Brazilian MMA fighter Ismael Bonfim, who was defeated by Azerbaijan's Nazim Sadykhov last year, is no longer part of the UFC roster.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the 30-year-old suffered a first-round technical knockout defeat to Argentina's Francisco Prado just days ago. Bonfim also missed weight by more than three kilograms ahead of the fight.
Weight management problems had become a recurring issue throughout the Brazilian's UFC career. He failed to make weight on two occasions, while another scheduled bout was canceled due to difficulties with his weight cut.
Notably, Nazim Sadykhov's victory over Bonfim at UFC Fight Night 251 in Las Vegas last year was regarded as one of the most memorable moments of the Azerbaijani fighter's career.
Bonfim made his UFC debut in January 2023, knocking out Terrance McKinney in the second round. However, his fortunes subsequently declined, as he suffered stoppage defeats in five of his next six fights.
His latest setback against Prado ultimately marked the end of his UFC career.
Interestingly, Bonfim's journey into the world's leading MMA promotion began with a victory over another Azerbaijani fighter, Nariman Abbasov.
The two faced each other on September 6, 2022, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas during the seventh episode of the sixth season of Dana White's Contender Series.
Bonfim secured a unanimous decision victory, with the judges scoring the contest 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28, earning himself a UFC contract.
This creates an unusual Azerbaijani connection in the Brazilian's UFC story. Bonfim entered the promotion after defeating Abbasov, but one of the defining setbacks of his final years in the organization came against another Azerbaijani representative, Nazim Sadykhov.
