UFC Fight Night: Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim Full Card Picks & Predictions

The UFC returns to home to Las Vegas this weekend for another UFC Fight Night, and MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré is here to provide predictions for all 12 fights on the card.

The main event will see former UFC welterweight titleholder Belal Muhammad attempt to snap a two-fight skid when he takes on Gabriel Bonfim, who stopped Randy Brown in his first UFC headliner last November.

The co-main event is also a massive fight for the middleweight division, as #4-ranked contender Brendan Allen will try to defend his #4 ranking against Edmen Shahbazyan after “The Golden Boy” went 3-0 and scored a pair of first-round knockouts in 2025.

UFC Vegas 118 Main Card Predictions

Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim

Belal Muhammad (red gloves) fights Jack Della Maddalena (blue gloves) during UFC 315 at Bell Centre. | Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

I wouldn’t be shocked to see Muhammad suffer a third-straight loss here, but “Remember the Name” will be able to draw on an impressive gas tank and championship experience the longer things go against Bonfim.

(Pick: Muhammad)

Brendan Allen vs. Edmen Shahbazyan

Brendan Allen (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Reinier De Ridder (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena. | Simon Fearn-Imagn Images

Shahbazyan’s three-fight win streak has helped rebuild some of the hype he had when he first joined the UFC, but this is a massive step up against the promotion’s #4-ranked middleweight contender in Allen.

(Pick: Allen)

Fares Ziam vs. Tom Nolan

Fares Ziam (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Nazim Sadykhov (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Both of these lightweights come into UFC Vegas 118 on strong win streaks, and hopefully Ziam will get the chance to face someone above him in the rankings if he can get things done again Nolan.

(Pick: Ziam)

Bryce Mitchell vs. Santiago Luna

Bryce Mitchell (red gloves) fights Kron Gracie (blues gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

As good as Luna has looked through his two UFC outings, Mitchell’s original booking against Victor Henry looked like it could have presented significantly more problems for him. Luna does have the chance to score the biggest win of his career, but “Thug Nasty” has shared the Octagon with a much higher level of competition.

(Pick: Mitchell)

Iwo Baraniewski vs. Junior Tafa

Iwo Baraniewski (red gloves) reacts after defeating Austen Lane (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. | Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

Tafa obviously has the power necessary to score the upset here if Baraniewski gets careless on the feet, and this matchup may present a good chance for “Rudy” to show off his ability to bring fights to the mat.

(Pick: Baraniewski)

UFC Vegas 118 Preliminary Card

Matt Schnell vs. Alessandro Costa

Alessandro Costa (red gloves) fights Alden Coria (blue gloves) during Noche UFC at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Schnell’s recent stretch of results leaves him in serious danger of being cut if he suffers another loss here, and the UFC hasn’t really done him any favors with this matchup against Costa.

(Pick: Costa)

Marcus McGhee vs. John Yannis

Jonathan Martinez (red gloves) fights Marcus Mcghee (blue gloves) in the bantamweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

McGhee’s original matchup with Jakub Wiklacz was quite a bit more interesting than this one, but credit to Yannis for stepping up to try and secure his second win in less than two months.

(Pick: McGhee)

Bruno Silva vs. Edgar Chairez

Bruno Silva (red gloves) fights Hyunsung Park (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena. | Simon Fearn-Imagn Images

This underrated flyweight matchup has all the makings of a potential “Fight of the Night” at UFC Vegas 118. Silva was one scorecard away from defeating Charles Johnson in a fight where he was at a significant height and reach disadvantage his last time out, and I think he’ll be able to overcome the size difference against Chairez in Las Vegas.

(Pick: Silva)

Chelsea Chandler vs. Priscila Cachoeira

Miranda Maverick (red gloves) fights Priscila Capoeira (blue gloves) during UFC 291 at Delta Center. | Jeff Swinger-Imagn Images

The loser of this matchup will almost certainly see their time with the UFC come to an end, and I think Cachoeira’s toughness should allow her to grit out a decision.

(Pick: Cachoeira)

Jordan Leavitt vs. Joanderson Brito

Jack Shore (red gloves) fights Joanderson Brito (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

This fight could produce some very fun scrambles if Leavitt is able to bring things to the ground, but Brito is rightfully favored to pick up his second win of the year here.

(Pick: Brito)

Jeisla Chaves vs. Yuneisy Duben

This matchup between Dana White’s Contender Series contract winners comes more than a year after Duben was knocked out in her promotional debut. Chaves didn’t exactly face stellar competition before defeating Sofia Montenegro to book her ticket to the UFC, but the Brazilian should be able to handle Duben and start her UFC career off with a win.

(Pick: Chaves)

Ketlez Souza vs. Ariane Carnelossi

Yazmin Jauregui (red gloves) fights Ketlen Souza (blue gloves) during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at The Sphere. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Carnelossi returned from a significant layoff last November and was submitted by Talita Alencar, and unfortunately this looks to be another difficult matchup against her countrywoman Souza.

(Pick: Souza)

Be sure to check back with MMA KO later today for live results and highlights from all the action at UFC Vegas 118.

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