UFC Fight Night Recap: Bonfim Shocks Muhammad, New Bouts Set

The Octagon was buzzing this past weekend with UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim delivering a host of exciting finishes and pivotal moments. Meanwhile, the UFC has been busy booking matchups for the coming months, and we've got the latest confirmed bookings and unfortunate cancellations.

UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim Delivers Action

The welterweight main event saw a significant upset as Gabriel Bonfim defeated former title challenger Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision. Bonfim showcased a dominant performance, utilizing his striking and pressure to control the fight and earn a clean sweep on the scorecards. In other main card action, Brendan Allen secured a decision victory over Edmen Shahbazyan in a fight that earned Fight of the Night honors. Iwo Baraniewski and Edgar Chairez both earned Performance of the Night bonuses for their respective finishes.

The preliminary card also featured several notable results. Bryce Mitchell submitted Santiago Luna in their bantamweight contest. Alessandro Costa delivered a knockout blow to Matt Schnell. Edgar Chairez also secured a submission victory over Bruno Silva. Chelsea Chandler submitted Priscila Cachoeira, and Joanderson Brito earned a submission win against Jordan Leavitt. Ketlen Souza finished Ariane Carnelossi with a KO, and Jeisla Chaves took a split decision over Yuneisy Duben.

Upcoming Fights Booked

The UFC has several exciting matchups on the horizon. A lightweight bout between Ludovit Klein and Tofiq Musayev is scheduled for UFC Fight Night 283 in Belgrade on August 1. Also on that card, Dennis Buzukja will face Bogdan Grad, and Mark Vologdin will take on Josias Musasa.

In the women's divisions, Veronica Hardy is set to face Dione Barbosa on July 18. Amanda Ribas will also compete on July 18, taking on Fatima Kline.

The bantamweight division will be on display in Abu Dhabi on July 25, with Umar Nurmagomedov set to face David Martinez in the co-main event, preceding the light heavyweight headliner between Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree Jr.

A featherweight bout between Giga Chikadze and Vinicius Oliveira is scheduled for June 20.

Fight Cancellations

Unfortunately, several bouts have been canceled. The bantamweight fight between Ismail Naurdiev and Marvin Vettori, initially scheduled for June 27, has been called off. Farid Basharat vs. Ethyn Ewing is also off for June 20.

The bout between Marcus McGhee and Jakub Wiklacz, originally scheduled for June 6, was canceled due to an injury to Wiklacz. Additionally, Bryce Mitchell vs. Victor Henry, Imanol Rodriguez vs. Matt Schnell, and Iwo Baraniewski vs. Billy Elekana were all canceled for June 6  Fights involving Zhu Kangjie, Rei Tsuruya, and Muslim Salikhov have also been canceled.

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UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa Delivers Finishes and History

UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa delivered a night of action-packed fights, with several notable finishes and a historic submission victory. The event, held on May 16, 2026, saw a mix of decisive wins and hard-fought battles that will undoubtedly shape the divisions involved.

Allen Dominates Costa in Featherweight Main Event

The featherweight headliner saw Arnold Allen put on a masterful performance against Melquizael Costa, securing a unanimous decision victory. Allen showcased his technical prowess and tactical brilliance, effectively neutralizing Costa's dynamic striking and controlling the fight from start to finish. Despite Costa's impressive six-fight win streak coming into the bout, Allen's experience and composed approach proved too much, halting Costa's momentum and reaffirming Allen's status as a top contender in the division.

Choi's Resurgence and Williams' Explosive KO

In the co-main event, Dooho Choi made a strong statement in his return, defeating Daniel Santos via second-round TKO. Choi landed a crucial uppercut to the body that put Santos down, securing the finish and earning Fight of the Night honors alongside Santos. Elsewhere on the main card, Khaos Williams reminded the welterweight division of his devastating power, knocking out Nikolay Veretennikov in the first round. Williams snapped a two-fight losing streak with this emphatic performance, reestablishing himself as a dangerous threat.

Historic Submission and Dominant Performances

The night also featured a truly unique and historic submission. Alice Ardelean secured the first-ever "capsule lock" victory in UFC history, forcing Polyana Viana to tap out in the second round. Ardelean's innovative technique has etched her name in the UFC record books. Several other fighters delivered dominant performances. Benardo Sopaj submitted Timmy Cuamba in the second round after a strong striking display, while Nicolle Caliari earned her first UFC win by submitting Shauna Bannon in the third round. Cody Brundage also secured a crucial second-round TKO victory over Andre Petroski, snapping his own losing streak.

Other Notable Results

In the light heavyweight division, Ivan Erslan secured a much-needed unanimous decision win over Tuco Tokkos, halting a three-fight slide. Ketlen Vieira and Modestas Bukauskas also emerged victorious, both winning their respective bouts by decision. Luis Gurule rounded out the night's winners with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Daniel Barez, showcasing relentless pressure and grappling control.

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Tallest Fighters to Have Competed in the UFC: When Giants Rule the Octagon

In a sport where leverage, reach, and spatial control can change the entire trajectory of a fight, being the taller athlete is often a massive advantage. While the average UFC heavyweight stands around 6' 3", a select group of absolute titans have pushed the absolute limits of human height inside the Octagon.

From the early, lawless days of "Open Weight" tournaments to the modern, highly technical era, let's look at the tallest fighters to ever step foot inside the UFC.

Stefan Struve: 6'11"

Tim Sylvia: 6'8"

Alexander Volkov: 6'7"

Semmy Schilt: 6'10"

The Undisputed King of Height: Stefan Struve (6' 11")

Standing a jaw-dropping 6' 11", Stefan "The Skyscraper" Struve holds the undisputed record as the tallest fighter in UFC history. Operating with a massive 84-inch reach, the Dutch heavyweight was a constant logistical puzzle for his opponents.

While you might expect a giant to rely purely on heavy hands, Struve was actually a lethal submission specialist, ending some of his biggest fights off his back using his incredibly long legs to lock in tight guards and chokeouts. Over a 24-fight UFC career, he secured 13 victories, famously including a knockout win over future champion Stipe Miocic.

The 6' 10" Club: K-1 Legacies and Early Monsters

Right behind Struve sits a trio of men scaling 6' 10". The most accomplished of this tier is undoubtedly Semmy Schilt, a kickboxing legend who brought his imposing frame to the UFC for a brief two-fight stint in 2001.

Joining him at this height were Gan McGee (who once challenged Tim Sylvia for the title in a battle dubbed "The Battle of the Giants") and Wes Sims, an unforgettable character from the early 2000s heavyweight division known for his fierce rivalries and wild fighting style.

The 6' 8" Giants: Champions and Tournament Pioneers

Standing at 6' 8" is the most successful giant in UFC history: Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia. Unlike many ultra-tall fighters who struggled with the pace of MMA, Sylvia used his 80-inch reach and massive frame to claim the UFC Heavyweight Championship twice, dominating the division in the mid-2000s.

This height class also features some fascinating blasts from the past. In the tournament era, men like Emmanuel Yarborough (who famously weighed in at 770 lbs for an open-weight bout), Paul Varelans, and Rafael Carino used their raw size before weight classes even existed.

The Modern 6' 7" Elite

You don't have to look at history to find massive athletes. The 6' 7" category features elite modern fighters who combine height with incredible athletic capabilities:

• Alexander Volkov: A highly technical kickboxer who uses his 80-inch reach beautifully to keep opponents at the end of his straight punches. He remains a perennial title contender at the very top of the heavyweight division.
• Tallison Teixeira & Kevin Christian: The new blood. Interestingly, Christian competed at Light Heavyweight (205 lbs), making him one of the tallest fighters to ever cut down to a lower weight class.
• Robelis Despaigne: An Olympic bronze medalist in Taekwondo who pairs his 6' 7" height with a staggering 84-inch reach—giving him the same wingspan as Stefan Struve despite being four inches shorter.

Tale of the Tape: The Tallest Ever Side-by-Side

Fighter	Height	Reach	Weight Class	UFC Record
Stefan Struve	6' 11"	84"	Heavyweight	13-11-0
Semmy Schilt	6' 10"	--	Heavyweight	1-1-0
Gan McGee	6' 10"	--	Heavyweight	2-2-0
Wes Sims	6' 10"	--	Heavyweight	0-3-0
Tim Sylvia	6' 8"	80"	Heavyweight	9-4-0
Paul Varelans	6' 8"	--	Open Weight	4-4-0
Emmanuel Yarborough	6' 8"	--	Open Weight	0-1-0
Alexander Volkov	6' 7"	80"	Heavyweight	14-5-0
Robelis Despaigne	6' 7"	84"	Heavyweight	1-2-0
Kevin Christian	6' 7"	80"	Light Heavyweight	0-2-0

The Reach vs. Height Anomaly: Notice that height doesn't always equal arm length. Robelis Despaigne matches the 6' 11" Stefan Struve for the longest reach on this list (84 inches), despite being four inches shorter. That is what we call incredible geometry for a striker.