Alan Jouban: Gabriel Bonfim a punishment fight for Belal Muhammad
Alan Jouban thinks Belal Muhammad faces a stern test in Gabriel Bonfim. Former welterweight champion Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) will look to snap a two-fight losing skid when he takes on Bonfim (19-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 278 headliner June 6 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. With Muhammad looking to rebound, Jouban isn't sure a dangerous rising contender is the best option for him right now.
"Look, it's hard for me to look at this fight and not think they're almost punishing Belal Muhammad," Jouban told MMA Junkie. "This is a tough matchup. Gabriel Bonfim, he's a submission expert.
The guy submits just about everyone. He's very dangerous on the ground. If you're looking to take him down constantly, you're putting yourself in harm's way, which is traditionally Belal's path to victory.
Then he shows on the feet he's got that Brazilian muay-Thai type of style, and he showed in his last fight against Randy Brown – he got that early stoppage. A lot of people – I think I was the only analyst that had Bonfim winning – everyone was picking against him, and just felt like it was 'Rude Boy's' time. But he showed he's dangerous everywhere.
He's a very long, rangy guy with a strong skill set, a very high-level skill set at finishing fights. "And you have Belal Muhammad, ever since he won the title and inevitably lost it, has been kind of struggling to find who is as a fighter anymore. There was a point where I personally thought Belal Muhammad was one of the best grapplers we've seen, because what he had done.