Athletes
Bonfim Brothers Spotlight | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Rodrigues
Gabriel And Ismael Bonfim Look To Continue Their Success Inside The Octagon
On Dana White’s Contender Series Season 6, Brazilian brothers Gabriel and Ismael Bonfim both made their mark on the Week 7 card, earning coveted UFC contracts after impressive performances that caught everyone’s attention.
That night, Gabriel secured a first-round submission win, making a clear statement that he was ready to test his talents against the world’s best. Despite going to a decision, Ismael proved he had what it takes to fight at an elite level for 15 minutes, which also earned him a contract from UFC CEO Dana White.
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“A thousand things went through my head,” Ismael said on earning a UFC contract. “I had been through so much to get to that point, and I couldn’t help but think about all the obstacles that I had to overcome to get there.”
“The emotions were huge, because there was a chance to enter the UFC if you rise to the occasion, so I felt a little pressure there,” Gabriel added.
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Since their UFC debuts in 2022, both athletes have proven they belong on MMA's biggest stage. Gabriel came out of the gate strong, winning his first two fights via first-round submission over Mounir Lazzez and Trevin Giles, pushing his career total to 12 submission victories as a pro.
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Gabriel suffered his first career setback in November of 2023, when he was stopped by Nicolas Dalby via strikes in the second round. The 27-year-old welterweight rebounded well in his most recent outing against Ange Loosa, where he doubled his opponent’s significant strike total through 15 minutes to collect a unanimous decision win.
“You own it and take the opportunity as a learning experience,” Gabriel said on his first professional defeat. “To go out there, work more, come back, do it differently, and get a different result. So, whatever happens, just take it, own it, and take it as a learning experience to move forward.”
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Ismael’s UFC run has played out quite similarly. With a 2-1 record in the promotion so far, his UFC debut was a standout moment, as he scored a first-round knockout over Terrance McKinney at UFC 283.
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Like his brother, Ismael would soon face his first setback in the UFC when he took on Benoît Saint Denis. Despite the loss, Ismael gained valuable experience against someone in the Top 15.
"I always try to learn when I make a mistake,” Ismael said prior to his fight with Vinc Pichel. “I made a lot of mistakes. We've made some decisions so we can perform well.”
And improve he did. Ismael came out firing in his latest fight, outstriking Pichel nearly two-to-one and earning an impressive unanimous decision victory.
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They now travel to the UFC APEX together once again to fight on the same card at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Rodrigues. Gabriel will get the brothers’ action started on the prelims when he challenges Khaos Williams, who collected his second straight win last May when he knocked out Carlson Harris in 90 seconds. A win for Gabriel would extend his UFC record to 4-1, with a shot at a Top 15 opponent soon on the horizon.
Ismael will follow on the main card against Nazim Sadykhov. The Azerbaijani lightweight is unbeaten inside the Octagon with two wins and a draw in 2023. If Ismael can put on another impressive performance, he could soon be looking at a chance to retest his skills against the UFC’s talent-rich lightweight Top 15.
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Rodrigues took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!