Gabriel Bonfim has arrived as a legitimate title contender at 170 pounds.
On Saturday, Bonfim had the biggest test of his MMA career, taking on former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC Vegas 118. Bonfim passed with flying colors, beating “Remember The Name” up for 25 minutes to leap into the thick of the welterweight title race.
Heading into the fight, Bonfim was on a four-fight winning streak, but none had come against a truly elite welterweight, and despite being on a two-fight losing streak, Muhammad certainly still fit that description. But Bonfim rose to the occasion, delivering the best performance of his career, chewing Muhammad up on the feet with crisp boxing and sharp low kicks.
As has been the case for Muhammad in recent fights, he didn’t go to his trademark wrestling game early, and by the time Muhammad shot for his first takedown in the third round, Bonfim was already far ahead and stuffed it with ease. From there, Bonfim continued to pick Muhammad apart, as the former champion completely abandoned the skill set that once took him to the title, instead engaging in a kickboxing fight with a bigger, younger opponent.
That did not end up working out for him, and by the end of 25 minutes, Muhammad had lost every round and was a bloody mess. The scorecards were formulaic, with 50-45s across the board for Bonfim.
Muhammad entered the fight ranked No. 5 in the UFC welterweight rankings, a position Bonfim is likely to take over on Tuesday when the promotion updates its rankings. Following his win, Bonfim gave Muhammad a lot of love, bringing him over for his post-fight interview and giving him props for taking the long road up to being a champion. He then called out another former welterweight champion for his next bout, Jack Della Maddalena.
“Jack Maddalena, stay ready,” Bonfim said via a Portuguese translator. “You’re right there. You’re my next opponent. I just got to the top 5, and I want to be active. You’re next.”
Muhammad, meanwhile, now finds his career in free fall, having lost three straight fights since winning the UFC welterweight title in July 2024.
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