Gabriel Bonfim Promises Fireworks vs. Randy Brown in UFC Vegas 111 Headliner

Fresh off a controversial split decision over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Gabriel “Marretinha” Bonfim is back and he’s calling his shot. The Brazilian welterweight headlines UFC Vegas 111 against seasoned veteran Randy Brown, a matchup originally slated for UFC Rio before Brown withdrew with injury and the bout was elevated to this weekend’s main event at the APEX.

“Second-Round Finish”: Bonfim’s Bold Claim

“I believe I’ll stop him in the second round… either knock him out or submit him but I believe I’ll knock him out,” Bonfim told MMA Fighting. “We really perfected [my striking] in this camp.”

Bonfim says the Wonderboy game plan was necessarily cautious; this time, he wants chaos: trading in the pocket, mixing levels, and showing more of his arsenal.

Respect for the Resume, Confidence in the Matchup

Brown enters with 20 UFC appearances (14 wins) and only two KO losses (Niko Price, Vicente Luque). Still, Bonfim views the style as favorable:

• On Brown: “Lanky, fights long, straight shots and a lot of jab… more passive, likes to control.”

• On the reads: “It’s a very good fight for me… at any moment I can put him on his back and submit him.”

Keys to the Fight

Bonfim

• Pressure + combos: Step inside the jab, force phone-booth exchanges.

• Level changes: Surprise doubles and body-lock trips to test Brown’s scrambles.

• Shot selection: Body work to sap the length-based movement.

Brown

• First contact wins: Establish jab/feints early to own the center.

• Frame-and-fire: Punish entries with elbows/knees; keep Bonfim off the hips.

• Veteran pacing: Make Bonfim work past Round 2 where space and reads open up.

Stakes & What’s Next

Bonfim believes a statement win can catapult him toward the top 10 in 2026, especially if he’s ready to volunteer as a December replacement while the division’s elite stay booked. He floated names like Kamaru Usman, Joaquin Buckley, and Colby Covington as potential next steps, pending availability.

“I want to put on a show for the fans… trade a lot, take him down, get back up and trade… I believe he doesn’t have much to offer in this fight.”

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Robert LaMar is a writer  for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26