UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady said that he is open to fighting Gabriel Bonfim in his next fight inside the Octagon.
Bonfim had an incredible performance at UFC Vegas 118 when he defeated former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision in the main event with three 50-45 scorecards. Just beating a former UFC champion like Muhammad is impressive in its own right, but the fact that Bonfim shut Muhammad out on the scorecards makes the victory even sweeter.
After beating Muhammad, Bonfim said he wants to fight another former UFC welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena, next. While that fight is certainly possible, a fight with Brady seems more likely, since he is coming off a one-sided beatdown win over Joaquin Buckley in his last fight, while Della Maddalena has lost two straight bouts.
Sean Brady Interested in Fighting Gabriel Bonfim
Speaking on the Paramount+ post-fight show following UFC Vegas 118, Brady was asked for his thoughts on Bonfim’s performance and whether he is interested in fighting him next.
According to Brady, he was already studying Bonfim before he got booked against Buckley, so with that in mind, don’t be surprised if Brady ends up being Bonfim’s next opponent inside the Octagon.
“Yeah, it’s funny, I was actually thinking before I got the Buckley fight that Bonfim was somebody I would get matched up with, so I’ve already been studying him. I kind of knew that eventually we could run into each other. I don’t know if he’s going to be my next fight, but if he’s ranked ahead of me on Tuesday, that’s a fight I would definitely take. That’s what I’m kind of looking for, anybody in the top five, that’s what I’m hoping for. So if he has a number next to his name, it’s definitely somebody I’m very interested in,” Brady said.
“He’s a tough matchup, he’s a big guy for 170 lbs, good submissions, good on his feet. But I think I’m the best in the world, and I have to go prove it and beat guys like Gabriel Bonfim.”
What Will The UFC Matchmakers Do?
Bonfim was ranked at No. 11 heading into UFC Vegas 118, but after taking out the No. 5-ranked Muhammad, he should burst into the top five and get one step closer to a title shot at 170 lbs.
Ranked at No. 6 is Brady, so a fight between him and Bonfim makes a whole lot of sense based on the rankings and based on the fact that Bonfim is on a win streak and Brady is coming off a dominant victory over Buckley in his last fight.
The UFC may have different plans, and they may give Bonfim what he wants, which is a matchup against Della Maddalena. But with the former champ having lost two straight fights and coming off a brutal TKO loss to Carlos Prates in his last outing, it would make much more sense if the UFC matchmakers gave Bonfim a fight against Brady, given how good he looked against Buckley at UFC 328.
Sean Brady Open to Fighting Gabriel Bonfim Next