Gabriel Bonfim walked into UFC Vegas 111 at the Apex as a man on a mission, determined to erase the sting of his controversial win over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in his last outing. The 28-year-old Brazilian promised fireworks ahead of his bout against Randy Brown, and he delivered exactly that! “I believe I’ll stop him in the second round,” Bonfim told MMA Fighting before fight night. “Either I’ll knock him out or submit him, but I believe I’ll knock him out.”

Turns out, he kept his word. With the world watching, Bonfim dismantled Randy Brown with a mix of precision and pressure, scoring a second-round knockout that left no room for debate. With the win, ‘Marretinha’ extended his record to 19-1. Before we get into what’s next for the Brazilian, let’s take a look at the fight itself.

Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown Fight Breakdown

From the opening bell, Bonfim looked laser-focused. He took the center of the Octagon, chopping away at Brown’s legs with ruthless efficiency. The strategy was clear: slow down the veteran, break his rhythm, and find openings to land strikes. It worked like a charm. Brown, known for his long reach and sharp boxing, found himself reacting to Bonfim’s advances. Each calf kick from the Brazilian seemed to sap his mobility a little more, forcing him to switch stances and throw wild counters just to keep ‘Marretinha’ at bay.

As the round wore on, Bonfim showcased the maturity of a fighter well beyond his years. He feinted, timed Brown’s switches, and punished every return to orthodox stance with another damaging low kick. By the end of the first round, Brown’s lead leg looked battered, and Bonfim was in complete control.

The second round, however, is where the magic happened. After exchanging a few crisp combinations, ‘Marrethinha’ saw his opening, a perfectly timed knee up the middle that sent Brown crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately stepped in, waving off the fight at 1:40 of Round 2. Brown protested the stoppage, but replays showed he was out on his way down.

It was a textbook finish, the kind of win that cements Bonfim’s reputation as a dangerous all-rounder. He’s now 6-1 in the UFC, with wins over names like Mounir Lazzez, Khaos Williams, and Stephen Thompson. His striking has evolved dramatically since his Contender Series debut in 2022, and his finishing instinct remains razor-sharp.

And when he grabbed the mic after the fight, Bonfim didn’t waste the moment. “Colby, stop running away, stop running away,” he shouted, calling out former interim champion Colby Covington, a challenge that immediately got fans talking!

Fights For Bonfim After UFC Vegas 111

With this win, Gabriel Bonfim’s climb up the welterweight rankings is undeniable. Sitting at No. 14 at the time of writing, he’s now poised to break into the top 10 of the division. Let’s start with the obvious: Colby Covington. Bonfim’s callout wasn’t random. ‘Chaos’, ranked No. 10, is coming off a doctor-stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley last December, and questions about his motivation have been swirling ever since. It’s also a fight that could test whether Bonfim’s takedown defense has caught up to his stand-up game.

Another intriguing option? Joaquin Buckley himself. While he is ranked number 7, his last fight ended in a loss to Kamaru Usman in June this year. A fight between Buckley and Bonfim would be fireworks from start to finish with two powerful, fast, and confident welterweights trying to break into title contention.

And then there’s the dark horse pick: Kamaru Usman. The former champion has been sitting on the sidelines since winning over Buckley and could be looking for a comeback fight in early 2026. Usman’s experience and wrestling would be the ultimate litmus test for Bonfim, who’s eager to prove he belongs among the elite.

As Bonfim pointed out in his MMA Fighting interview, “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.”

Still, after a finish that perfectly matched his own bold prediction, you can bet that whoever faces him next will do their homework, especially on those vicious calf kicks. The question now becomes, who will the UFC match up with ‘Marretinha’ as he continues his campaign to be the next big threat at 170 lbs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!