The UFC returns to Las Vegas this weekend with a featherweight-focused card headlined by Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. Allen is looking to halt a recent skid after losses to elite contenders, while Costa enters riding a six-fight win streak and plenty of momentum after his finish of Dan Ige earlier this year.
The co-main event features “The Korean Superboy” Doo-ho Choi against Daniel Santos, while the rest of the card includes several intriguing prospects and bounce-back opportunities for fighters trying to solidify their standing in the promotion.
One week after an exciting night of action in New Jersey, which included the crowning of a new UFC middleweight champion, the UFC returns to its headquarters, the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, with UFC Vegas 117.
The featherweights will be in action in the main event, as Arnold Allen takes on Melquizael Costa.
Allen was a rising star in the weight class at one point, starting his career with a 19-1 record. Allen, however, then dropped a pair of fights to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. Allen rebounded with a win over Giga Chikadze in July 2024 but did not compete in 2025. He returned at UFC 325 this past January, losing to Jean Silva.
After losing two of his first three Octagon bouts in 2023, Costa enters this fight on his own rise with a six-fight win streak. Costa comes into this bout off a first-round finish of Dan Ige at UFC Houston in February.
The co-main event will also be held at featherweight, as “The Korean Superboy” Doo-ho Choi takes on Daniel Santos. Though Choi has not been as active since his famous 2016 war with Cub Swanson, he enters this fight 2-0-1 in his last three, most recently finishing Nate Landwehr at UFC 310. Santos, after dropping his UFC debut, has won his last four, most recently scoring a TKO of Joo-sang Yoo at UFC 320.
The main card will also feature Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Juan Diaz, Modestas Bukauskas vs. Christian Edwards, Timothy Cuamba vs. Bernardo Sopaj, and Nikolay Veretennikov vs. Khaos Williams.
MALCOLM WELLMAKER VS JUAN DIAZ
Malcolm Wellmaker had a lot of momentum going for him as he entered the UFC, scoring highlight first-round finishes of Cameron Saaiman and Kris Moutinho. Wellmaker, however, hasn’t been seen since losing to a now-top-10-ranked Ethyn Ewing, and it’s time to see what adjustments he can make to his game. He needs a rebound victory, and Juan Diaz presents that opportunity. Diaz is coming into this fight off a vicious spinning elbow knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series, but he’s better known for his grappling abilities.
Wellmaker will have to be ready for takedown attempts from Diaz, who might try to get this fight to the ground early and often. A 57% takedown defense is shaky when dealing with this. However, as other experts agree, Diaz’s low-hand stance when on the feet will present openings for Wellmaker to unleash his power and get that statement win.
BET: Wellmaker via KO/TKO (FanDuel: +145)
