslan is able to push free and reset. Tokkos lands a calf kick then a jab. Erslan misses a right hand. Bit of a front kick from Tokkos. Tokkos reaches for a double leg, he tries to switch to a single leg but Erslan is sprawling then gets free. Jab from Tokkos. Glancing right hand from Erslan then they both landin close. Tokkos has Erslan a little hurt and brawls with him along the fence, Tokkos isn’t able to find a finish but he’s got Erslan hurt as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tokkos

ROUND TWO: Both men look pretty tired as the round starts. Tokkos with a front kick, he tries a takedown but Erslan shoves him off. Calf kick from Tokkos. They split a few jabs while moving around. Bit of a knee from Tokkos. Erslan lands a jab. Another jab from Erslan. One two from Tokkos. Erslan avoids a single leg, Tokkos winds up on his back and Erslan gets on top in side control. Tokkos gets to his knees, Erslan moves towards the ride position. Tokkos looks to counter with a single leg, Erslan defends though and retains the ride. Erslan avoids a fat man roll and gets on top in half guard. Not much going on here but time is passing. The round ends in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erslan, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both men with some slow punches to start. Erslan punches his way forward but doesn’t quite land. Tokkos lands a left body kick. Erslan stuffs a Tokkos takedown then pushes him over and gets back on top in half guard. Guess we’re in for 4 minutes of this again. Tokkos is able to get full guard, so there’s that. Erslan passes back to half guard. They’ve sort of moved to the fence, Tokkos gets full guard back. A few punches from Erslan land. Tokkos moves to the turtle, Erslan is in the ride now. Eventually Tokkos gets up but Erslan hits a mat return. Tokkos fails a roll and Erslan is in side control now. Hammer fists from Erslan. Tokkos moves back to his knees and crawls to the fence. Erslan just holds onto the back as they stand and ices the round with one final anemic mat return.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Erslan, 29-28 Erslan overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ivan Erslan via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Well that sucked. Erslan does get an interview for some reason, he says his wife is pregnant back home and he sends her love. He wanted to slug it out but once Tokkos got tired he could hold top position and really just needed the win. He hopes for a new contract as this was the last fight on his old deal.

Nikolay Veretennikov has gone 2-3 in the UFC but he is coming off of a solid stoppage win and now he’s trying to get his UFC record to the .500 mark for the first time. Khaos Williams has gone 6-4 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight losing streak and is after his first win since 2024 here. This one closed at -120 for Williams to an even +100 on Veretennikov.

Welterweight Bout: Nikolay Veretennikov (14-7, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Khaos Williams (15-5, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Veretennikov is an inch taller while Williams has three inches of reach advantage. Both men probe with the lead hand and low kicks. Williams with a right hand in close. Body kick from Veretennikov. Hard leg kick from Veretennikov. Jab from Williams. Bit of a counter right from Veretennikov. Leaping left hook from Veretennikov partially lands. Williams jabs the body, Veretennikov responds with a right hand. Left hook from Veretennikov, he’s moving well so far. Williams swings wild punches but gets to a clinch. Not much going on here, and eventually they break. Veretennikov gets back to stalking forward and lands a one two. Blitz from Williams and a right hand hurts Veretennikov, but Veretennikov is able to get back up. Williams is looking to finish and lands a few more rights until Veretennikov drops and that’ll do it.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Khaos Williams via TKO, punches, at 3:31 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Williams for his work. Mic time for Williams and he says the forces propelling him are stronger than those opposing him. He talks us through the finish then says he wants to be back in the cage quickly. To close he thanks God, UFC brass, and a politician.

Timmy Cuamba has gone 2-2 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and if he can get that to three in a row here he can start moving from prospect towards contender status. Bernado Sopaj has gone 1-1 in the UFC despite being with the promotion for a little over two years, he is coming off of a win though and he’s not only looking for his first UFC winning streak but also to stay more active going forward. Sopaj is the slight -125 favorite to Cuamba’s +105.

Bantamweight Bout: Timmy Cuamba (10-3, 136 lbs.) vs. Bernardo Sopaj (12-3, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Cuamba is three inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Some feinting from both men early. A few probing jabs go back and forth, nothing serious yet. Sopaj lands a jab. Cuamba blocks a high kick. Bit of a body kick from Cuamba. Inside calf kick from Sopaj. A lot of stance switching from Sopaj as he’s backing Cuamba into the fence. Cuamba punches his way back to the center of the cage but nothing really lands. Left to the body from Cuamba. Right to the body from Cuamba. One two from Sopaj. A couple body blows from Cuamba then a leg kick. Sopaj lands a jab. Sopaj avoids a few punches then lands a jab. Bit of a one two from Sopaj then he shoots a double leg and gets to the back standing. Sopaj sweeps a leg and gets the back with both hooks in. Cuamba tries to quadpod up but Sopaj is riding well. Punches from Sopaj as he’s trying to open up a choke, he gets a neck crank style attack going, it’s getting close but the angle is off. Cuamba just hangs on as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sopaj

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Sopaj gets back to jabbing. Cuamba kicks Sopaj in the groin so we’ve got a time out. Sopaj takes 50 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Cuamba lands a right to the body. Sopaj avoids a body kick. Sopaj pushes into a clinch on the fence. They jockey for position then Sopaj spins free and they reset. One two from Cuamba. Calf kick from Sopaj. A few jabs from Sopaj then a left hand drops Cuamba, Sopaj gets on top and unloads hammer fists and punches. The ref wants blood I guess so Sopaj mounts Cuamba then gets the back. Choke from Sopaj, this time it’s good and gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bernardo Sopaj via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:25 of Round 2

Mic time for Sopaj after the win, he says this feels amazing and says he wants to be a champion. He talks through the finish and notes he thought the fight could have been stopped via strikes. To close he puts over his team.

Modestas Bukauskas has gone 6-2 since returning to the UFC in 2023, he’s coming off of a tough loss though and mostly now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2021. Christian Edwards took this fight on short notice, hence the catchweight of 215 pounds, but he’s coming off of a win and looking to maximize his UFC debut. The odds really like Bukauskas at -325 to a +260 comeback on Edwards.

Catchweight Bout: Modestas Bukauskas (19-7, 213.5 lbs.) vs. Christian Edwards (8-4, 214.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Edwards is two inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Jab from Bukauskas. Edwards shows a front kick but it doesn’t land. Leg kick from Edwards. Bukauskas does a little stance switching now as he moves around. Edwards tries a takedown, that stalls on the fence. Not much going on in the clinch so far. Bukauskas is able to slip free. Edwards with a leg kick then back into another clinch. Again not much happens then Bukauskas is able to slip free. Body kick from Bukauskas. Bit of a right hand from Bukauskas. Edwards lands a left hook. Edwards has started showing southpaw now. Bit of a body kick from Bukauskas. Edwards misses a head kick then goes orthodox. Short left from Bukauskas. Bukauskas with a bit of a right hand. Body kick from Edwards, then another one. Bukauskas fires a head kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bukauskas but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Bukauskas gets back on pressure and throwing punches. Front kick from Bukauskas. Edwards lands a front kick then both men land glancing punches in close. They’re both swinging heavy leather but haven’t landed flush yet. A right hand from Bukauskas wobbles Edwards, Bukauskas looks to pressure but Edwards grabs a clinch. Bukauskas has Edwards on the fence and knees the body a few times but things are stalling out. Edwards is able to spin free but Bukauskas cracks him with a one two. Another right from Bukauskas, then another. Edwards tries to clinch again and lands a knee so Bukauskas happily pushes him into the fence. Not much going on here again. Edwards spins Bukauskas into the fence and lands a few knees then Bukauskas lands a right hand as they break. Bit of a right hand from Edwards. Bukauskas misses a head kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Bukauskas, might be 10-8 if you’re feeling generous, 20-18 Bukauskas overall

ROUND THREE: Bukauskas starts backing up Edwards, both men throw kicks and Edwards takes one low but doesn’t really want a time out. Both men swing punches in close but can’t quite land. Edwards pushes for a clinch and they hit the fence again. Edwards is really after a single leg, Bukauskas is defending though. Right hand from Edwards. They trade a few knees but there’s just not much happening. The ref really could break them up. Eventually Bukauskas is able to slip free but that was a dreadful stretch of over two minutes. Edwards misses a head kick. Bit of a left hook from Bukauskas. Edwards misses a front kick to the face. Calf kick from Bukauskas. They trade and clinch again. Bukauskas slips free quickly this time and fires a spinning back kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Edwards I guess, 29-28 Bukauskas overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Modestas Bukauskas via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Bukauskas won the clearest round but one was close enough to go either way. Mic time for Bukauskas, he feels he won the first two rounds but puts over Edwards for stepping up on very short notice to make the fight happen. He talks us through a few highlights to close.

Malcolm Wellmaker is coming off of his first professional loss, he’d shown promise before that bout but he got into MMA somewhat late and at age 31 he can ill afford a losing streak right now. Juan Diaz brings an eight fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’ll be looking to extend that streak with another win here. Wellmaker closed as the -260 favorite to +210 for Diaz.

Bantamweight Bout: Juan Diaz (15-1-1, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Malcolm Wellmaker (10-1, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Wellmaker is an inch and a half taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Wellmaker. Diaz moves forward and shows side kicks to the leg. Bit of a side kick from Wellmaker. Wellmaker with a body kick then an inside leg kick. Another body kick from Wellmaker. Diaz swings a right hand that partially lands to the body. Another body kick from Wellmaker. Jab from Wellmaker. Again Wellmaker lands the body kick. Diaz gets a clinch and slips the back as they hit the fence. Diaz tries for drag backs but he can’t get Wellmaker to actually stay on the mat. Eventually Diaz hits a mat return then tries for the back but can’t get it. Wellmaker turns into him on the fence and lands a knee. They break as Diaz misses an elbow. Wellmaker misses a wheel kick, Diaz then lands a right hand and lands a very illegal knee to the head as Wellmaker is down so we get a time out just before the round ends. Replay shows the knee hit the shoulder as well, the ref examines the clip and tells Diaz he’s taking a point next time since the knee bounced off the shoulder before hitting the head and neck. The restart for the final second then hug as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Diaz

ROUND TWO: Diaz comes out looking to throw heavy. Wellmaker settles things down and they start hand fighting. Bit of a left hand from Wellmaker. Calf kick from Diaz. Wellmaker lands a left to the body. Diaz avoids a left hand and hits a takedown against the fence. Wellmaker moves to his knees and Diaz gets the ride position. Diaz slips around to be on top in half guard as Wellmaker is looking to set up a wall walk. It takes a second but Diaz gets to the back with one hook in and looks for a choke. Diaz gets the choke and Wellmaker has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Juan Diaz via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:08 of Round 2

Mic time for Diaz and the translator, he says he trained hard for this moment and puts over his team for all of their work. He talks us through the finish and calls himself a complete fighter.

Doo Ho Choi has had a bit of a rough go of things since returning from mandatory military service back in 2018, but he is on a two fight winning streak and if he’s going to make a real push in the tough featherweight division he needs another one here. Daniel Santos has gone 4-1 in the UFC and is on a four fight winning streak, Choi is also the third consecutive South Korean fighter he’s faced, and if he can get that to five in a row here then Santos will likely be facing down ranked opponents in the near future. The odds are with Santos at -165 to Choi’s +135.

Featherweight Bout: Dooho Choi (16-4-1, 146 lbs.) vs. Daniel Santos (13-2, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Choi has three inches of height and reach advantage. Santos opens with a body kick. Choi avoids a few kicks then lands a calf kick. Right hand from Santos. Choi avoids another high kick. Bit of an exchange of lefts. Santos swings a few punches that don’t quite land. Choi defends a single leg then lands a knee to the head. Hard calf kick from Choi. Santos misses a left hook. Body jab from Choi. Body kick from Santos. Santos hits the body a few times in close. Another body jab from Choi but Santos counters with a left hook. Both men land rights in close but Santos is throwing with greater volume and that’s pulling him away. Knee from Santos then a right hand against the fence. Choi lands a hard right and Santos grabs a clinch then they separate. Jab from Choi, Santos with uppercuts out of a collar tie. Santos lands an uppercut then a spinning back kick. Choi’s nose is busted up now from all those uppercuts. A few jabs from Choi land. Santos with a flurry of punches but Choi blocks a few and circles away. Man Santos is throwing incredibly hard and might be gassing himself out. Choi lands a jab. Again Santos with some dirty boxing uppercuts. Choi blocks a few punches. Santos tries a takedown, he can’t finish it and they hit the fence. Inside trip from Santos but Choi whizzers and fights up then lands a knee to the head. A jab from Choi closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santos

ROUND TWO: Santos comes out missing kicks again. Choi jabs the body. Bit of a calf kick from Santos, then he tries a wheel kick that’s blocked. Choi avoids a few punches. One two from Choi. Santos blocks a few punches. Bit of a right hand from Choi then they trade calf kicks. Choi with a right to the body. A few jabs from Choi. Santos tries a single leg but Choi defends as they hit the fence. They kind of hang out for a bit then Choi lands a knee to the chin as they break. Again Choi jabs into boxing range then lands a right hand. Both men slip punches in the pocket. Another Choi jab then he avoids counters. Santos hits the body in close. Hard jabs from Choi then a left hook bothers Santos for a second. Both men land front kicks. Solid right hand from Choi stuns Santos for a second. Choi is starting to make the most of his offense, Santos might be breaking down. Santos tries a takedown but Choi defends and uses a front headlock to ride him down to a knee. They stand then separate and trade left hooks. Choi with punches, he’s got Santos backed into the fence. Right to the body from Choi, then a left to the body FLOORS Santos and that’ll get the finish.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Doo Ho Choi via TKO, body shot, at 4:29 of Round 2

Mic time for Choi and the translator after that quite fun fight. Choi believed in himself then he talks us through the finish and notes he had to deal with the aggression early. Asked about the future he wants Patricio Pitbull. OK, that’s not a bad call out all things considered.

We get a video announcement of Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway 2 as the main event for UFC 329. They could have announced that last week in a major numbered event, instead it drops on an Apex slop card because they can pretend they’re countering Rousey vs. Carano with a crappy video? Frankly I’d be happy to never see McGregor again but that’s me.

Arnold Allen has been with the UFC since 2015 and has done well for himself over that time, but periods of little activity and a few key losses in step up fights over the last few years have put a real ceiling on him. Allen is just 1-3 in his last four fights, granted those losses are to Max Holloway, Movsar Evloev, and Jean Silva but he really does need to defend his position here if he wants to get another crack at moving towards the title picture. Melquizael Costa is on a six fight winning streak with four of those being finishes, most recently he scored an impressive first round stoppage over veteran Dan Ige. Costa is taking aim at another divisional stalwart and if he can extend his winning streak at the expense of Allen it would indicate he’s ready for a move towards the title picture. The odds have moved a fair bit for this fight, but ultimately closed at a very close -120 on Allen to an event +100 for Costa.

Featherweight Bout: #7 Arnold Allen (20-4, 145 lbs.) vs. #12 Melquizael Costa (26-7, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Costa is two inches taller with an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves, both men open southpaw. Calf kicks are traded, Costa partially checked one though. Bit of a left from Allen then Costa lands a spinning back kick. Bit of a left from Costa then a calf kick. Allen is still looking to pressure forward and set things up, Costa is working to establish kicking range. Front kick from Costa, Allen responds with a left hand that drops Costa for a moment. Costa fights up into a clinch and Allen hits a takedown into full guard. Guillotine attack from Costa, Allen defends but Costa uses that motion to get to his knees and start standing. A few knees to the body from Allen, then they roll and Allen hits another takedown but Costa scrambles back up into top position now. Costa is on top in half guard and Allen bails on a guillotine attack. Some lefts from Costa land. Allen gives up the ride position and Costa lands elbows then gets the back with both hooks in. One hook is loose and Allen is able to get to his knees and stand with Costa on his back. Mat return from Costa, then another one then he jumps to a backpack position. Allen is getting Costa around a side and starts sliding him off. Costa drags Allen down to a knee, Costa is trying to set up a seated arm triangle but Allen is aware and gets his head free. Allen grabs a front headlock and will hold that on the mat as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Costa misses a spinning back kick. Jab from Allen. Costa with a body kick then both men miss punches. Calf kick from Costa. Jab from Costa then Allen lands a calf kick. Another body kick from Costa. Both men land punches in close. Allen lands a jab. Another calf kick from Costa. Allen eats a knee but fires back with a high kick. Counter left from Allen lands. Allen lands a jab. Bit of a right hand from Costa. A couple more calf kicks land for Costa. Both men miss punches. Costa lands a left hand then a right hook behind it. Allen lands a jab. Costa slips throwing a head kick, Allen stands over him for a bit before Costa gets back up. A combination lands for Costa then a body kick. Another calf kick from Costa then he avoids a left hand. Bit of a front kick from Costa. Allen lands a calf kick, Costa returns it. Left to the body from Allen. Costa lands another calf kick then avoids a left hand. Body kick from Costa mostly lands. They trade punches then Costa lands a body kick. Body kick and a left hand from Costa close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Costa but a close one, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Costa with a combination to start the round. One two from Costa. Allen blocks a left hand. Bit of a calf kick from Costa. Allen blocks a high kick. Front kick from Costa then both men land punches in close. Allen blocks a body kick. Knee from Costa then a left hand. Left hand from Allen lands then he avoids a level change. Hard left from Costa backs Allen up for a bit. Costa lands a calf kick but Allen responds with a left hand. Allen blocks a few high kicks. Costa with a body jab then a left hand, Allen’s right eye is swelling up a bit. Allen lands a combination. Costa misses a wheel kick. Allen smothers a single leg and gets on top in half guard landing some elbows. Costa gets to full guard but ate an elbow to do so. Armbar attack from Costa but Allen is hip to it and avoids it then moves to the ride. Allen with punches from the ride, Costa rolls for a leg but Allen avoids that and retains top position. The ref forces a stand up, Allen was standing over Costa and not doing anything. Left hand from Allen. Bit of a left from Costa. Costa partially lands a high kick as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen, 29-28 Allen overall

ROUND FOUR: Both men look to pick up where they left off. Costa with a few front kicks then both men land calf kicks. Bit of a one two from Costa. A couple jabs from Allen land then Costa lands a calf kick. Again Allen lands a left hand. Costa lands a left of his own. Hard left from Costa stuns Allen for a second. Allen with a left hand but Costa just eats it. Another jab lands for Allen. Costa lands a calf kick. Jab from Allen, bit of a counter left from Costa. Costa lands a calf kick then a couple of punches. A left from Allen bothers Costa and Allen gets to the back standing. Costa gets chest to chest but Allen trips him down to land on top in half guard. Costa gets to full guard and throws a few elbows from his back. Allen works to pass, Costa tries a kimura roll, Allen steps over and stands over him then Costa regains his feet. Body kick from Costa. Bit of a left hand from Costa. Allen with a mostly successful head kick. Knee to the body from Costa. Allen lands a left hand. Costa avoids a left hand. Allen shows another high kick then avoids a couple of Costa kicks to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen, 39-37 Allen overall

ROUND FIVE: Both men come out swinging. Combination from Costa partially lands, he’s looking to walk Allen down. Body kick from Costa then a left hand, he needs a finish and knows it. One two from Costa. Allen avoids a left hand. Jab from Costa. They tie up, Costa tries a foot sweep but Allen counters and gets on top. Costa gets to the fence and wall walks, Allen lands some lefts along the way then holds the back in a clinch. They get chest to chest and Allen with another outside trip to get on top in half guard. Costa fishes for a kimura, he uses that to get to a knee and scoot to the fence. They’re upright into another clinch. Another outside trip from Allen into half guard. Costa shrimps to full guard. Allen is just holding on here killing the clock. Allen gets to the backpack as Costa stands, only one hook though. Costa tries to slam backwards and just winds up on the mat with Allen having one hook in. A few downward elbows from Costa but he’s not going to find a finish that way. Allen throws a few punches. Twister attack from Allen, that’s not going to work for a few reasons and Costa sits for a leg but wont find anything as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Allen, 49-46 Allen overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45 x2)

No problems with those scores. Mic time for Allen, he is sick of getting decisions and wants a title shot or rematch with Movsar Evloev. Allen’s good but never seems to get above the level he’s at right now. He talks through some of the fight and them punching each other in the face. Asked specifically about the future he just plans on being active, which has not been true historically.

Well on that note UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa comes to a close. There’s no UFC event next week but in two weeks the UFC will be back in China. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this event, and the Rousey vs. Carano fight as well, on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast tomorrow. Until next time thank you all for reading, live or after the fact, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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