UFC Fight Night November 8, 2025 preview: Bonfim vs Brown — start times, full card, and what to watch

Event at a glance

• Who: UFC Fight Night — Bonfim vs Brown (welterweight main event)
• What: 12-bout UFC Fight Night
• Where: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada
• When: Saturday, Nov 8, 2025
• Start times: Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT / 23:00 EET (Tallinn) • Main card 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT / 02:00 EET (Tallinn, Sun)
• How to watch (U.S.): ESPN+ (prelims and main)

Main event breakdown: Bonfim’s finishing instincts vs Brown’s veteran composure

Gabriel Bonfim arrives as one of the division’s most dangerous early-fight finishers: fast straight punches into snap-down front-headlock threats and a killer guillotine when opponents panic-shoot. Randy Brown is the definition of “experienced spoiler” — long frame, educated jab and calf kick volume, and a knack for building reads through rounds two and three.

Tale of the tape (high level)

• Gabriel Bonfim — Dynamic starter, boxing entries → tight clinch chokes; best when leading and corralling opponents to the fence.
• Randy Brown — Range manager, stick-and-move, sneaky counter right hand; best when he’s first with the jab/low kick and forces resets.

Keys to victory

• Bonfim: Keep combinations straight, draw level changes with body jabs, attack the neck only after breaking posture (don’t fall to guard too early). If Brown pivots out, chase with the left hook to the body.
• Brown: Start with inside-low kicks to arrest Bonfim’s forward bursts, then jab from the hip and slide off the fence. Clinch breaks should exit on angles, not straight back, to avoid counter-hooks into snatch-front-chokes.

What it means: A Bonfim statement win puts him on the cusp of a ranked opponent in early 2026. A Brown win would be another veteran stabilizer for a turbulent welterweight middle tier — and likely earns him a co-main next time out.

Co-main and featured fights: livewire flyweights, striker’s duels, and a middleweight test

• Matt Schnell vs Joseph Morales (Flyweight): Firefight potential. Schnell thrives in scrambles with opportunistic chokes; Morales carries power and counters well after drawing overreaches.
• Muslim Salikhov vs Uroš Medić (Welterweight): A pure striking chess match. Salikhov’s spin threats create feints that open the right hand; Medić is at his best when he’s pressuring behind combinations, not single shots.
• Ismael Bonfim vs Chris Padilla (Lightweight): Ismael’s patient pressure and surgical boxing vs Padilla’s volume. Watch the body work — it sets up the late power shots.
• Christian Leroy Duncan vs Marco Tulio (Middleweight): Duncan’s rhythm-ruining feints and flying knees meet Tulio’s sturdier defensive looks. The clinch knees and elbow entries could decide it.
• Ricky Simón vs Raoni Barcelos (Bantamweight): A technical fan favorite: Simón’s chain wrestling against Barcelos’ aggressive counters and top-notch scramble sense.

Full card (bout order subject to change)

Main card

• Welterweight — Gabriel Bonfim vs Randy Brown
• Flyweight — Matt Schnell vs Joseph Morales
• Welterweight — Muslim Salikhov vs Uroš Medić
• Lightweight — Ismael Bonfim vs Chris Padilla
• Bantamweight — Ricky Simón vs Raoni Barcelos
• Middleweight — Christian Leroy Duncan vs Marco Tulio

Prelims

• Featherweight — Hyder Amil vs Jamall Emmers
• Bantamweight —Ricky Simon vs Raoni Barcelos
• Women’s Bantamweight — Mayra Bueno Silva vs Jacqueline Cavalcanti
• Heavyweight — Josh Hokit vs Max Gimenis
• Women’s Strawweight — Tecia Pennington vs Denise Gomes
• Bantamweight — Daniel Marcos vs Miles Johns
• Middleweight — Jackson McVey vs Zachary Reese

Note: Check broadcasts for any last-minute bout order changes.

Start times & how to watch

• United States (ET): Prelims 4:00 p.m. ET • Main card 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
• Las Vegas local (PT): Prelims 1:00 p.m. PT • Main card 4:00 p.m. PT
• Estonia (EET): Prelims 23:00 (Sat) • Main card 02:00 (Sun)
• Brazil: Check local ESPN/Star+ listings; Bonfim brothers feature prominently.

Odds snapshot (editorial)

Markets generally lean toward finisher vs survivor dynamics in both the main and co-main. Expect narrower lines as live bets react to round-by-round momentum — especially if Brown’s jab blunts Bonfim’s early charge or if Schnell’s pace triggers scramble chaos.

Stylistic storylines the broadcast will emphasize

• Calf kicks shaping range: Low kicks remain the fastest way to slow aggressive boxers (see our in-house explainer), and Brown/Yanez deploy them well.
• APEX cage dynamics: The 25-foot cage historically favors pressure and finishing — watch for corner-trap sequences late in rounds.
• Bonfim brothers showcase: Pairing Gabriel (main) and Ismael (main card) creates a natural narrative spine for producers.
• Flyweight chaos: Schnell/Morales should spike attempts and scramble volume — a perennial “don’t blink” spot at 125.

Analyst’s keys to the night

• Fence craft decides the main: If Bonfim can pin Brown and force straight-line exits, he’ll create guillotine and boxing finish windows. If Brown keeps the center, his jab/low kick game scales over 25 minutes.
• First kicker wins in several bouts: Early calf-kick investment should swing tempo in Simón–Barcelos and Yanez–Quiñónez.
• APEX finishing clip: Expect higher finish potential on a smaller canvas; fighters who win first contact often snowball.

Suggested visuals for the article

• Strike timeline for Bonfim vs Brown (round-by-round significant strikes if updating live).
• Takedown chart for Simón–Barcelos (attempts vs control time).
• Low-kick map (targets landed per fighter in featured bouts).

FAQ: UFC Fight Night November 8, 2025