Gabriel Bonfim headlines a UFC card coming off of a controversial split-decision victory over two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson. However, he vows to give fans a memorable night when he faces Randy
Brown in the main event of UFC Vegas 111.
Bonfim and Brown were originally scheduled to face off as part of UFC Rio in October, but were shifted to this Saturday’s headliner at UFC APEX show when Brown was forced off the Brazil event with an injury. Both “surprised” and honored with the headlining spot, Bonfim promises fireworks this weekend.
“I believe I’ll stop him in the second round,” Bonfim told MMA Fighting. “Either I’ll knock him out or submit him — but I believe I’ll knock him out. I’ve been training and improving my striking a lot, and it’s something I’ve always liked. We really perfected it in this camp.”
Brown is a veteran of 20 octagon appearances with 14 of those fights going his way. Only two men were able to knock him out in MMA, Niko Price and Vicente Luque, and “Marretinha” aims to join that exclusive club to grow his stock after the close three-round clash with “Wonderboy” in July.
“I want to put on a show for the fans,” Bonfim said. “In my last fight I fought to a strategy because he’s a different level, a guy with a lot of experience. I want to show a little more of myself in this fight, to give the fans the show they deserve. Trade a lot, take him down, get back up and trading with him.
“I couldn’t let loose at all or deviate from the strategy against Wonderboy because he’s a very dangerous guy who at any moment could kick me in the face — like it almost happened. Randy Brown, not so much. To me, Randy Brown is more passive. He likes to control the fight, very calm, you know? It’s a fight where I can show a bit more of myself.”
Bonfim said Brown is “a lanky guy who fights at range, with straight shots and a lot of jab” and feels that matches up nicely with what he plans on doing over 25 minutes or less. The Brazilian considers Brown to be a favorable matchup and thinks that’s a sign the UFC wants to give him a platform to shine and possibly enter the welterweight rankings in 2026.
“I believe he doesn’t have much to offer in this fight,” Bonfim said of Brown. “I think they put me there to take another step forward in my career. It’s a very good fight for me. In my opinion he offers no danger at all, you know? Not to mention that at any moment I can put him on his back and submit him.”
The Brazilian doesn’t have a name in mind for a post-fight callout since the top of the division has a busy month in December, with most of the ranked athletes currently booked. He does have some ideas in mind, though, and will volunteer to step in for one of those bouts in case something happens to any fighter.
“I believe that I’ll get into the top 10 by knocking him out or submitting him,” Bonfim said. “It’s kind of difficult right now [to say who could be next] because six of the top 10 have fights on the New York event, but there’s still [Kamaru] Usman, Joaquin Buckley, Colby [Covington], guys who could be matched with me.”
