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Brett Okamoto
The UFC welterweight category is set to receive considerable attention in the coming weeks, and Gabriel Bonfim has become the first to capitalize on it.
Bonfim (19-1) delivered a knockout to Randy Brown (20-7) with a standing knee at 1:40 in the second round during the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on Saturday. Although Brown, 35, initially contested the stoppage, replays revealed that Bonfim’s knee strike had hurt him significantly.
With this knockout, Bonfim increased his winning streak to five and called out former interim champion Colby Covington.
“Colby, quit dodging me,» Bonfim stated through an interpreter. «Give me a shot so I can take you out of the ring. I guarantee I will retire [you].”
Bonfim’s victory was achieved with the standing knee, yet it was the calf kick that was predominant throughout the match. According to UFC Stats, Bonfim connected with 35 total strikes, with 23 aimed at Brown’s leg. He focused on the leg in the first round, which later allowed him to create openings for strikes to the head in the second.
Brown, who had claimed four victories in his last five fights leading up to this match, engaged well and demonstrated a willingness to exchange blows, but the knee in the second round caused him to fall to the floor. Although Brown seemed to recover swiftly after the fight was halted, he appeared to be briefly knocked out from the knee strike.
This was Brown’s first knockout loss since 2020.
Bonfim is looking to break into the UFC’s top 10 for the first time in his career. He entered Saturday’s event ranked No. 14. His target, Covington, currently holds the No. 10 position, but he hasn’t competed since December and last won a match by decision against Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.
