As the UFC wraps up its 12-week event marathon, all eyes turn to UFC Fight Night 276 this Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. While the promotion faces stiff competition from Netflix's debut MMA event, this card still packs plenty of intrigue—especially in the main event where two surging featherweights look to make their mark.
Headlining the evening, Arnold Allen (20-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC) steps into the octagon against Melquizael Costa (27-7 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in a five-round battle that could reshape the division's rankings. Allen has been on a historic run, and he's chasing elite company. He's one of just six fighters in UFC history to start 10-0 inside the octagon—a list that includes legends like Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman, Alexander Volkanovski, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Royce Gracie. Not only that, but Allen is also one of only 15 fighters to ever notch 10 consecutive UFC victories. That's rarified air.
On the other side, Costa is riding serious momentum of his own. His seven-fight winning streak at featherweight is the second-longest active run in the division, trailing only Movsar Evloev's nine. Costa has been finishing fights too, with four of his seven UFC wins coming by stoppage. And he's got a flair for the dramatic: at UFC Fight Night 267, he landed one of just six spinning back kick knockouts in UFC history, joining the likes of Renan Barao, Uriah Hall, and Joaquin Buckley. Can he keep that rolling against a veteran like Allen?
The undercard may be thin, but it's not without storylines. Dooho Choi (16-4-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) brings serious knockout power—14 of his 16 career wins have come by stoppage, with 13 of those by KO. He's also the owner of the second-fastest debut in UFC featherweight history, stopping Juan Puig in just 18 seconds at UFC Fight Night 57. Only Makwan Amirkhani's eight-second win was quicker.
Light heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas (20-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has found new life since returning for a second UFC stint in February 2023, going 6-2 in that span. And Bellato (13-3-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC) is a finisher through and through—12 of his 13 career wins have come by stoppage, including both of his UFC victories by knockout. He's also part of a unique bit of UFC history: he's one of just two fighters to hold a 1-1-1 record with one no contest in their first four octagon appearances, alongside Damon Jackson.
With rankings on the line, historic streaks in play, and a main event that could launch a contender, UFC Fight Night 276 is shaping up to be a night that proves even a "thin" card can deliver heavyweight drama. Whether you're tracking Allen's pursuit of greatness or Costa's quest to keep his highlight-reel streak alive, this is one you won't want to miss.