Gabriel Bonfim Bio
Gabriel de Souza Bonfim (born August 20, 1997) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former professional boxer who competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Fighting out of Brasília, Brazil, Bonfim carries the ring name Marretinha and is recognized for a submission-first style built around chokes from top position. As of November 18, 2025, he holds the No. 11 spot in the UFC welterweight rankings, the highest ranking of his professional career.
Bonfim began training in martial arts at a young age in his hometown and built his foundation in both striking and grappling before turning professional. He is part of a large Brazilian family and shares his fighting journey with his brother Ismael Bonfim, who also competes in mixed martial arts. Together they represent one of Brazil’s most promising sibling pairings in the sport.
Early Life and Background
Bonfim was born in Brasília, Brazil, on August 20, 1997, into a family of eleven siblings. He grew up alongside his brother Ismael, who would later follow him into mixed martial arts. Bonfim also has several sisters who helped carry the household during difficult stretches.
His early childhood was marked by financial hardship. His father eventually abandoned the family during a struggle with alcohol, leaving his older brother and one sister to find work in order to put food on the table. The experience pushed Bonfim toward discipline and self-reliance at a young age, qualities that shaped his approach to training and competition.
Path to MMA
Bonfim began his combat sports journey in his native Brasília, training in boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu during his teenage years. He turned professional in 2014, competing in regional Brazilian promotions while still building his skills as a boxer on the side. Between 2014 and 2019, he compiled a 10-0 record in mixed martial arts and a 5-0 record in professional boxing with one knockout, establishing himself as a two-discipline prospect.
That foundation attracted attention from North American promotions, and Bonfim earned an opportunity with Legacy Fighting Alliance, one of the top developmental organizations in the United States. His undefeated run across two combat sports gave him the leverage to negotiate high-profile opportunities on bigger stages.
Gabriel Bonfim Career
Early Career (2014–2019)
During his early career, Bonfim fought exclusively in regional Brazilian promotions while moonlighting as a professional boxer. He compiled an unblemished 10-0 mixed martial arts record, finishing the majority of his opponents, while also posting a 5-0 professional boxing ledger that included one knockout. The dual-discipline path sharpened his striking accuracy and forced him to develop defensive habits that translated directly into his MMA grappling.
By 2019, Bonfim had outgrown the regional scene and was ready to test himself against higher-caliber opposition outside Brazil. His undefeated record in two sports gave promoters a clear reason to bring him onto a larger platform.
Legacy Fighting Alliance (2021–2022)
Bonfim joined Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2021 and was placed into the LFA Welterweight Grand Prix at LFA 112 on July 19, 2021. In the semifinal, he stopped Brenner Alberth with a third-round knockout to advance to the final. He was later removed from the championship matchup against Carlos Leal due to concussion-like symptoms, a setback that delayed his pursuit of LFA gold.
He returned on March 11, 2022, at LFA 126, where he was scheduled to face Quemuel Ottoni for the vacant LFA Welterweight Championship. After Ottoni withdrew and was replaced by Eduardo Garvon, who missed weight at 175.8 pounds and was therefore ineligible for the title, Bonfim still won the bout via an arm-triangle choke in the first round and claimed the championship.
Dana White’s Contender Series (2022)
On September 6, 2022, Bonfim appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series 53, originally scheduled to face Felix Klinkhammer. After Klinkhammer withdrew, he instead fought Trey Waters and won via a Von Flue choke in the opening round. The victory was enough to earn him a UFC contract and a path to the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (2023–Present)
Bonfim made his UFC debut on January 21, 2023, at UFC 283 against Mounir Lazzez, winning by guillotine choke in the first round. He followed that with another first-round guillotine choke submission of Trevin Giles at UFC 291 on July 29, 2023, announcing himself as a finisher inside the promotion. His first setback came on November 4, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 231, when he lost to Nicolas Dalby by technical knockout in round two, a fight that still earned him a Fight of the Night bonus.
On July 13, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 59, Bonfim defeated Ange Loosa by unanimous decision, showing growth in his ability to win rounds rather than hunt finishes. On February 15, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 251, he stepped in on short notice against Khaos Williams after Rinat Fakhretdinov withdrew due to injury, and he submitted Williams with a brabo choke in round two to claim a Performance of the Night award.
On July 12, 2025, at UFC on ESPN 70, Bonfim took a significant step up in competition against Stephen Thompson and won by split decision, with twelve of fourteen media outlets scoring the bout for Thompson. He closed his 2025 campaign on November 8, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 264, where he served as the main event against Randy Brown and won by technical knockout in the second round, earning another Performance of the Night award.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bonfim operates as a pressure fighter with a finishing instinct, ranking among the most dangerous submission threats in the UFC welterweight division. Thirteen of his nineteen career victories have come by submission, with chokes such as the arm-triangle, guillotine, Von Flue, and brabo forming the backbone of his grappling arsenal. He pairs that ground game with patient striking developed during his professional boxing career, allowing him to dictate range and time his entries into clinches and takedowns.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bonfim’s signature milestone came on November 8, 2025, when he headlined UFC Fight Night 264 against Randy Brown, the first main event of his UFC career. He has also earned multiple Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, including awards after the Dalby, Williams, and Brown bouts, and he captured the LFA Welterweight Championship in 2022 before earning a UFC contract later that year.
Gabriel Bonfim Career Wins
Bonfim has compiled a professional mixed martial arts record of 19 wins against a single loss across twenty total bouts. His finishing distribution underscores a clear identity as a grappler who hunts chokes, with thirteen submission wins, two decisions, and one knockout among his victories.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Bonfim has recorded notable wins over Mounir Lazzez, Trevin Giles, Ange Loosa, Khaos Williams, Stephen Thompson, and Randy Brown. His first UFC win came by first-round guillotine choke over Lazzez at UFC 283 in January 2023, while his most recent victory came by second-round technical knockout over Brown in the main event of UFC Fight Night 264 on November 8, 2025. The split decision over former title challenger Stephen Thompson stands as the most significant name on his UFC resume to date.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside the UFC, Bonfim captured the LFA Welterweight Championship by submitting Eduardo Garvon at LFA 126 in March 2022. He also earned a UFC contract with a Von Flue choke victory over Trey Waters on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2022, and he remains undefeated across his earlier professional boxing appearances.
Gabriel Bonfim Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Bonfim grew up in Brasília as one of eleven siblings, a household structure that required older brothers and sisters to step into working roles early. The departure of his father during a battle with alcohol forced the family to reorganize around responsibility and sacrifice.
Personal Life
Bonfim currently resides in Brasília, Brazil, where he trains out of the Bonfim Brothers Academy alongside his brother Ismael. The academy, named for the family, has become the central hub for his preparation and reflects the close family ties that have shaped his career.
2025 Season Performance
Bonfim’s 2025 campaign marked his arrival as a ranked contender in the UFC welterweight division. He opened the year with a short-notice submission win over Khaos Williams at UFC Fight Night 251 in February, earning a Performance of the Night bonus for the brabo choke finish. In July, he took the biggest leap of his career, defeating longtime contender Stephen Thompson by split decision at UFC on ESPN 70.
He closed the year as the main event of UFC Fight Night 264 on November 8, 2025, against Randy Brown, stopping Brown by technical knockout in round two to secure another Performance of the Night award. The victory pushed him into the No. 11 spot in the official UFC welterweight rankings as of November 18, 2025, his highest ranking to date and a clear signal that he is positioned for marquee fights in the division.