Bonfim weathers Muhammad for unanimous decision in UFC Vegas 118 main event

Belal Muhammad came in seeking to end a recent skid, but Gabriel Bonfim’s steady work carried the welterweight fight to a unanimous decision inside the Meta APEX. Several other bouts on the card ended with decisive outcomes, including a late submission win and a first-round TKO.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

UFC Fight Night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 6, delivered a welterweight headliner that leaned on control rather than chaos. Gabriel Bonfim defeated former champion Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 50-45. Muhammad had been positioned as the marquee veteran coming off a tough stretch, and Yahoo Sports reported he was aiming to stop a two-fight skid entering the card.

On the main card, Brendan Allen remained in the middleweight title conversation with a unanimous decision over Edmen Shahbazyan. Allen won on two identical 30-27 cards and a third card of 29-28. The fight stayed at a measured pace for much of its run, with Allen’s ability to find consistent openings on the feet and transitions across rounds doing the heavy lifting.

In the lightweight slot, Tom Nolan earned a unanimous decision over Fares Ziam. MMA Mania’s quick results listed Nolan as the winner by unanimous decision, and CBS Sports also recorded the bout as a three-round unanimous verdict. The outcome meant Nolan continued to build a record defined more by composure over prolonged exchanges than by finish streaks.

Santiago Luna’s night ended by submission when Bryce Mitchell found an arm-triangle choke late in Round 3 at 4:52. Luna and Mitchell exchanged tightly as the bantamweight fight approached its final moments, but Mitchell’s finish gave him the kind of statement win UFC matchmakers often look for from a veteran with a clear finishing path.

One of the faster turnarounds came in the light heavyweight matchup between Iwo Baraniewski and Junior Tafa. Baraniewski won via TKO at 1:25 of Round 1, with CBS Sports listing the finish as occurring in the first round and MMA Mania describing it as the result of leg kicks and ground-and-pound pressure. The short timetable ensured the fight created momentum immediately, leaving little doubt about the winner once it began to tilt.

The prelims produced their share of stoppages. Matt Schnell picked up a KO/TKO win over Alessandro Costa, and CBS Sports credited Schnell with the victory by KO/TKO in Round 1. Marcuse McGhee also won by unanimous decision over John Yannis, while Bruno Silva forced Edgar Chairez to tap via submission in the first round.

Other preliminary finishes included Priscila Cachoeira submitting Chelsea Chandler by submission in Round 1 (3:42), as well as Joanderson Brito earning a submission win over Jordan Leavitt in Round 1 (4:19). On the women’s side, Jeisla Chaves won a unanimous decision over Yuneisy Duben, and Ariane Carnelossi ended Ketlen Souza’s night with a first-round KO/TKO at 1:34.

Why It Matters

Bonfim’s dominant decision sets up his next step as a welterweight contender after a shutout over a former champion.
The card also reinforced the middleweight pecking order, with Allen again separating himself through a clean, unanimous performance.
A third-round submission finish from Mitchell added to his value as a reliable end-the-fight profile in the bantamweight division.
Early-round stoppages across multiple bouts underscored that the Meta APEX crowd did not have to wait long for impactful moments.
Muhammad’s loss is a reminder that even elite pressure fighters can be outworked over championship distance when opponents tighten their game.

Sources

Key Facts

Gabriel Bonfim defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) in the welterweight main event.
Brendan Allen beat Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in the middleweight co-main event.
Bryce Mitchell submitted Santiago Luna with an arm-triangle choke at 4:52 of Round 3.
Iwo Baraniewski stopped Junior Tafa with a TKO in Round 1 at 1:25.
Priscila Cachoeira defeated Chelsea Chandler via submission in Round 1 at 3:42.
Ariane Carnelossi finished Ketlen Souza with a KO/TKO in Round 1 at 1:34.