Bonfim Dominantes Muhammad At UFC Vegas 118

Gabriel Bonfim has arrived at the top of the UFC welterweight division, as the Brazilian delivered the best performance of his career against former champion Belal Muhammad.

Belal earned a unanimous decision shutout and call out another former champion in the same breath. All three judges scored it 50-45. Muhammad lost every round and left the cage a bloody mess. Bonfim called out Jack Della Maddalena before the post-fight interview was finished.

"Jack Maddalena, stay ready. 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,” Gabriel

The performance told a story that Muhammad's team will need to confront seriously. The former champion entered the fight ranked fifth in the welterweight division and carrying a reputation built on relentless wrestling and takedown pressure — the skill set that took him to the title in July 2024. He largely abandoned it against Bonfim, choosing instead to engage in a striking exchange with a bigger, younger, and sharper opponent on the feet. The result was predictable from early in the first round and only became more one-sided as the fight wore on.

Muhammad's first meaningful takedown attempt did not come until the third round, by which point Bonfim had already built an insurmountable lead and stuffed it with ease. The pattern that has plagued Muhammad in his recent losses — failing to impose his wrestling early enough to change the dynamic of a fight — repeated itself on the biggest stage of Bonfim's career, and the Brazilian was clinical enough to punish every minute of it.

Bonfim gave Muhammad genuine respect in the post-fight interview, bringing his opponent over and acknowledging the long road he had taken to becoming champion. The gesture spoke well of him. The callout of Della Maddalena immediately after spoke to his ambition — a former welterweight champion who lost the belt to Islam Makhachev is precisely the kind of opponent that, if beaten, puts Bonfim directly in line for a title shot.