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Although there have already been a handful of impressive efforts by debutants or relative newcomers, there was only one correct answer when it came time to select the breakout performance of January… and it was two efforts.
Brazilian brothers Ismael and Gabriel Bonfim earned contracts on the same episode of Dana White’s Contender Series last fall, and last weekend in Rio, each brother made a statement in his respective promotional debut.
First up, elder brother Ismael Bonfim collected a second-round knockout win over Terrance McKinney. After using the first round to draw out actions and make reads, the 27-year-old lightweight backed up into space and then launched into the air, planting a beautiful switch knee on the jaw of McKinney, sending him plummeting to the canvas.
A few fights later, younger brother Gabriel waltzed into the Octagon and collected an impressive finish of his own.
Paired off with Mounir Lazzez, the unbeaten 25-year-old was a little frenetic and hurried out of the chute, wading into an early exchange with the more experienced Tunisian where he got hit with a couple clean shots. But he also landed a shot or two of his own that got Lazzez’s attention, and when the veteran welterweight rushed forward looking for a takedown, Bonfim quickly wrapped up his neck, rolling through the backwards momentum to land in mount and collect the tap.
It was an outstanding night for the Bonfim Brothers, and it’s going to be interesting to see what these two talented newcomers do for an encore later in the year.