TLDR
- Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad faces Gabriel Bonfim in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 278 main event in Las Vegas
- Muhammad is on a two-fight losing streak for the first time in his career after losses to Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry
- Bonfim, 28, is 19-1 with six UFC wins including a knockout of Randy Brown and is ranked No. 11 in the welterweight division
- Muhammad has never been submitted in 30 professional fights, while 13 of Bonfim’s 19 wins have come by submission
- Bonfim enters as the betting favorite at -200, despite Muhammad’s experience advantage with five UFC main events in five years
Sources: Sportsnet | Sherdog | MMA Junkie | ESPN
Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will attempt to snap a two-fight losing streak when he faces rising contender Gabriel Bonfim on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 278 in Las Vegas. The 37-year-old Muhammad is facing the first multi-fight skid of his mixed martial arts career.
Muhammad won the welterweight title two years ago when he upset Leon Edwards in England. He lost the belt in his first defense last May to Jack Della Maddalena in Montreal, then dropped a decision to Ian Machado Garry in Qatar in November.
The five-round main event marks Bonfim’s second consecutive Fight Night headliner at the UFC Apex. The 28-year-old Brazilian holds a professional record of 19-1 and is ranked No. 11 in the welterweight division.
Bonfim is coming off a knockout victory over Randy Brown in November. Before that, he earned a split decision win over former title challenger Stephen Thompson in July.
Big things ahead 🫡@BullyB170 is ready to headline #UFCVegas118!
[ JUNE 6 | 8pmET | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/CCniBFlEoB
— UFC (@ufc) June 3, 2026
Bonfim Believes He Has the Blueprint
Bonfim told Sherdog.com that he studied Ian Machado Garry’s win over Muhammad carefully. “I think Ian Garry showed the way, breaking his game,” Bonfim said.
The Brazilian plans to move around, defend takedowns, use low kicks and land heavy punches. “My goal is always to knock him out,” Bonfim said.
Bonfim trained extensively with his brother, Ismael Bonfim, who is preparing to make his own welterweight debut. “He helped me a lot in this camp,” Bonfim said.
Despite being the younger, less experienced fighter, Bonfim enters as the betting favorite at -200 compared to Muhammad at +150. Muhammad holds a 14-3 record with one no-contest in the UFC since 2017.
Muhammad’s resume includes wins over Edwards, Sean Brady, Gilbert Burns, Demian Maia and Vicente Luque. He has also defeated Thompson and Brown, both of whom have faced Bonfim.
Muhammad Explains Recent Struggles
Muhammad revealed to MMA Fighting that he fought through vertigo during his loss to Machado Garry. “I had vertigo after my weigh-in, and it was the first time I ever felt it,” he said.
Muhammad added that his team considered withdrawing from the bout, but he decided to compete anyway. “I was literally head shaking the whole time,” he said.
The matchup features contrasting styles and experience levels. Bonfim has only gone the distance twice in his career, while Muhammad has seen the scorecards in seven of his past eight fights, including four five-rounders.
Thirteen of Bonfim’s 19 professional wins have come by submission, including UFC finishes over Khaos Williams, Trevin Giles and Mounir Lazzez. However, Muhammad has never been submitted in 30 professional fights.
Bonfim’s only career loss came via technical knockout against Nicolas Dalby in 2023, a fight that earned Fight of the Night honors. He has won four straight since that setback and is 6-1 overall in the UFC.
The welterweight division has undergone major changes recently. Current champion Islam Makhachev moved up from lightweight and defeated Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to claim the 170-pound title.
Machado Garry is ranked No. 1 and is expected to challenge for the title next. Carlos Prates (No. 2) and Michael Morales (No. 3) round out the top contenders.
Bonfim believes a convincing win over the No. 5-ranked Muhammad would put him one or two fights away from a title shot. “Welterweight is probably the most difficult category in the whole UFC,” Bonfim said.
UFC Fight Night 278 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card begins at 6 p.m. ET on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet+.
