Gabriel Bonfim widens Belal Muhammad’s skid at UFC Vegas 118, while Brendan Allen earns a statement win

The welterweight and middleweight title picture inched forward Saturday at UFC Vegas 118 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Gabriel Bonfim delivered a decisive, fully earned main-event performance against former champion Belal Muhammad, winning every round on all three judges’ cards. All the numbers landed the same way: a unanimous decision at 50-45, 50-45, 50-45, marking a new turning point for Bonfim as he stepped from prospect territory into the division’s upper tier.

Bonfim’s approach was straightforward but punishing. According to CBS Sports’ live fight coverage, he used pressure to disrupt Muhammad’s usual rhythm, then backed it up with a steady dose of calf kicks, jabs, and sharp countering when the former champion tried to force exchanges. The result was a wrestling-heavy game plan that never fully caught fire, and a striking matchup that tilted heavily toward the younger, sharper welterweight.

For Muhammad, it was another high-profile stumble after entering the fight on a losing streak, and the third consecutive loss reported by Yahoo Sports. For Bonfim, it was also a major milestone in experience level, with Yahoo Sports noting it was his first five-round fight. Even with that step up in distance, he carried a clear advantage over the full duration, and the judges reflected it without variance.

The night did not end with Bonfim accepting the moment. CBS Sports reported that Bonfim addressed the next target in the division during his post-fight remarks, with a direct callout toward Jack Della Maddalena (JDM). similarly described Bonfim issuing a callout for Della Maddalena immediately after the decision, reinforcing that the Brazilian wanted to turn this win into a fast track conversation about who belongs near the title next.

The co-main event delivered its own kind of statement. Brendan Allen took on Edmen Shahbazyan in a 185-pound main-card matchup that went the full distance, and the official scorecards had Allen winning unanimously at 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. While the scoring showed Allen’s control, the context from MMA coverage and the fight itself was that Shahbazyan remained live throughout, making the win feel like a keep-something-important kind of performance rather than a cruise.

Allen also backed up the decision with tangible reward. reported that Allen and Shahbazyan split Fight of the Night bonuses for the co-main, with both earning $100,000. Later, Cagesidepress reported that Allen used his post-fight interview to call for a matchup with middleweight champion Sean Strickland, turning the win into a clear message about where he wants to be in the next stage of the division.

What to watch next is how quickly UFC matches Bonfim into the welterweight conversation. Muhammad’s wrestling-heavy reputation met a night where it never established dominance, and Bonfim’s clean sweep across all five rounds positions him as a credible force among the division’s most active contenders. On the middleweight side, Allen’s decision and Fight of the Night form a bridge between “top prospect” and “consistent threat,” making the champion-versus-contender matchups the most obvious storyline to follow after UFC Vegas 118.