The UFC has formalized the date and location of the first event in its history in France, September 3 at the Accor Arena in Paris. With now a question in the minds of the fans of the largest organization in the world of MMA: what card is on the program for this historic evening? If it is still far from being finalized, it promises to be explosive and superb.
This time, for sure, we’re there! Two years after the legalization of MMA in France, and almost thirty after its creation, the UFC will organize its first event in France, on September 3 at the Accor Arena (ex-Bercy) in Paris. Now with a big question for the many fans of the biggest organization in the world of MMA who will be able to buy their tickets for the event on June 24: who is on the program for this premiere? If it is not yet confirmed, the main event (main fight) is almost beyond doubt. It will oppose our national Ciryl Gane to the Australian Tai Tuivasa. Sherdog, reference site for fighters and events sheets, even announces it already.
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Beaten by Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight belt in January, a level never reached by a tricolor representative before him, the « Good Kid » with an express trajectory – his first pro fight in MMA dates from the summer of 2018 – is no longer rode in the octagon since. He will have to offer himself a victory to stay in the race for the title in a category where there will be no shortage of big fights in the months to come between the Tom Aspinall-Curtis Blaydes of July 23 in London and a clash on the horizon (may -be in September too) between former champion Stipe Miocic and former light-heavyweight king Jon Jones with no doubt an interim championship belt on the line in the absence of a Ngannou who is recovering from an operation in the knee.
Advantage? Tuivasa, third in the heavyweight rankings and who remains on five wins in a row by knockout, the last against the American Derrick Lewis, is undoubtedly the most favorable « matchup » for Gane (ranked first) among the fighters at the top of its division. If he will have to be wary of the Australian’s strike force, the Frenchman has the weapons to overcome the obstacle and end the evening by sending the public home with a big smile.
Before his performance, fans at the Accor Arena will be treated to another tricolor star in the person of Manon Fiorot. Sixth in the flyweight rankings after four wins in as many UFC bouts, ‘The Beast’ will pass her biggest test yet when she faces No. 1 American Katlyn Chookagian. A fight also not yet formalized but the thing will not be long in coming: the Niçoise has already accepted this challenge proposed by the UFC and RMC Sport is able to confirm that the American is also ready and that the contract will be signed in the next few days. time. The stakes will be enormous. With a win, Fiorot will be a legitimate title challenger to Valentina Shevchenko and one step closer to her « dream and achievable goal » of taking the UFC crown, something no one in France has done yet.
The third big fight of the evening of September 3 could for its part take place without a French presence. But we wouldn’t lose out. First in the middleweight category behind champion Israel Adesanya, who beat him in their last fight (but also in 2019), Australian Robert Whittaker took to social media to challenge Italian Marvin Vettori, number 3 in the ranking and another former « victim » of Adesanya, for a fight in Paris. The answer was quick and seemed to support the idea of this clash for September 3: « As I can’t find an opponent sooner, I guess I’ll fight Whittaker in Paris ».
If all this is confirmed, the prospect of seeing Gane-Tuivasa, Fiorot-Chookagian and Whittaker-Vettori in France is already more than enough to be worth the trip. And it won’t be just that. Quoted by the UFC in the press release formalizing the event, the French Nassourdine Imavov and Benoit Saint-Denis should also be in the game. The former, number 10 in the rankings and who has three wins in four UFC fights, deserves a spot on the main card. It remains to be seen against whom. The American Kelvin Gastelum, ranked number 9, who he should have faced at UFC 273 in April before seeing the fight canceled due to a passport problem not renewed in time for Imavov and which did not of combat planned on the horizon, could be a good solution.
The second, beaten by decision by Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in October for his UFC debut in a fight that the referee could have (and even had to) stop before, will no doubt also have time to be ready following his next outing in the octagon scheduled for June 4 in Las Vegas against Niklas Stolze. The rest? We can’t wait to see what the UFC has in store for us. We think of Taylor Lapilus, champion of the roosters of the French organization ARES, who deserves to return to the organization after being fired in 2016 despite a 3-1 record, or even his brother Damien. The spectacular Abdoul Abdouraguimov and his very high level soil, also champion at ARES in the welterweight category, also seems an excellent candidate.
Fernand Lopez, boss of the Parisian MMA Factory and co-founder of ARES, has also announced via his show on the La Sueur site that the winner of the clash between Abdouraguimov and Karl Amoussou on June 25 during the ARES 7 evening « will be definitely at the UFC in Paris in September. » We do not forget the showman Cédric Doumbé, former champion of GLORY (kickboxing) passed to MMA, who hinted that he would also be on this card. And it’s not just the French. Quebecer (and therefore French-speaking) Charles Jourdain, fighter in the featherweight category who remains on two victories, has already made his request on social networks: « Your little cousin wants to come see you ». No doubt there will be other surprises between now and September 3. This time, for sure, we are there. And it’s going to be insane.
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