Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back home in Las Vegas, Nevada, gearing up to stage UFC Vegas 117 from inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Headlining the Paramount+-streamed event will be a Featherweight fight between Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa. In the co-main event, DooHo Choi will battle Daniel Santos in another 145-pound affair.
“The Dalmatian” is currently on a hot streak inside the Octagon having won six straight fights spanning two years. Costa (No. 12) is hoping to crack the Top 10 with a win over Allen, who is currently occupying the No, 7 spot in the division. Costa has proven to be well-versed in all areas with two knockouts, two submissions and two decision wins during his current streak. A win over Allen would be the biggest of his career and the one that can get him over the hump. Nicolas Dalby and Jeremiah Wells were set to throw down in a Welterweight bout on the undercard before Dalby pulled out due to an undisclosed injury. There was no replacement found so the bout was canceled. Also, lightweight bout between Trey Ogden and Thomas Gantt was also scrapped after Ogden bowed out with an injury. He was replaced b UFC newcomer, Artur Minev.
Former Bellator MMA veteran, Christian Edwards, will be making his UFC debut opposite Modestas Bukauskas. Edwards ended his career with Bellator with three straight defeats, and after going 3-1 on the regional circuit now has the chance to shine in his UFC debut in a main card slot. As for Bukauskas, he is stinging after having his four-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Nikita Krylov in his most recent outing. Artur Minev and Thomas Gantt will be making their respective UFC debuts against one another. Minev is 7-0 with six stoppages to his name. As for Gantt, he is coming off a first-round submission win over Adam Livingston, improving his record to 11-0-1. Also, Rodolfo Bellato was expected to face Modestas Bukauskas in a light heavyweight bout before Bellato pulled out during fight week for undisclosed reasons. He was replaced by promotional newcomer Christian Edwards and the bout will now take place at a catchweight of 215 pounds.
Former Bellator MMA veteran, Christian Edwards, will be making his UFC debut opposite Modestas Bukauskas. Edwards ended his career with Bellator with three straight defeats, and after going 3-1 on the regional circuit now has the chance to shine in his UFC debut in a main card slot. As for Bukauskas, he is stinging after having his four-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Nikita Krylov in his most recent outing. Artur Minev and Thomas Gantt will be making their respective UFC debuts against one another. Minev is 7-0 with six stoppages to his name. As for Gantt, he is coming off a first-round submission win over Adam Livingston, improving his record to 11-0-1. Ketlen Vieira is currently the No. 5 ranked fighter in the women’s Bantamweight division, despite the fact that she’s had a rough stretch as of late. Indeed, Vieira has alternated wins and losses since 2022, going 3-3 in the process. She is coming off a loss against Norma Dumont as she goes into battle against Jaqueline Cavalcanti, who is actually on quite a run herself by winning eight straight, including her first five inside the Octagon. A win here puts her in the Top 5.