Bonfim’s Brutal Knee KO Stuns Division

  • November 9, 2025

  • Brett OkamotoNov 8, 2025, 09:52 PM ET

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      Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

The 170-pound class in the Ultimate Fighting Championship will be front and center in the coming weeks, and Gabriel Bonfim has emerged as the initial beneficiary.

Bonfim (19-1) defeated Randy Brown (20-7) via knockout with a knee delivered while standing at 1:40 of the second round in the featured contest at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. Brown, 35, initially argued against the referee’s decision to stop the fight, but video replays clearly showed that he was seriously injured by the knee that Bonfim landed squarely.

Bonfim, 28, has now won five straight bouts after the knockout victory. Following the fight, he challenged former interim titleholder Colby Covington to a match.

“Colby, there’s no need to avoid the fight,” Bonfim, who is originally from Brazil, stated through a translator. “Give me the chance, and I’ll see you out of the arena. Without a doubt, I’m going to end your career.”

Bonfim’s victory came as a result of the knee while standing, but it was the calf kick that set the tone for the fight. Throughout the match, Bonfim connected with a total of 35 strikes, with 23 of those aimed at Brown’s leg, as reported by UFC Stats. Bonfim’s strategy of targeting the leg in the first round paved the way for opportunities to attack higher in the second round.

Brown, whose record stood at four wins in his last five matches heading into this fight, demonstrated resilience and a willingness to exchange blows, but the knee in the second round resulted in him collapsing to the ground. While Brown seemed to recover swiftly after the fight was halted, it appeared that he was momentarily rendered unconscious by the impact of the knee strike.

This was the first time Brown has been knocked out in a fight since 2020.

Bonfim is aiming to enter the UFC’s top 10 rankings for the first time in his career. He was positioned at No. 14 leading up to Saturday’s event. Covington, his target, is currently ranked No. 10; however, his last fight was in December, and his most recent victory was against Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.

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