Athletes
Gabriel Bonfim Is Primed For His Biggest Test
Rising Brazilian Contender Faces A Former Champion In Las Vegas, And Says He’s Ready To Gatecrash The Title Picture at 170 Pounds.
Gabriel Bonfim is primed and ready for his second UFC main event, and the rising welterweight contender says he’s even more dangerous following the experience of his first.
Bonfim previously made the walk for his first five-round headlining bout last time out, when he faced Randy Brown at the Meta APEX last November. And, after experiencing the additional responsibility of leading a UFC fight card, he’s excited to repeat the experience this weekend.
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“I’m very excited about the fight (and) very excited about the fact that it’s my second main event,” he said. “I love the fact that the UFC has given me this opportunity, and I’m excited about the fight and the opportunity to put on a show on Saturday.”
Being in the main event brings additional pressures and obligations. More interviews, more attention, and more time spent dealing with people can sometimes weigh heavily on a fighter. But after experiencing it for the first time last time out, Bonfim said he’s already finding his second fight week as a main eventer more comfortable than his first.
“For sure, it's easier,” he said. “In this second main event, I have the experience from the first one (so) I think we're more used to it. It makes it easier, less pressure. So, I believe we're ready for this.
“The experience I got from the last camp for the last fight was brought into this one. It's a different fight when you go into a possible five rounds. The strategy plays a part; the game plan plays a part. I think it’s more intense, so the training has to be way more intense for a five-round fight than a three-round fight.”
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That first main event opportunity coincided with one of the best performances of Bonfim’s UFC career. The Brazilian is 6-1 in the Octagon and following a TKO defeat to Nicolas Dalby in Sao Paulo back in 2023, “Marretinha” has rebounded impressively to register wins over Ange Loosa, Khaos Williams, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and Brown.
Looking back at those four wins, Bonfim said that the victory over Brown was where he really got the chance to show his true self inside the Octagon.
“I had a really tough fight against Thompson; I think that was a tough opponent to go through,” he said. “But then the last one, against Randy Brown, I was able to just let loose a little bit, be a bit more myself, and the knockout came.”
On Saturday night, Bonfim will share the Octagon with a former champion. Belal Muhammad held the undisputed welterweight crown as recently as May 2025, and “Remember The Name’s” suffocating pressure-fighting style will present a fresh challenge to Bonfim as he looks to work his way up the welterweight ladder.
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To deal with a high-pressure fighting style, Bonfim needed a high-pressure training camp, and that’s exactly what he endured as he pushed himself to the limit in preparation for Muhammad’s cardio-sapping style.
“We had a very intense camp for this fight,” he explained. “The past three months of extreme preparation (were) for exactly what Belal brings to the table. There’s pressure that comes with it. We were prepared for this, for the intensity and the pressure, and I think we're really prepared for it.”
Bonfim’s performances to date have elevated him to 11th in the official UFC welterweight rankings. And with Muhammad currently sitting fifth, on the cusp of title contention, Bonfim knows that victory puts him within striking distance of his goal – a shot at the undisputed UFC welterweight title.
“I think a win against Belal definitely puts me in the top five,” he said. “I believe (if I win) one more fight, that allows me to fight for the belt.”
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It’s the biggest opportunity of Bonfim’s career. And if he can claim victory on Saturday night, big things could be just around the corner for the 28-year-old from Brasilia. Now it’s down to him to deliver, and he’s confident that he will not only claim his 20th professional win, but he’ll do it with the 18th finish of his career.
“You can expect a Gabriel that’s going to be prepared for a five-round fight, if needed,” he said.
“But you can expect a knockout or a submission.”
UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim took place live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 6, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!