The UFC has pulled off some big signings in recent times but there are a few who got away.
This weekend’s UFC Paris event features several notable Octagon debuts for fighters that have made a name for themselves in Europe.
There was even another one of these added onto the card during fight week, with a Cage Warriors champion replacing Fares Ziam.
However, one of the promotion’s previous trips to the French capital would’ve featured a debut that had the potential to bring a lot of eyes to the event.
Things didn’t go to plan, resulting in one of the biggest missed opportunities that the promotion has suffered in some time.
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Cedric Doumbe was set to make his UFC debut in Paris in 2022
On this day in 2022, the UFC hosted an event in Paris, France that featured French stars like Ciryl Gane and Nassourdine Imavov.
The event didn’t lack highlights and the crowd, as always, was stunning from start to finish, even with one of the biggest attractions that was set for the event falling through.
Gane might be the most successful French fighter in the UFC but there’s a strong argument to be made that Cedric Doumbe is the biggest MMA star from this part of the world.
The former elite kickboxer was booked to make his debut at this event until the French MMA Federation wouldn’t sanction the bout due to the gap in experience between him and his opponent.
Doumbe later revealed that an MRI scan had also complicated matters, with the promotion subsequently deciding to release him from his contract.
The French star went on to sign for the PFL the following year where he has become one of the faces of the promotion after receiving a substantially better offer than the one that the UFC had sent over.
In an interview on The MMA Hour shortly after his stunning PFL debut in Paris that ended in just nine seconds, he gave his thoughts on not fighting for the UFC.
“I didn’t think about [the UFC],” Doumbé said. “They did what they did, they f—– up. Now I’m part of the PFL. For me, the PFL is the future… They’re doing their thing, I’m doing my thing, I think I’m the best, they lost something, now PFL earned something… Of course, for sure they regret [not signing me].”
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Cedric Doumbe hasn’t fought since he bounced back from a disappointing loss
While Cedric Doumbe is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars on the PFL roster, it has been well over a year since we last saw him in action.
The French star competed twice in 2024, bouncing back from a frustrating defeat in March by producing another impressive knockout in May.
It remains to be seen where the French star will go from here, but he has proven himself to be must-watch every single time that he makes the walk.
While the UFC’s events in France have a great reputation for being entertaining events, fans can only speculate what adding Doumbe into this mix would have meant.