"We can argue whether Gabriel Bonfim had rightfully earned this main event spot or not, but what we cannot argue is whether or not he made the most of it. He came into the promotion with quite a bit of hype, pushing his then undefeated record to 15-0 by winning his first two UFC fights in a combined 2:02. A tough loss against the veteran Nicolas Dalby, who was streaking at the time, clearly affected Bonfim's confidence."
"Despite the nice showing against Khaos Williams, the Brazilian prospect looked shaky even in winning efforts against Ange Loosa and an aging Stephen Thompson. This latest win against Randy Brown should be very restorative for Bonfim's confidence who earned a sick KO win off a knee exiting the clinch. Ending the year in a main event and producing a highlight like this should propel him into 2026 with a swagger he hasn't had since his UFC debut."
From August 16 to October 25 the UFC calendar ran nine straight events outside the Apex before returning to the Apex for two cards between road shows. UFC Vegas 111 prioritized in-cage excitement with eight of twelve fights ending via finish, including all five main card bouts. Gabriel Bonfim regained momentum by scoring a highlight KO on a knee exiting the clinch against Randy Brown, a result likely to restore confidence after a loss to Nicolas Dalby and uneven wins over Ange Loosa and Stephen Thompson. Differences in the nature of recent wins prompted reconsideration of potential matchups, and Bonfim earned consideration for a high-profile fight against Colby Covington.
Read at Cageside Press
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