Gabriel Bonfim handed former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad a dominant unanimous decision defeat by scores of 50-45 across all three judges in the UFC Vegas 118 main event. Brendan Allen defeated Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision in the co-main event, while Tom Nolan edged Fares Ziam by split scores. Bryce Mitchell submitted Santiago Luna with an arm-triangle choke in round three, and Ivo Baranewski stopped Junior Tafa by TKO in just 85 seconds. Further finishes came from Alessandro Costa, Edgar Chairez, Chelsea Chandler, Joanderson Brito, and Ketlen Souza, who all earned stoppages on the night.
Gabriel Bonfim delivered one of the most commanding performances of his career on Saturday night, handing former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad a unanimous decision loss by identical 50-45 scorecards across all three judges in the UFC Vegas 118 main event.
Bonfim, ranked tenth in the welterweight division, improved to 19-1-0 with the dominant outing. The 28-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of the Bonfim Brothers camp, brings a well-rounded offensive game to every fight. He lands 4.61 significant strikes per minute at 46 percent accuracy and supplements his striking with 3.6 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a genuine threat in all phases.
In the co-main event, Brendan Allen edged Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision to add another notable win to his resume. Tom Nolan picked up a hard-fought split decision victory over Fares Ziam, who entered the contest at 18-4-0. The 29-year-old French fighter, known as "Smile Killer" and a member of the Kill Cliff FC team, typically generates 2.85 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 51 percent, making him a tricky opponent for anyone in the lightweight division.
The preliminary portion of the card produced a string of finishes. Bryce Mitchell submitted Santiago Luna with an arm-triangle choke in the third round. Ivo Baranewski stopped Junior Tafa by TKO in just 85 seconds. Alessandro Costa, Edgar Chairez, Chelsea Chandler, Joanderson Brito, and Ketlen Souza all earned stoppages across the remainder of the card.
Why it matters
- Bonfim's 50-45 sweep over a former champion dramatically strengthens his welterweight title credentials and could vault him well inside the top ten.
- Allen's co-main event victory at middleweight keeps him firmly in contention in one of the UFC's deepest divisions.
- The finish-heavy undercard — eight stoppages across the full event — reinforces the card as one of the more action-packed Fight Night shows of the year.
