Brendan Allen Edges Edmen Shahbazyan by Decision in Middleweight Co-Main Event
Brendan Allen picked up an important decision win over Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim, earning the victory after three full rounds in their middleweight co-main event. The fight ended at Round 3, 05:00, with Allen getting his hand raised by decision.
It was not a wild finish or a one-sided beatdown. Instead, this was a competitive 15-minute fight where both middleweights had moments. Shahbazyan was accurate with his striking, but Allen did enough across the full fight to convince the judges and add another strong result to his UFC career.
Brendan Allen Wins a Close Three-Round Battle
This fight was competitive from start to finish. Allen entered with a 27-7-0 record, while Shahbazyan came in at 16-6-0, and both fighters showed experience throughout the matchup.
The total strike numbers were close, but Shahbazyan actually landed more strikes overall. He connected on 54 of 97 total strikes, while Allen landed 50 of 116 total strikes. Shahbazyan was also the more accurate striker, landing at 55.7%, compared to Allen’s 43.1%.
However, MMA judging is not always about total numbers alone. Round-by-round scoring, control, pressure, defense, and who lands the more meaningful offense at the right moments can all play a role. Allen may not have been the cleaner statistical striker, but he stayed active, pushed the pace, and found enough success to win the decision.
Significant Strikes Favored Shahbazyan, But Allen Stayed Competitive
The significant strike numbers also leaned toward Shahbazyan. He landed 54 of 97 significant strikes, while Allen landed 48 of 114. That gave Shahbazyan the higher accuracy and the better connection rate in the striking exchanges.
Still, Allen kept the fight close by staying busy. He threw more significant strike attempts than Shahbazyan, showing that he was constantly working and trying to build offense. Even when Shahbazyan was landing cleaner, Allen did not allow the fight to fully slip away.
There were no knockdowns from either fighter, which meant neither man created a huge fight-changing moment on the feet. Without a knockdown or finish, the fight came down to small details across three rounds. Allen’s consistency and ability to remain in the fight likely helped him secure the judges’ decision.
Allen Could Not Finish Takedowns, But Still Found a Way to Win
Allen attempted three takedowns, but Shahbazyan defended all of them. That was an important part of the fight because Allen often looks to mix his grappling with pressure. In this matchup, he was not able to complete his wrestling attacks.
Shahbazyan did not attempt any takedowns of his own, meaning the fight mostly played out in the striking range. There were also zero submission attempts from both fighters, so this was not a grappling-heavy contest.
Even without successful takedowns, Allen’s attempts showed that he was trying to change levels and make Shahbazyan think about more than just striking. That variety may have helped him stay competitive in key moments.
Brendan Allen’s decision win over Edmen Shahbazyan was a close and tactical middleweight fight. Shahbazyan had the better striking accuracy and landed more total and significant strikes, but Allen stayed active, attempted to mix in wrestling, and did enough over three rounds to earn the victory.
This was not Allen’s most dominant performance, but it was still an important win. Beating a dangerous striker like Shahbazyan in a co-main event shows Allen’s toughness, experience, and ability to win difficult fights.
Key Information:
Fighters Involved: Brendan Allen vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
Event: UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim
Weight Class: Middleweight
Fight Position: Co-Main Event
Fight Result: Brendan Allen wins via decision
Time: Round 3, 05:00
Brendan Allen Record: 27-7-0
Edmen Shahbazyan Record: 16-6-0
Knockdowns: Allen (0), Shahbazyan (0)
Allen Total Strikes: 50 of 116
Shahbazyan Total Strikes: 54 of 97
Allen Significant Strikes: 48 of 114
Shahbazyan Significant Strikes: 54 of 97
Takedowns: Allen 0 of 3, Shahbazyan 0 of 0
Submission Attempts: Allen (0), Shahbazyan (0)
