Bonfim beats ex-champ Muhammad for 5th straight win, calls out Maddalena

Allen defeats Shabaziyan, calls out Strickland

Gabriel Bonfim (right) exchanges strikes with Belal Muhammad during UFC Fight Night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday. [UFC]

Gabriel Bonfim of Brazil extended his winning streak to five with a dominant unanimous decision over former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad on Sunday, then immediately called out another ex-champion, Jack Della Maddalena of Australia.

Bonfim (20-1), ranked No. 11 in the UFC welterweight division, defeated No. 5-ranked Muhammad (24-6-1 NC) by scores of 50-45, 50-45 and 50-45 in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, Korean Standard Time. The victory puts Bonfim in strong contention for a top-five ranking.

Bonfim controlled the fight from the opening bell, repeatedly targeting Muhammad's legs with powerful kicks that steadily eroded his mobility. As Muhammad's movement slowed, Bonfim's right hand began landing flush on his face, leaving it visibly marked. Bonfim himself absorbed little damage throughout.

Contrary to pre-fight expectations, Muhammad — a wrestler by background — rarely attempted takedowns, and the bout played out almost entirely as a striking contest. That suited the boxing-trained Bonfim perfectly, as he finished with a commanding 128-86 advantage in significant strikes. In the third round, a jab-right hand combination sent Muhammad's mouthpiece flying.

In his post-fight interview, Bonfim put his arm around Muhammad and paid tribute to his opponent. "Muhammad is a fighter who walked the champion's path that only a few have been able to walk," he said. "I have great respect for you, and I was truly happy to share the octagon with you tonight."

Bonfim then turned his attention to No. 4-ranked Jack Della Maddalena. "Jack Della Maddalena, get ready," he said. "You're my next opponent. I just broke into the top five and I want to keep fighting."

Brendan Allen (left) throws a jab at Edmen Shabaziyan during UFC Fight Night at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday. [UFC]

In the co-main event, No. 4-ranked middleweight Brendan "All In" Allen of the United States edged "Golden Boy" Edmen Shabaziyan, also of the United States, by unanimous decision — 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 — in a grueling back-and-forth fight. The bout earned Fight of the Night honors, with both fighters receiving a $100,000 bonus.

Allen, ranked fourth, volunteered to face the unranked Shabaziyan after Shabaziyan lost his scheduled April opponent, Park Jun-yong, to injury. Allen accepted the risk of a potential ranking drop and secured his third consecutive victory.

Allen called for a title shot against UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Allen had suffered a TKO loss to Strickland in 2020, and after defeating Strickland's teammate Shabaziyan, he made clear he wants revenge. "I came in here to bang, and Sean Strickland sacrificed his own teammate," Allen said in his post-fight interview. "That's why I hope he's my next opponent."

yjc@heraldcorp.com