Bonfim eyes UFC title picture: 'A win over Belal puts me in contention'

Over the past 18 months, the welterweight part has seen 2 rubric changes, respective contenders emerge, and arsenic UFC Fight Night prepares for different welterweight main-event showdown, erstwhile champion Belal Muhammad, the division's astir accordant performer for overmuch of the past 5 years, finds himself connected a two-fight losing streak and rapidly losing footing successful a crowded division.Standing other him is the marauding Brazilian Gabriel Bonfim, who enters connected a four-fight winning streak.Yet, astatine the UFC Apex, for Bonfim, who volition beryllium featuring successful his 2nd consecutive main event, a batch rides connected this combat if helium wants to get himself into the speech for that 170-pound title. Going by his past bout - a connection knockout triumph implicit seasoned Randy Brown - it was the show that suggested the erstwhile Dana White's Contender Series victor is yet acceptable to participate the large leagues.

“I americium much focused, much dedicated, and hungrier to go the champion of this division,” Bonfim tells TimesofIndia.com successful an exclusive speech up of UFC Fight Night connected 7th June.Bonfim was ne'er abbreviated of confidence, and Brown's triumph would person lone boosted that further. Against the erstwhile champion Muhammad, helium volition request each that assurance and much to prevail.What's unsocial astir Bonfim is that his caller tally has showcased each facet of his game: knockout, submission, and determination wins.

He has developed his accomplishment acceptable importantly from being chiefly known arsenic a submission specializer during his aboriginal foray into MMA.“I judge I showed that I americium a implicit fighter. I tin strike, and I tin grapple. I deliberation I proved to the part that I americium a well-rounded combatant and that my striking deserves respect,” says Bonfim erstwhile asked astir what helium carries from the Brown combat heading into the Muhammad clash.While Muhammad is known for his pressure, relentless attacks, and quality to disrupt adjacent the champion crippled plans by making fights uncomfortable, helium besides likes to instrumentality opponents heavy into contests and often emerges arsenic the combatant with greater resoluteness astatine the extremity of a agelong grind.Four of Muhammad's five-round fights successful the UFC person gone the distance, with him emerging victorious connected 3 occasions, portion Bonfim has lone gone the region twice, some successful three-round bouts.And contempt Muhammad's consecutive losses to Ian Machado Garry and Jack Della Maddalena, determination is small that Bonfim is taking lightly astir the erstwhile champion.“Belal Muhammad is precise unsafe due to the fact that helium is simply a combatant who is ever moving forward.

He applies unit each the clip and likes to disrupt his opponents' crippled plans. He likes to marque things hard and make chaos wrong the fight. That unit is 1 of his biggest strengths.”And that is precisely wherever the seasoned Muhammad excels - gathering pressure, not allowing his opponents to settee into their rhythm, and gradually taking the precocious hand.But for Bonfim, that is wherever his three-month campy becomes crucial, focusing connected the precise aspects that marque Muhammad specified a unsafe proposition: the cage clinch, wrestling and his quality to power fights connected the ground.“Throughout this camp, we worked a batch connected circumstantial strategies for him. First of all, we focused heavy connected takedown defense, and besides connected getting backmost to our feet rapidly if we bash get taken down. It was a precise aggravated camp. We spent 3 months moving specifically connected that strategy,” says Bonfim.

Bonfim is besides wary of the information that Muhammad volition apt effort to instrumentality the combat deep, and helium hopes to trust connected the acquisition gained from his erstwhile main-event preparation, adjacent if helium does not yet person extended five-round combat experience.“This combat is antithetic due to the fact that it is apt to beryllium overmuch much aggravated and could precise good spell the afloat 5 rounds. I would accidental determination is simply a 90% accidental it goes the distance."We gained invaluable acquisition from the erstwhile camp. Of course, we trained for 5 rounds and lone needed 2 due to the fact that of the knockout, but the mentation and acquisition are inactive there.”Bonfim presently sits conscionable extracurricular the apical 10, portion Muhammad remains ranked No.

5. The 2 losses person stalled Muhammad's momentum, and with Carlos Prates' immense connection triumph implicit Jack Della Maddalena past month, the contention for the No. 1 contender's spot is heating up. Later this year, Islam Makhachev is expected to enactment his rubric connected the enactment against Ian Machado Garry.And astatine 37, portion Muhammad mightiness beryllium warring to enactment applicable successful a younger and faster part featuring the likes of Ian Machado Garry, Michael Morales, Carlos Prates and Shavkat Rakhmonov competing for presumption down champion Islam Makhachev, Bonfim does not privation to beryllium near behind.“I deliberation this combat tin found maine arsenic a morganatic contender who is acceptable to combat for the loop whenever the accidental comes,” said Bonfim.“I judge a triumph puts maine successful the presumption of a contender, idiosyncratic who tin situation for the rubric astatine immoderate moment. If that accidental does not travel immediately, determination are inactive galore top-five fighters disposable for maine to face. Those fights would support maine progressive and let maine to proceed earning portion moving my mode toward the title.”Yet still, Bonfim has made heads turn, and helium would similar to proceed that momentum. Reflecting connected the travel and the commencement helium has made successful the UFC truthful far, for Bonfim it is each astir making his household arrogant and, much importantly, his daughter. It is the consciousness of restitution that drives him.“I judge it would beryllium the effect of a occupation good done. It would beryllium precise satisfying due to the fact that it represents truthful overmuch hard enactment and sacrifice. It would marque my household proud, the radical astir maine proud, and it would mean a batch for my girl arsenic well."For me, it would beryllium impervious that each the work, sweat, and dedication were worthy it. It would beryllium highly rewarding and would bring maine a large consciousness of satisfaction.”Watch UFC Fight Night - Muhammad vs. Bonfim connected June 7th 2026, from 5:30 AM IST unrecorded connected Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) and Sony LIV.