Ismael Bonfim Cut by UFC After 2-5 Run and Third Weight Miss

The UFC has removed Ismael Bonfim from its roster after a weekend that went wrong in every way it could. The 30-year-old Brazilian stepped on the scale 7.5 pounds heavy for his UFC Vegas 122 prelim against Francisco Prado at the Meta APEX, then got knocked out in the first round. That's the kind of double failure that rarely survives contact with a promotion's matchmakers.

The KO was Bonfim's fourth straight stoppage loss inside the octagon, dropping his promotional record to 2-5. It's a brutal reversal for a fighter who arrived on a Contender Series deal with an 18-3 mark and a reputation as a finisher. The weight issues compounded the losing: two official misses, plus a fight that was scrapped entirely because of a bad cut.

A Debut That Promised More

Bonfim landed in the UFC with legitimate hype. The "Marreta" nickname, the Contender Series spotlight, a flashy early win — all of it suggested a lightweight with staying power. Instead, the division chewed him up. Going 2-5 against UFC-level opposition isn't a disgrace on its own, but the weight-cut pattern is what seals these decisions. Promotions tolerate losses far more easily than they tolerate fighters who can't make the contracted number.

Bonfim posted a statement on social media Sunday, before news of his release broke, insisting his story doesn't end here. He said there were no excuses and no reason to quit, and that a single result can't erase everything he's built. It read like a man who already sensed the roster move coming.

Around the Rest of the Card

The main event belonged to Brendan Allen, who tapped Christian Leroy Duncan in the fifth round to extend his résumé to 28-7. Allen, the #4-ranked middleweight, now owns 15 career submissions — and this one came against the #10-ranked Duncan (15-3), who absorbed his third professional loss. Referee Marc Goddard also drew attention after explaining his decision to deduct a point from Duncan during the bout.

Bigger picture, the promotion's attention turns to December and UFC 335, where former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira (37-11, 22 submissions) meets featherweight contender Diego Lopes (28-8). Oliveira is coming off a unanimous-decision win over Max Holloway; Lopes rides a second-round knockout of Steve Garcia. For Bonfim, though, the next chapter happens somewhere outside the UFC.