Welterweights Gabriel Bonfim and Nicolas Dalby threw down in the co-main event of UFC Sao Paulo on Saturday, in a fight that had a quick start and a shocking finish.
Both men were throwing heavy and somewhat wild early, with the opening 30 seconds something of a firefight. That got the crowd right into it, and Bonfim managed to do some damage with a leg kick. Bonfim landed a left; the pair then clinched up, Dalby looking for a takedown only to be reversed.
Another crisp leg kick landed for Bonfim, and Dalby again closed the distance, but couldn’t hold on to his opponent. Instead, they re-grouped at center, Bonfim circling, flashing a front kick that came dangerously close to landing.
When the pair finally did go to the ground, it was Bonfim on top, working from half guard. Dalby fought for wrist control, but Bonfim was able to pass into side control with just shy of two minutes on the clock. They’d battle it out to the end of the round, then head to the second, with Gabriel Bonfim off to an excellent start.
Dalby could be seen walking forward consistently in round two. The pair exchanged elbows and clinched up along the fence in a back-and-forth battle that saw the Danish fighter prove to have an admirable chin. And as the round wore on, it was Dalby taking over, unloading on Bonfim who stood with his back to the fence apparently unsure of exactly what was happening. A desperation takedown from Bonfim was fought off, and suddenly Bonfim was covering up and blindly throwing uppercuts as Nicolas Dalby teed off! Bonfim hit the canvas with just 30 seconds or so left in the round, and a couple of follow-up strikes silenced the Brazilian fans.
A rough night at the office for the Bonfim brothers as Ismael Bonfim didn’t even make it to his fight.
Official Result: Nicolas Dalby def. Gabriel Bonfim by TKO, Round 2, 4:23
