Gabriel Bonfim made a major statement in the welterweight division this past Saturday, defeating Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night 278 main event in Las Vegas.
Bonfim swept the scorecards against Muhammad, then used the moment to call out Jack Della Maddalena. The victory also propelled Bonfim up the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, where he took over Muhammad’s previous spot.
The result marked a tough setback for Muhammad, who now sits on three straight losses, a skid that includes losing the title to Della Maddalena in his first attempted defense.
Della Maddalena, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back losses of his own, including a title setback in his first attempted defense against Islam Makhachev, as the latest rankings update highlights significant movement at the top of the division.
