Ismael Bonfim: Lesson Learned

Ismael Bonfim now gets a chance to show his resilient side.

The 27-year-old Cerrado MMA rep will attempt to bounce back from his first defeat in nearly nine years and re-establish a firm foothold as an Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight when he confronts Vinc Pichel in a featured UFC Fight Night 231 attraction on Nov. 4 at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Bonfim finds himself on the rebound after a first-round submission loss to Benoit St. Denis in July snapped his 13-fight winning streak.

“It was a good night for Benoit and a bad one for me,” he told Sherdog.com, “but I learned much from that fight.”

Pichel figures to put those words to the test. A semifinalist on Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series, the 40-year-old Factory X export has been a staple of the UFC roster since 2012. Pichel’s only defeats have come to Mark O. Madsen, Gregor Gillespie and Rustam Khabilov—three men with a combined record of 50-6.

“He is a well-regarded athlete in the UFC,” Bonfim said. “He’s been there for several years. He’s dangerous and can’t be underestimated. He’s in the UFC, and everyone in the organization has their strengths. Against him, I’m bringing MMA. If things aren’t working out on the feet, I’ll take him down. I won’t insist on only boxing. If I find my distance early on, I’ll keep it on the feet and look for a knockout—it’s what I always do—but like I said, if things aren’t working out on the feet, I’ll get him down and submit him.”

Bonfim relishes the opportunity to compete in his home country. The 2022 Dana White’s Contender Series graduate made his promotional debut in Rio de Janeiro in January, as he waylaid Terrance McKinney with a flying knee in the second round of their UFC 283 pairing.

“I certainly prefer fighting at home with every fan supporting me,” Bonfim said. “I feel better and more comfortable, and I do feel an obligation to give my best. Fighting at home is good because I feel a greater sense of responsibility, and when that’s the case, I fight even better.”

While the proverbial sky appears to be the limit for Bonfim at 155 pounds, the loss to St. Denis taught him a valuable lesson: Never look past the next opponent.

“I don’t want to plan too far ahead,” he said. “Last time around, I had many plans but ended up being frustrated. This time around, I’m only focused on the one fight in front of me. I’ll give everything to make sure I’m the winner. Then I can think about what’s next. Right now, above all, I just want to do my work and walk away with a victory.”