UFC Paris fight week has arrived as a new top contender for middleweight gold could be decided at the Accor Arena.
Every September, the octagon makes its way to the French capital for one of the biggest events on the European MMA calendar. This time around, adopted hometown star Nassourdine Imavov puts his number two ranking on the line against number seven Caio Borralho.
While the likes of Joe Rogan and Luke Rockhold have named Reinier De Ridder as the man who might dethrone Khamzat Chimaev, it’s likely the winner of this fight gets the next shot. They have both made pushes for the title already, and are seen as just a fight away from title contention.
On the undercard, a host of major European names return to action, including a co-main event featuring Benoit Saint-Denis vs Mauricio Ruffy at lightweight. The one man to beat light-heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev, Paul Craig, is also in action against Modestas Bukauskas.
Another interesting matchup sees legendary former two-weight Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull return against the surging Losene Keita. It’s a fascinating featherweight clash as OKTAGON champion Keita comes down to 145lb in an effort to almost immediately land himself in the top 15.
We’ve got all the action throughout fight week for you right here on the Bloody Elbow UFC Paris live blog.
Nassourdine Imavov beats Caio Borralho by UD
50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 are the scores across the board as the Frenchman wins despite an injured right foot.
[Link]Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – Round 5
Borralho heeds his corner’s warnings and immediately starts sitting down on his punches. Imavov strikes back but he’s showing respect to his rival’s power now. They keep going and we go the five round distance.
[Link]Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – Round 4
The pair are going blow for blow here, Imavov is certainly landing bigger but Borralho isn’t allowing him to take control either. Low blow from Imavov, Borralho considers taking a break twice and opts against it. Strange moment. Imavov stays landing big combinations, but that finish doesn’t look likely. Borralho’s corner are insisting on a finish.
[Link]Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – Round 3
Much more open of a fight now, Imavov lands big and wobbles Borralho, who returns with a low blow that causes a temporary stoppage. Not to worry, the Brazilian lands and is poked in the eye for his troubles. All’s fair in love and war. Solid end to the round for Borralho.
[Link]Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – Round 2
Just seven significant strikes from Borralho in the round, Imavov waits almost four minutes before unleashing his bigger shots. Stalemate still, slightly favoring Imavov.
[Link]Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – Round 1
Relatively tame from both men in the first, not pushing the pace too much.
[Link]Main event time
We are ready to go at the Accor Arena. This crowd are so loud, even after the co-main event excitement and ELEVEN stoppages.
[Link]Tonight has tied the record for most finishes ever at a UFC event
11 stoppages. Unbelievable. First time since 2014 when Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping fought for the first time. Two submissions and nine KOs.
[Link]Benoit Saint-Denis taps out Mauricio Ruffy in Round 2
Wow! Dominance from the French star in front of a raucous home crowd. The Fighting Nerds have yet another loss in the UFC!
[Link]Paul Craig retires from the UFC
After a fantastic career that blazed a trail for British stars and saw him score the only win ever over Magomed Ankalaev, Paul Craig has hung up his gloves.
[Link]Modestas Bukauskas defeats Paul Craig by Elbow KO in Round 1
Right on the buzzer, Paul Craig is finished. Oh now the gloves are off and down, is Craig about to retire?
[Link]Mason Jones defeats Bolaji Oki by TKO in Round 3
Hellacious elbows from the top bring us to the end of the night!
[Link]Mason Jones vs Bolaji Oki up next
Former Cage Warriors champ Jones returns after battering Jeremy Stephens last time out.
[Link]Axel Sola stops Rhys McKee by TKO in Round 3
Drops McKee with a body shot, but was that an early stoppage from Herb Dean? Seems the Irishman was clearly going for the leg.
[Link]Time for Axel Sola vs Rhys McKee
Welterweight clash where the Irishman has a four inch reach advantage.
[Link]William Gomis defeats Robert Ruchała by Unanimous Decision
Impressive showing from the Frenchman, but our finish streak comes to an end!
[Link]Brief pause in the action
In the third round Gomis lands a gruesome eye poke. Ruchala needs a brief break. Doctor comes in and clears him to continue.
[Link]Oumar Sy KOs Brendson Ribeiro in Round one
Another prelim, another knockout win! We’ve only been out of the first twice, every other finish was in the first. Sy is no different here as he takes Ribeiro’s back and pummels him to a stoppage.
[Link]Oumar Sy vs Brendson Ribeiro up next
Finally a Frenchman on this card! Massive fight to close out our prelims!
[Link]Ante Delija viciously knocks out Marcin Tybura
Wow! What a vicious end to that fight! At the age of 35 he wins his UFC debut! Phenomenal.
[Link]Ante Delija makes his UFC debut next against Marcin Tybura
The revenge mission on team Tom Aspinall for Tybura continues!
[Link]Kaue Fernandes leg kick KOs Harry Hardwick
So gruesome. Walk off leg kick KO for the Brazilian. The Cage Warriors champ leaves in a wheelchair.
[Link]Harry Hardwick saves the day next
Cage Warriors champ Hardwick takes on Kaue Fernandes in a short-notice clash now.
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ANOTHER FIRST ROUND STOPPAGE FOR SAM PATTERSON
Right hook at the end, Waters refuses to drop but that was brutal. The Brit wins.
[Link]Sam Patterson vs Trey Waters next
Three first round wins on the bounce for the Brit after a disaster debut. Let’s see how he does with this step up.
[Link]Robert Bryczek KOs Brad Tavares in Round 3
Right at the death, the ‘Legendary Polish Power’ is put on display and Tavares is finally felled. Tough fight for Bryczek, big win.
[Link]Brad Tavares survives a hellacious round of beating from Bryczek
That was vicious, but somehow the American made it through and landed a big takedown to close out the round.
[Link]Rinat Fakhretdinov knocks out Andreas Gustafsson within a minute!
WOW! What a start to these prelims, two stoppages from two. Gustafsson finished for the first time in his career!
[Link]Sam Hughes submits Shauna Bannon in Round 2
Impressive grappling from the American who gets Bannon down and takes complete control in both rounds, before sinking in the rear naked choke halfway through the second and scoring her first finish in five years as a UFC fighter!
[Link]‘The Fighting Nerds’ Caio Borralho and Mauricio Ruffy can improve to a perfect 12-0 with main event wins at UFC Paris
Carlos Prates had heated altercation with Nassourdine Imavov’s manager at UFC Paris weigh-ins
Luckily, Fighting Nerds’ head coach Pablo Sucupira stepped in to deescalate the situation.
Prates is teammates with Caio Borralho, who fights Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Paris.
Losene Keita misses weight badly – Patricio Pitbull fight in jeopardy
He has two hours to lose 3lb.
UFC Paris star can surpass Michael Bisping with 17th middleweight win this weekend
Veteran Brad Tavares meets Robert Bryczek in his UFC return.
Get to know the UFC’s new star signing
Former KSW champion Robert Ruchala is among the debuting names at UFC Paris, and this is what you need to know about him…
One UFC Paris star debuted in style…
Rinat Fakhretdinov returns this Saturday, looking to recreate the kind of damage he dealt in his Octagon arrival against Andreas Michailidis three years ago.
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Check out the highlights from Media Day
Catch all the best quotes from the UFC Paris headliners!
When Nassourdine Imavov stunned Joe Rogan with gruesome UFC finish
Saturday’s UFC Paris headliner announced himself as one to watch inside the Octagon when he pulverized Edmen Shahbazyan with elbows at Madison Square Garden in 2021.
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Nassourdine Imavov’s UFC Paris fight week ‘word association’
Speaking to TNT Sports, the home favorite branded one UFC middleweight rival a “failure” alongside other descriptions for the likes of Alex Pereira, Dana White, and Joe Rogan.
The UFC’s first event in Paris featured a memorable debut
The Octagon has traveled to Paris just three times to date but the city is not short on memorable highlights, including this brutal (and quick) arrival from 2022.
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Stepping in on fight week for his UFC debut
Cage Warriors featherweight champion Harry Hardwick (13-3-1) will face Kaue Fernandes on Saturday after Fares Ziam withdrew. ‘Houdini’ is unbeaten since 2020.
Shauna Bannon looks for her third UFC win in Paris
The Irish UFC strawweight recently caught up with Bloody Elbow to preview her matchup with Sam Hughes.
Harry Hardwick speaks on late addition
“Right, off on a little adventure… Yeah, bit of an organisational headache the last 12 hours has been but yea, f—— yeah, it’s gonna be good,” Hardwick wrote on his Instagram page.
[Link]Welcome to the Bloody Elbow live blog for UFC Paris
Good afternoon and welcome to our fight week live blog for UFC Paris. We’re going to be keeping you up to date
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