UFC Paris ‘Imavov vs. Borralho’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Shauna Bannon (116) vs. Sam Hughes (116)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hughes (-310); Bannon (+250)

Round 1

After a week to catch our collective breaths, the UFC sallies forth to Paris. As part of its annual French fight card series, local fans will be treated to a bevy of European athletes with decent matchups. It all comes to a head with French fighters in the main and co-main attractions, but before then, there are 11 more fights to get through. We commence the festivities with the sole women’s match on the card, one that will play out at strawweight. Bannon (7-1, 2-1 UFC) will look to keep her momentum going as she clashes with .500 UFC fighter Hughes (10-6, 5-5 UFC) who may be better than her resume appears. The two 115ers will be joined in the Octagon by referee Lukasz Bosacki, who clocks them in as they rush towards one another without a fist bump in sight. It’s on with the show.

They both strike at the same time to greet one another, and Hughes lands cleaner and gest Bannon’s attention right off the bat. Reddening up the Irishwoman’s nose with her fists, she prompts Bannon into shooting in for a takedown. Hughes turns the tables against her and tackles her to the mat, and various chants in French boom throughout the surprisingly populated building. When Bannon closes up her guard and slows Hughes down, members of the audience start wooing rudely. Bosacki calls for more action before long, and the crowd starts to turn on the strawweights as the grind has been embraced two minutes in. Bannon lifts her right leg up for a rubber guard, but Hughes completely ignores it and retains heavy chest pressure.

As little else happens besides a few Hughes punches, Bosacki calls for them to do something more. “Sampage” listens this time around, and she slugs Bannon with several powerful blows. Bannon’s eyes go wide as she takes fire, and she grabs hold of Hughes to slow her down. Hughes looks to pass guard, and Bannon uses upkicks to push off her foe’s chest. The upkicks do not slow Hughes, who steps over to a crucifix position and starts hammering “Mama B” with elbows. Bosacki asks for Bannon to fight back as Hughes thumps Bannon up with her elbows, and Bannon desperately bucks to get her arm free and drags Hughes back to half guard. Hughes explodes over to take the back briefly during a scramble, and she settles for side control so she can beat down Bannon further. When Bannon sits up, Hughes tries for a no-hook rear-naked choke. The Irish fighter is able to escape the choke and work to her feet with the wall behind her, and Hughes knees her in the face and pops her with a left hand before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Hughes
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Hughes

Round 2

The ladies get right to business, with Bannon knowing she dropped the round and starting off aggressively. Kicks from the Irish athlete fly to all targets, as she sets up one high by starting on the lead leg. Hughes shrugs it off and counters with an overhand right, and a bit of a mouse develops under her left eye. Hughes is tough as nails as she catches a head kick and slings Bannon to the mat, where she punches her foe all the way down to the canvas. Hughes sits comfortably in an open guard, and Bannon hooks her fingers inside of her opponent’s gloves. Bosacki warns her for the foul, and Hughes punishes her for this by bashing her with heavy ground-and-pound. “Sampage” works her way to side control, where she hunts for another crucifix position—perhaps emulating the recent success of middleweight champ Khamzat Chimaev—and this makes Bannon scramble like a madwoman. Hughes allows her to turn because she has set a trap. When Bannon posts of her hands to sit up, her neck is exposed and Hughes knows it. Hughes snatches up a textbook rear-naked choke, looping both hooks in and securing her grip beneath the chin. Bannon knows her goose is cooked, and she has no choice but to tap out. The victorious American has performed her first submission—and second finish overall—in the Octagon, while handing Bannon her first stoppage loss as a pro.

The Official Result

Sam Hughes def. Shauna Bannon R2 1:58 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Rinat Fakhretdinov (170) vs. Andreas Gustafsson (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gustafsson (-115); Fakhretdinov (+100)

Round 1

Moving right along, a pair of welterweights who have yet to taste defeat in the cage—recent controversial decision notwithstanding—will throw down and try to hand the other their first loss in the Octagon. Gustafsson (12-2, 1-0 UFC) is 1-for-1 in the promotion thus far, while Russia’s Fakhretdinov (23-1-1, 5-0-1 UFC) has much more experience although most thought Carlos Leal beat him in his last time out. What happened before matters not, as these two are only focused on the man in front of them, plus referee Patricio Carlos. The athletes touch ‘em up before throwing down.

Gustafsson immediately goes on the offensive, swinging for the fences right out of the gate. Gustafsson chases Fakhretdinov around, scoring with every few strikes as the Russian is able to protect himself from the worst of the big swings. Fakhretdinov counters and tags Gustafsson with a one-two, and this completely changes the complexion of the berserker Gustafsson. It may not appear to be the most concussive blow, but it catches “Bane” just right and sends him squirrely. Backing off to the cage, Gustafsson shells up, but Fakhretdinov goes after him and assaults him with an elbow, the end of a high kick and a veritable kitchen sink of offense. Gustafsson leans against the fencing, and Fakhretdinov clubs him with an onslaught of punches and arcing hammerfists. When the Swede hits the deck, Carlos has seen enough and waves the fight off. Controversy? What past controversy? Fakhretdinov takes the judges out of the equation by drumming out Gustafsson in under a minute, handing “Bane” his first finish defeat while extending his impressive unbeaten streak one more.

The Official Result

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Andreas Gustafsson R1 0:54 via TKO (Punches)

Robert Bryczek (186) vs. Brad Tavares (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tavares (-220); Bryczek (+190)

Round 1

Longtime veteran Tavares (21-10, 16-10 UFC) had his most recent contract come to an end, and after a brief time of uncertainty he was brought back to the promotion he joined by winning the 11th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” While he has faced many of the best fighters in the history of the middleweight division, he draws a Polish adversary in Bryczek (17-6, 0-1 UFC) that may be a bit less decorated but is just as dangerous given his stoppage rate above 70%. Referee Lukasz Bosacki draws the charge to handle the 185ers, who clap hands to initiate the match.

Bryczek puts his foot on the gas, chasing the longtime vet around, and he finds himself in the pocket with Tavares. This results in them both trading, and Tavares backs off and takes a body shot and a jab up top. Tavares replies with a pushing front kick, and he catches Bryczek ducking down with a pair of punches on the temple. Tavares stays on his back foot, firing off kicks as Bryczek advances towards him. Bryczek continues marching ever forward, with Tavares more than ready to counter, his right hand ready for action. Bryczek smacks the front leg of his foe with a kick, and puts his guard up to block a one-two that he expects. Bryczek swings for the fences and knocks Tavares clean off his feet. Tavares works his way up with the wall, but Bryczek is swarming him with fists to the dome and guts. Tavares ties him up to clear the cobwebs, and Bryczek settles for a few knees to the thigh before breaking off.

Tavares circles away, letting fly kicks and a pair of punches up high, and the Polish athlete is incensed and ready for destruction. He lays into Tavares with punches in bunches, dropping Tavares to a knee as he tries to put his man away. Tavares is able to get back up despite being under fire, and he even manages some looping counters. When Bryczek overcommits on his attack, Tavares times a magnificent double-leg takedown to put the heavy-handed Polish fighter on his back. The nose of the Hawaiian is busted open and leaking on the mat, but he pays it no mind as he climbs into half guard and recovers. Tavares does some work on top but is largely content to control the remainder of the round and take a possible 10-8 score off the table—although that remains to be seen if judges believe the damage was substantial enough to award such a score. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Bryczek
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Bryczek
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-8 Bryczek

Round 2

The second round kicks off with a barrage of kicks from the Hawaiian, using them to keep distance and prevent Bryczek from hurling big hands at him. The low kicks are starting to mark up the lead leg of Bryczek, who is lumbering awkwardly on it as he advances. Tavares is the quicker of the two, as Bryczek may have punched himself out in the first round, because Bryczek cannot reach him. As Bryczek plods towards his man, Tavares shoots in on his hips. Bryczek knows it is coming and defends it, and he stands up and avoids a right hand zooming at his jaw.

Bryczek bears down on Tavares, replying with his own chopping kicks as he makes his way forward. Tavares lets fly a three-punch salvo that hits nothing but air, but his technical kickboxing is stifling Bryczek for the most part. Tavares backs himself to the wall and quickly realizes he needs to reposition himself, scurrying to the side as he spams the leg kick. Bryczek no-sells a head kick as he goes after Tavares, but his offense is otherwise fairly muted. The fans do not like this pick-and-poke strategy of low intensity, perhaps spoiled by the action of the previous bouts as well as this one’s first round, and they start booing heartily. A storied veteran with a lot of decisions on his ledger, the audience has no effect on the Hawaiian. He keeps his distance and probes with kicks and one-twos until the not-so-great round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tavares
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Tavares
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Tavares

Round 3

The middleweights touch ‘em up to show some respect opening the final frame, and Bryczek gets back to his forward-or-bust strategy. Tavares welcomes this, as he is able to simultaneously hop on his bike and land enough strikes to gain the upper hand. The Hawaiian puts some mustard into a body kick, and Bryczek does not like it and twirls around to take some of the sting out of it. When Bryczek gathers his thoughts, he marches Tavares down and guns for him with big, swinging fists. Tavares’ are straighter, jabbing and getting off one-twos. With a full head of steam, Bryczek attacks. Backing Tavares up to the fence, Bryczek strings together a prolonged combination of looping punches, cracking Tavares with a heavy right hand. Stunned, Tavares starts to go down to a knee while still under fire, and Bryczek continues battering the grizzled veteran with all he has. With Bryczek hammering away with hammerfists as some land directly on the back of the head, Bosacki steps in, and Tavares immediately protests the stoppage. His team is equally upset about what they feel was premature referee intervention, but as the referee is the sole arbiter of the bout, that’s a wrap. Bryczek notches his first UFC victory and it is a huge scalp he collects by melting a formerly ranked fighter in Tavares.

The Official Result

Robert Bryczek def. Brad Tavares R3 1:43 via TKO (Punches)

Sam Patterson (170) vs. Trey Waters (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Patterson (-170); Waters (+140)

Round 1

Under most circumstances, 6-foot-3 welterweight Patterson (13-2, 3-1 UFC) would be the larger man in the cage come fight night. This is not one of those situations. Florida’s Waters (9-1, 2-0 UFC) measures two inches taller than the beanpole Brit, and the 170-pound skyscrapers will do battle under the watchful eye of referee Rich Mitchell. Without a touch of gloves, they get right down to business.

Or not. A whole 25 seconds pass before a strike connects, in the form of a Waters low kick. Patterson tries to jab his way in, but their range keeps them apart until Patterson bites down on his mouthpiece to slug it out. Waters takes the punches well, reddens Patterson’s nose up with his responsive jabs and starts beating on the front leg with kicks. Patterson puts his jab in Waters’ face repeatedly, and Waters ignores them and fires off a one-two down the pipe. They take their turns advancing towards one another, although Waters is the primary aggressor of the two. They potshot each other with single strikes, and the fans in the building do not love what they are seeing. When the welterweights come together to trade fists, the grumpy voices are briefly silenced.

The two split apart, and Patterson puts his foot on the gas and starts blasting Waters with long, concussive blows. Waters’ head snaps back several times as his chin gets checked again and again, and “The Future” knows that he has his man hurt and wants to inflict serious damage. Patterson marches forward and blasts Waters with brutal punches, with his right hooks around the guard firmly placing Waters in the danger zone. As Patterson connects with one particularly powerful right hand, Waters turns away, and Mitchell rescues him from his toughness and waves off the match with a righteous standing TKO. That makes four first-round knockouts in a row for Patterson, who should be putting the welterweight division on notice with his performances. Meanwhile, Waters has just sustained his first knockout loss as a pro.

The Official Result

Sam Patterson def. Trey Waters R1 3:01 via TKO (Punches)

Kaue Fernandes (155) vs. Harry Hardwick (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fernandes (-180); Hardwick (+140)

Round 1

In his biggest career matchup this March, Fernandes (10-2, 2-1 UFC) passed the test of Guram Kutateladze with flying colors. He was originally planning on battling France’s Fares Ziam, but a late switcheroo means that he has to square off against Cage Warriors export Hardwick (13-3, 0-0 UFC) now. The two 155ers come together to clap hands, glad to be competing today, and referee Herb Dean takes it from there.

Hardwick walks forward into a right hand on the button, and Fernandes lets fly two kicks after it. Fernandes uses his kicks early to keep his range and slow the forward movement from Hardwick. This does not bother the newcomer for long, who crashes the pocket and slings leather. Fernandes is right there ready to bang, and his kicks add up as he is chewing up the front leg of his foe. Hardwick changes stances when coming forward, so the Brazilian beats on the other leg. Hardwick tries to check the kicks, but they are wrecking him. Fernandes starts putting his hands up to tell Hardwick to come get some, and Hardwick grimaces and continues.

Fernandes knows his best weapon is the kick as he channels his inner WEC-era Jose Aldo, committing to it directly by targeting the same spot again, again and again. Hardwick is tough as can be but is taking damage and unable to stop it. Fernandes’ confidence is through the roof, as he continues to blast away with his vicious calf kick. The Brit hobbles forward, exciting the crowd when he manages to throw something back, but Fernandes is getting to him regularly. Hardwick smacks his foe with a right hand, and Fernandes trips him to the floor. Hardwick takes a moment to get back up, not faring well on his damaged wheel, and Fernandes goes after it again. The Brazilian boots out Hardwick’s leg, and Hardwick tumbles to the floor in agony. Dean walks over to him to check on him, and sees that Hardwick will not be standing again any time soon. Dean waves the fight off, and Hardwick lays on his back in bad shape. The victorious Fernandes, who trains out of Nova Uniao, hands Hardwick his first loss due to strikes, and the injured Hardwick needs to be taken from the cage on a wheelchair.

The Official Result

Kaue Fernandes def. Harry Hardwick R1 3:21 via TKO (Leg Kicks)

Ante Delija (239) vs. Marcin Tybura (256)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Delija (-115); Tybura (+100)

Round 1

It’s heavyweight morbin’ time. A rematch a decade in the making is here, as perennial contender Tybura (27-9, 14-8 UFC) meets former PFL tourney champ Delija (25-6, 0-0 UFC) for the second time. Their first encounter ended with Delija shattering his leg from after getting his kick checked, and revenge may be on his mind. The lone heavyweight contest today will be officiated by referee Marc Goddard, and with no bad blood between them, the large men bump their equally large fists together.

Delija wants to make an immediate statement, walking Tybura down and busting him in the chops. As he drives Tybura to the wall, he makes a mistake by getting too close, and Tybura wraps him up. The Polish fighter turns Delija around on the fencing and starts to grind on him, and it does not take long for the fans to turn on him. Tybura does not remotely care, as he drops down in pursuit of a double. Tybura goes to his knees to get the fight down, and Delija keeps his back to the cage and stays upright. Delija turns him around and breaks free. Tybura punches his way in to try to clinch, and he bails on it and puts a front kick on the chest. In a brief exchange, Delija catches Tybura at the end of a right hand, backing off the UFC vet. Delija gives chase, stringing three punches together and punctuating the combo with a vicious right hand that separates Tybura from his senses and puts him down on one knee against the wall. Smelling blood in the water, “Walking Trouble” gives Tybura plenty of trouble as he clubs his man with three destructive right hands. Tybura may be out cold or is hanging on for dear life, and Goddard says enough is enough and gets between the heavy hitters. Talk about a way to make your promotional debut, as he is now a top-10 heavyweight by crushing a ranked adversary in the opening frame. The victor drops to his knees and lets out an outpouring of emotion, while teammate Tom Aspinall proudly cheers for his new training partner getting the job done in a huge way.

The Official Result

Ante Delija def. Marcin Tybura R1 2:03 via TKO (Punches)

Brendson Ribeiro (206) vs. Oumar Sy (206)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sy (-425); Ribeiro (+325)

Round 1

To cap off the prelims, a pair of light heavyweight flamethrowers will toe the line, and most expect only one man will remain on his feet at the bout’s end. Locals hope that the victor will be Sy (11-1, 2-1 UFC), who reps France. Brazilian TKO product Ribeiro (17-8, 1 NC; 2-3 UFC) would like to spoil the party, and he carries a 94% finish rate with him to battle. Referee Patricio Carlos will keep his head on a swivel for this one, standing back as the two come towards one another without planning on touching gloves.

The French faithful get right behind their fighter, booming chants through the Accor Arena as they lance at one another with single, rangy strikes. Ribeiro pre-emptively lifts his leg up to check kicks he is expecting, and Sy capitalizes on it with a left hand that stings Ribeiro. Rather than swinging harder, Sy shoots for and completes a takedown, placing Ribeiro on his back as Ribeiro tries to counter with a guillotine choke. Sy shrugs it off and steps over to half guard and briefly three-quarter mount. Ribeiro uses upkicks to push Sy off of him briefly, and the audience is singing all the while. Sy on top drops down punches, thrilling them every time he connects. Ribeiro forces Sy to stand with an upkick, and Sy maneuvers himself back into the guard. Sy scores a single elbow, and the success of it empowers Sy to spam more 12-to-6 elbows.

Ribeiro scrambles and counters with a kimura to flip Sy over. This results in both man working back to their feet, and Sy crashes in and shoots for a takedown while getting kneed in the face. Sy toughs it out and puts Ribeiro on his back, and Ribeiro is quick to defend himself as he wraps the Frenchman up. Sy opens up with sledgehammer right hands, and Carlos looks closely but does not get involved. Sy continues putting his weight on his opponent until he gets a hook in, and he starts looking for a choke. Two ferocious elbows from Sy near the back of the head appear to knock Ribeiro all the way out, and as Sy batters Ribeiro with his right hand, he seems to switch his defeated foe back online again. Carlos is a little late to the party but he gets involved while Sy rains down punches, and the roof practically blows off as thousands of screaming French folk celebrate his dramatic victory. The commentary booth remarks that the decibel meter in the building reached 105 during the chants and shouts from the fans, who can likely be heard down the street in Paris.

The Official Result

Oumar Sy def. Brendson Ribeiro R1 4:42 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)

William Gomis (145) vs. Robert Ruchala (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gomis (-230); Ruchala (+180)

Round 1

France has a representative in the opening bout of the main card in the form of MMA Factory’s Gomis (14-3, 4-1 UFC). He welcomes former KSW champ Ruchala (11-1, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion in what should be a fun featherweight affair. The two men greet in the cage under the oversight of referee Lukasz Bosacki, not bothering to touch gloves before getting going.

Ruchala pushes off a front kick to introduce himself, and he wings two looping punches behind it. Gomis hand-fights and counters him with a slapping kick, and when Ruchala kicks him back, Gomis checks it. Ruchala’s front kick keeps Gomis at bay, and Gomis tries to mirror him with his own attacks. This results in a tit-for-tat series of short exchanges, where they beat on one another’s front leg and work on their respective midsections. Ruchala catches his opponent in the midst of a flurry, lunging with a right hand to further get Gomis’ attention. The audience serenades the athletes with song, and Gomis takes their energy and pushes forward until he is pushed away from a spinning back kick. Ruchala tags Gomis with a right hand that puts him close enough to grab hold of the Frenchman, whom he leverages to the mat.

It does not take long for Gomis to work back to his feet, and when they clinch up, Gomis appears to check Ruchala’s oil as he puts his hand between his foe’s legs. Ruchala presses him heavily against the cage wall, drilling a knee to the body as he looks for another hurling takedown. Gomis answers his back with his own knee that lifts Ruchala off the ground, and he pushes off and resets. Gomis blasts the midsection with his shin, changing the expression of the debutant. Ruchala goes wild with a right hand from downtown, and Gomis avoids it by a matter of millimeters. Ruchala settles himself down and chops at the front leg, potshotting more effectively than his opponent. Gomis gives him another body kick to think about, forcing Ruchala to rush in and clinch him up. Gomis breaks off with an elbow, and a stabbing kick to the body from him puts a cap on the close round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ruchala
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Ruchala
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Ruchala

Round 2

Distance kickboxing is the name of the game for the two as they engage in the second stanza, and when Ruchala absorbs something he does not like, he clinches. Gomis breaks off before too long and gets off another body kick, and this makes Ruchala point at the ground to suggest they should brawl. Gomis does not budge. Instead, Gomis drills him with another kick to the side, and Ruchala counters with his own. Gomis catches a kick and rails the newcomer with a right hand, and he switches stances to chamber and fire a kick to the liver. Ruchala shoots down for a low single-leg entry, and the Frenchman shuts it down and elbows him flush on the temple. Ruchala continues to pushes forward to use a body lock takedown, managing to leverage Gomis to the floor with an exclamation point. Gomis considers trying a kimura to sweep, and a mouthpiece falls out from someone. Bosacki replaces it and they continue ground fighting, with Ruchala in half guard using his shoulder to flatten Gomis to the mat.

While he hangs on from above, he flirts with an arm-triangle choke, but elects to preserve position over pursuing a submission. Gomis works his way up to a knee with the cage wall at his side, and Ruchala slips in a hook to retain control. Gomis fights to both knees and them upright by wall-walking, and Ruchala clings to him like the Polish version of Saran wrap—it might still be Saran wrap, just written in Polish, like “oklad Saran.” Gomis gets away from the grip after some time, and he scores a few shots before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Gomis

Round 3

The featherweights reach the third round, and Ruchala is happy as a clam grinning from ear to ear. He channels that enthusiasm right into his initial attack, where he comes at Gomis and connects cleanly with a combination of punches. Gomis returns fire, and he punches and opens his fist to extend his fingers in what looks like a blatantly intentional eye poke. Ruchala clutches his face and Bosacki calls time. After about 90 seconds of recovery time with the doctor coming in to check on him, Ruchala is good to go. The fighters awkwardly hug to get started, and then hurl uppercuts at one another. Gomis lashes out with a left hand and a head kick, and as he keeps striking, Ruchala tries for a tie-up. Ruchala is pushed away and he goes after a spinning kick to the leg a la Andy Hug. Gomis dodges the subsequent spin kick aimed at his torso and clips Ruchala with two crisp punches. Gomis starts getting into his flow state, preemptively countering his opponent and sniping him from afar. Ruchala goes to the well with one more spinning kick, this time using it as a way to close the distance so he can grip hold of the Frenchman. Before a takedown can even materialize, Gomis turns his foe around.

Knees from both sides come in the clinch, and Gomis separates. Ruchala uses his legs to step in behind a kick, and Gomis sees this coming and pecks with a long left hand and some low kicks. They shoot at the same time and clash together, with Gomis getting the upper hand during the collision and belting his man with a body kick on the way out. Ruchala reaches Gomis with a single right hand, and he shocks the Frenchman with a tremendous head kick. Gomis is on wobbly legs, and Ruchala goes after him with a kick combination. When Ruchala is about to swing for the fences, Gomis clips him and momentum shifts the other direction. Gomis goes after a takedown, dragging Ruchala to the mat from behind, and Ruchala looks frustrated as he hangs out on his knees. When Ruchala stands, Gomis mat returns him and bludgeons him with punches from behind. As Gomis controls his opponent, the final horn sounds, sending us to the judges for the first time tonight.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomis (29-28 Gomis)
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Gomis (29-28 Gomis)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Gomis (29-28 Gomis)

The Official Result

William Gomis def. Robert Ruchala via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Patricio Freire (145) vs. Losene Keita (149: Missed Weight)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Keita (-200); Freire (+170)
The bout has been pulled from the card after Keita missed weight by three pounds and Freire turned down a catchweight compromise.

Rhys McKee (170) vs. Axel Sola (170)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sola (-130); McKee (+110)

Round 1

In April, Ireland’s McKee (14-6-1, 1-4 UFC) did the darn thing by finally getting his hand raised in the Octagon in his fifth try. With a 100% still intact, McKee forced the doctors to rescue Daniel Frunza in April to officially stamp himself as a victor inside the UFC. He will welcome undefeated Frenchman Sola (10-0-1, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion, and it is no doubt which side the fans are taking. Referee Herb Dean hears their songs and cheers and takes it all in, and the welterweights wade towards one another.

Without touching gloves, the two prefer to instead trade jabs initially. McKee follows one with an overhand right, and they proceed to aim single distant strikes at one another without connecting much. Sola steps in and walks into a left hand, and he counters with a left hand. Another big left from Sola produces a shiner on McKee’s right eye, and as the commentary booth starts comparing Sola to an early Conor McGregor, McKee blasts Sola with a pair of heavy punches. Sola returns fire, rushing at his opponent and marking up McKee’s face. The left hand from Sola keeps finding its target, but McKee is unafraid and knees Sola square in the face. The Irishman misses with a left hand, opening him up to a takedown from the debuting French fighter.

With McKee leaning against the fencing, Sola drives knees to the calf. Fans rise and lower their voices in anticipation of the strikes like a muay thai crowd, but Sola is more interested in a takedown from behind rather than knee blows. Sola looks to jump on the back while standing, and McKee sheds him off and drills him with a few back elbows. Sola attempts to drag McKee out from behind, and McKee is only able to smack his foe with no-look elbows or bizarre punches from under his opposite armpit. Sola stays tightly pressed on his opponent who spins for a strike, and something from him appears to bust McKee’s nose open. McKee is the aggressor as Sola retreats, with the Frenchman possibly stung from a sneaky shot from “Skeletor.” The round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sola
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Sola
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Sola

Round 2

McKee immediately takes the center of the cage to get going, only to be driven back by Sola jabs. McKee goes to the body with a right hand, and Sola is quick to counter over the top. Sola intercepts his opponent with a knee, and McKee bites down on his mouthpiece looping two hooks. The right hand from McKee appears to hurt Sola’s eye, who is wiping at it. This encourages McKee, who gets off some more strikes to the face of his adversary. Sola drills the Irish fighter to the midsection with a left, and then aims one more to the same spot after resetting. Sola clubs McKee with a hefty right hand on the temple, and McKee is tough as a two-dollar steak and stays in Sola’s face putting up some moderate volume. They both land cleanly with straight punches, and Sola follows with a right hook.

The two continue to trade fists, with the two seeming to take turns one after the other. Sola drives home a left hand down that causes more blood to flow from “Skeletor,” and he pursues a takedown rather than furthering his handiwork on the feet. McKee puts his back to the fence, sprawling and briefly threatening with a standing guillotine choke. Sola shakes out of it and racks McKee up with a crisp elbow. McKee does not flinch, and instead plods forward throwing bombs. Sola meets him with a left to the liver, only to get caught with an uppercut. Sola wraps up a sneaky standing arm-triangle choke that he uses to throw McKee to the floor, and McKee stands back up and thinks about a front choke. Sola goes after a single, and when it does not land, he smacks McKee with a back elbow or two before the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sola
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Sola
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Sola

Round 3

McKee once again puts himself in the driver’s seat as he advances out of his corner hellbent for leather. McKee walks into a right hand that opens a cut on the corner of his eye, but he still nails the French fighter with two punches to back him away. McKee chains an uppercut into two massive, inaccurate hooks, and he fires off another uppercut that glances off the side of the dome. When McKee lands, Sola gives him two back to think about. Without fear of reprisal, Sola kicks McKee in the head. McKee tanks it like a champ and just misses on a slashing elbow. A left to the solar plexus is followed by a body kick from Sola, and his body work is starting to pay off in a big way. The Frenchman slips a jab and jackhammers his left fist directly into the sternum, and McKee goes down in a heap. Dean rushes in to get involved while Sola rains down hammerfists, and McKee is furious that he stepped in as he was just moving to recover and stand back up. That makes two questionable stoppages tonight, but the questions matter not as the official result is what it is. The fans in the building do not appear concerned about the timing of the ref intervention, as their athlete won and still remains undefeated in his promotional debut.

The Official Result

Axel Sola def. Rhys McKee R3 2:02 via TKO (Punch to the Body)

Mason Jones (156) vs. Bolaji Oki (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jones (-150); Oki (+120)

Round 1

In a classic battle of Belgium vs. Wales, Oki (10-2, 2-1 UFC) and Jones (16-2, 1 NC; 2-2, 1 NC UFC) will throw down for the next three rounds or fewer. The lightweights plan on getting things done under the watchful eye of referee Rich Mitchell, with no touch of gloves as he bears witness.

The fans boo them for not doing so, even though others have not bumped fists tonight. Jones marches his foe right down, throwing punches to set up a head kick. Oki is angry from the kick, and he surges into action and blasts the Welshman with a right hand that sends him flying. Jones manages to work his way back to his feet, and Oki knocks him right back down again. Oki pounces in hope of finishing the fight, lumping up “The Dragon” with hammerfists and swarming punches as Mitchell watches closely. Jones survives the onslaught and fights his way back to his feet, his face swollen and a little blood flowing on the bridge of his nose. Oki does not stop swinging for the bleachers, knocking the Welshman’s head around like a boxing speed bag. Oki unloads huge uppercuts, swinging himself off-balance.

Jones sees an opening, crashing forward and nailing Oki with fists to put Oki down. When Oki this the canvas, Jones leaps on top to hack and slash with 12-to-6 elbows. The momentum is completely on the other direction, as Jones threatens briefly with a guillotine choke before deciding to keep hitting Oki. Oki gets back to his feet after taking some damage, and Jones muscles him down to the mat with emphasis. Jones shifts around and puts himself in north-south position, where he looks for some way to attack and isolates Oki’s left arm. Jones wraps up the kimura and cranks it hard, but Oki is able to power his way out of the submission. Jones bails on that effort and switches to the other arm, and he lets it go so he can finish the round on top with strikes. Good luck scoring that one.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oki
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Jones
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Oki

Round 2

Jones is beaming as the second round begins, as he is having the time of his life. He starts off the round with a heavy kick, and he is quick to sling one from the other leg after it. Jones walks Oki down and snaps his head back with sharp jabs, and Oki is able to dodge some of them but not all. Oki swings with a big right hand, and Jones responds by planting a “This is Sparta” front kick on his chest. Jones’ jab is sharp as a tack, and Oki is all about power punches including a spinning back elbow that grazes Jones. Jones hurls punches back, and Oki is wobbled and tries for a takedown. Jones fights it off and counters with a high-amplitude throw, slamming the Belgian on the mat. Jones climbs into full mount with 2:40 left in the round, and Oki hangs on with every bit of his energy. The Welsh fighter attacks with 12-to-6 elbows, and he postures up and connects with a few punches. Jones lands a single elbow, and he opens up with a dozen more. Mitchell tells Oki to fight back as Jones is beating the brakes off of him with relentless elbows. Jones continues to demolish his opponent with elbow after unanswered elbow, and Oki is hanging tight but barely with it. Mitchell stays right there as Jones bashes Oki like he caught him breaking into his apartment, and eventually he has to step in and save Oki from further harm. What a fight, what a comeback and what a finish! That makes eight knockouts tonight, tying the UFC’s record for the most at an event.

The Official Result

Mason Jones def. Bolaji Oki R2 3:18 via TKO (Elbows)

Modestas Bukauskas (205) vs. Paul Craig (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bukauskas (-350); Craig (+280)

Round 1

The “featured fight of the night” slot is now occupied by a light heavyweight car crash in the form of Lithuania’s Bukauskas (18-6, 5-4 UFC) against “Bearjew” Craig (17-9-1, 1 NC; 9-9-1, 1 NC UFC). While Bukauskas celebrates a stoppage rate over 70%, Craig has still never needed the judges to get his hand raised after all these years. Referee Marc Goddard will keep things on the up-and-up here, and he stands back as the athletes come towards one another without touching gloves.

Bukauskas is able to get his hands on Craig early, scoring at the end of a left hand. Craig bounces off the fencing, and Bukauskas smacks him with a low kick. Craig whiffs on a high kick, and his calf is struck once more in response. Bukauskas charges with a flurry of punches and results in a clinch, which is where Craig would prefer to be. Bukauskas lands a few short clinch strikes, and he backs off and avoids a looping hook in time. Bukauskas goes back to his calf kick, with the two trading this particular blow until Craig spins at him with a back kick. Bukauskas skips forward to ding Craig with an overhand right, and he is driven back from a spinning kick to the ribs.

They land leg kicks on one another, and Bukauskas blocks a kick in time and is reminded of a past loss to Khalil Rountree when Craig stomps at his knee. Craig gets hold of Bukauskas and pushes him from one side of the Octagon to the other. Craig looks to trip Bukauskas up, and he tries to muscle his man down but Bukauskas is able to keep upright. Craig laces his leg between his foe’s, and he abandons the effort to knee the body a few times. Bukauskas turns him about and plants knees on his torso. Craig jumps guard, and he slides off Bukauskas and hits the ground. Bukauskas lets him hit the floor so he can rain down punches, and he elects to get into Craig’s guard. Bukauskas drums his opponent’s head off the canvas with his devastating ground-and-pound. Craig turns to defend the strikes, and Bukauskas postures up and demolishes him with one of the most destructive elbows one could ever see or hear. The horn sounds, and Craig lifelessly slumps to his side. Goddard recognizes that Craig is out cold and waves the fight off as five minutes had elapsed. Luckily for “Bearjew,” he is able to come to shortly thereafter, and he congratulates Bukauskas for sending him astral traveling. While Bukauskas celebrates his handiwork and calls for a top-15 opponent, Craig removes his gloves to signal his retirement, thanking everyone for the memories while noting that the young eat the old in this sport.

The Official Result

Modestas Bukauskas def. Paul Craig R1 5:00 via KO (Elbow)

Benoit St. Denis (155) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ruffy (-200); St. Denis (+170)

Round 1

Buckle up, buckaroos. The co-main event is here, and it should be a wild one. St. Denis (14-3, 1 NC; 6-3 UFC) and Ruffy (12-1, 3-0 UFC) are about to trade. Nothing more needs to be said, other than that referee Herb Dean is standing by. The lightweights touch gloves. Here we go.

St. Denis introduces himself with a body kick, and then slings one up high. St. Denis rushes at the Brazilian with a looping left hand, and Ruffy bounces off the fencing. St. Denis drops to his knees in pursuit of a double, and he wrangles Ruffy to the mat in about 40 seconds. St. Denis steps over to half guard, side control and then full mount less than one minute into the bout. The crowd is predictably going nuts before St. Denis even starts setting up a chest pressure-based arm-triangle choke. Ruffy turns over to give up his back as St. Denis starts raining down punches, and he tries to pursue a choke while Ruffy stands up. Ruffy spins his opponent around while in a body lock, and he explodes back to his feet. St. Denis times a head kick and goes after a takedown, so Ruffy responds with an intercepting knee. St. Denis tackles the Brazilian to the mat, and he assumes full mount but actually steps to the side so he can retain a controlling posture.

St. Denis gets in a body lock from behind as Ruffy scrambles to turn to his back, and this allows St. Denis to assume full mount again. St. Denis wraps up an arm-triangle choke, and he has it tight but the Fighting Nerds export is able to tough it out. St. Denis drills him with a few ground strikes, and Ruffy muscles his way to his feet. The two tie up against the fencing, jockeying for position and trading knees. St. Denis lands a knee to the groin, or so Ruffy claims to Dean repeatedly. Dean asks the replay official to check the foul, which indeed struck him below the belt. Ruffy gets time to recover as the audience showers him with boos and then songs. Ruffy states he is good to go less than a minute in, and they get back to it. Ruffy wings a big uppercut that misses the mark, and he is countered by a head kick, jab and takedown attempt. Ruffy rebounds off the fencing and takes a flush jab on the way out. St. Denis kicks high and slaps into the guard, and he goes after two kicks to the ribs. St. Denis launches one more head kick that is blocked as the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis

Round 2

The second round begins with St. Denis faking a takedown to open up with a head kick. St. Denis hurls a body kick and is jabbed back with a vengeance. Ruffy jumps in the air with a knee that staggers for a second, and St. Denis steels himself and forces himself into a takedown effort. St. Denis gets Ruffy down, but the Brazilian times a picture-perfect reversal to plant the local athlete on his back. St. Denis immediately opens up with an active guard, and Ruffy abandons ship and stands back up, where he misses a huge right hand. St. Denis walks him down and punches his way into a takedown shot, and a knee from St. Denis makes Ruffy cry foul once more. Dean is not hearing it this time, possibly because it is deafening in the arena. St. Denis wrangles his opponent to the ground, grappling him from behind and getting in his hooks.

With the body triangle in play, St. Denis starts clubbing Ruffy on both sides of the head. This softens the Brazilian up, so that St. Denis can fasten a rear-naked choke grip on the chin. Ruffy is tucking in his chin to protect his neck, and St. Denis squeezes with everything he has. Ruffy is calm and composed, but the face crank is crushing his skull as the French fighter is empowered by the audience that is going positively bonkers at this point. St. Denis does not relent with his vice grip on the jaw, and Ruffy’s eyes go wide as he has tap out with the end of his fingers from the nasty submission. At that moment, no one in the building can hear themselves think, as the legion of screaming masses explode in support of the man named “God of War.” Until today, Ruffy had never been submitted. He won’t be able to say that anymore, but he is nothing but gracious and professional as he congratulates St. Denis for beating him. That makes 11 finishes this evening, tying the UFC’s single-event record. What a night it has been, and we still have one more to go.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Mauricio Ruffy R2 2:56 via Submission (Face Crank)

Nassourdine Imavov (185) vs. Caio Borralho (185)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Borralho (-130); Imavov (+110)

Round 1

We have reached the main event of a hilariously violent card attended by about 20,000 screaming, boisterous, excited and potentially intoxicated fans. We could be doing worse things with our collective Saturdays than watching UFC Paris. After 12 matches, we get to the baker’s dozen bout which has the highest stakes of all tonight. A middleweight title shot may loom if the victor’s performance is exciting enough, per UFC head Dana White. Imavov (16-4, 1 NC; 8-2, 1 NC UFC) and Borralho (17-1, 1 NC, 7-0 UFC) will be putting their ranked spots and win streaks on the line. Two men enter, one man leaves—and the other will too, just not as the winner. Referee Marc Goddard will there too, of course, and he brings the middleweights to the center of the cage to engage in a fist bump. It’s time for one last ride tonight.

The center of the cage is taken by Imavov, who flashes out his jab to find his range. Borralho pushes out a front kick or two to push him back, and a head kick that follows makes Imavov shake his head. Imavov starts chipping at the front leg, and they clash legs at the same time. Imavov splits the guard with a straight right hand, and he swats away a head kick. Imavov connects with a push kick on the liver, and his distant striking is keeping Borralho from getting much going on his end. Imavov stalks Borralho down, working on the front leg while aiming a jab. Borralho shoots in for a double, and Imavov stands him up in the center of the cage and breaks off. Imavov loads up on two left hands, and he sneaks in a right hand to follow.

Imavov looks for a check hook when Borralho kicks him in the body, and he plods forward to keep Borralho on his heels. Borralho kicks his man in the ribs, and then goes high with the same shin. Imavov goes high with a right hand and then rips a left to the body. Imavov intercepts his opponent with an uppercut, and Borralho grazes him with a kick to the midsection. Borralho steps in to pursue a trip takedown, and Imavov keeps his balance and backs up to put himself against the fencing. Borralho gladly clinches him up, and fans start to turn on the lackluster performance of the middleweights thus far. Borralho jams up his opponent but does not do much with the position other than a few clinch strikes, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 2

There is a clap of hands before the two start fighting, and Borralho opens up first with a kick aimed at the upper torso. The two hand-fight in alternating stances, and Imavov stalks him down and connects with a straight right hand. When Borralho pitches a kick, Imavov is there to counter him with a trio of fast punches. Borralho kicks at the calf, and he whiffs on two looping punches. In an exchange, Imavov gets off a sneaky right hand, and Borralho backs off. Imavov slips in short but potent punches, including a solid right on the forehead. Borralho unloads a looping right hand that buzzes the tower, and Imavov replies with a one-two down the pipe and a body shot right after. Imavov times an advancing Borralho with power counters, landing at least once each time an opportunity presents itself.

Imavov bounces two punches off the forehead, and his feints are making the Brazilian flinch. Borralho tosses up a head kick, and Imavov blocks it and spins with a back fist that bangs into his opponent’s head. Borralho goes for a takedown, and Imavov shuts it down without issue and jams his foot into the midsection. Imavov loads up on two hooks, with his right hand busting open the cauliflower ear of his opponent. Borralho bites down on his mouthpiece and throws back with bad intentions. Imavov nods after taking a solid blow and fires back. The two fighters bounce back and forth, and Borralho walks off before the horn sounds as the crowd admonishes him for doing this.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 3

Before the round kicks off, scorer Chris Laporte has abandoned his scoring post to cop some smoked salmon. The fighters bump fists to start the third round, a rarity tonight. Imavov is quick to get behind a push kick and jab, while Borralho responds with a harder jab. Imavov sits down on a right hand that shakes the Fighting Nerds staple to his core, and Borralho makes a funny face and wobbles back. Rather than go haywire, Imavov lets Borralho get himself in order. They come together, and in a clinch, Borralho knees his opponent in the groin. Borralho stops himself and apologizes before Goddard gets between them. Imavov drops to a knee as he gets his wind back and stretches, and the crowd is voraciously encouraging him to get back to it. He does not listen, instead taking his time and using a full minute. Borralho apologizes again, and Imavov punches him in the face. Borralho replies with a body kick, and he steps through with a jab and a left hand down the middle. Imavov swats away kicks and pecks with his jab, but the Brazilian reaches him with a sharp right hand. Imavov acknowledges that it scored, and he gets back to walking Borralho down. Imavov partially checks a calf kick, and he is kicked upside the head after that.

Borralho probes with his front kick, walking straight into a right hand from the Frenchman. Imavov wipes his nose and has a one-two smash into it. Imavov pushes off and his finder slides into the eye socket and scrapes the other as Borralho turns his head. Goddard calls time, and Borralho takes seconds before clearing his vision and returning to combat. Borralho puts some mustard behind a jab, and Imavov cracks him with a right hand that makes him smile. Imavov stays committed to his game plan, slugging Borralho in the face. Borralho starts to load up on power punches, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 4

The 185ers reach the championship rounds, and they are no less intense as they meet one another in the middle of the cage and connect with heavy shots. Borralho works on his foe’s front leg that is starting to show some damage, and Imavov replies with a crisp elbow up top. During a kick exchange, Borralho takes one to the groin and walks it off. Goddard has them fight on, and Imavov does this with a thudding lead elbow. He lands two more, and he rips a right hand to the body. Borralho gets stung with another elbow, with Imavov’s boxing starting to get to him. Borralho is otherworldly tough as his cheek begins to swell, and Imavov targets it with another combo.

When Borralho tries to clinch up, Imavov knees him flush in the sternum. Borralho trips out Imavov with a foot sweep, but Imavov stumbles back, gathers himself and blazes his opponent with a one-two. With Borralho reeling, Imavov digs to the body again. Imavov flicks out a fierce jab that Borralho is unable to answer. Imavov steps in with a short but effective right hand, and he backs off and takes the end of the Brazilian’s jab. Imavov loops in a right, and he chains a few punches behind it. Borralho tries to grab Imavov to change levels, and the Frenchman bullies him across the cage to the wall. Imavov bashes Borralho with a left hand, and he leans back as a head kick zips at him. The fourth frame wraps.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 5

Five more minutes to go, and the fighters clap hands together. Imavov marches directly forward, cutting off the cage but absorbing several powerful punches on the way in. They trade front kicks, and Imavov whips a right hand around the guard. Imavov lances his opponent with a straight right hand, and Borralho stands his ground and hurls back nothing but massive power. One after the other, they club one another in the face, and these middleweights are putting everything into these blows 22 minutes into their melee. Borralho slips and rings Imavov’s bell with a right hand, and the French fighter responds by jabbing Borralho in the eye with his fingers while another goes in Borralho’s nostril. Goddard calls time and fusses at Borralho’s corner for giving him instructions during the stoppage time, and he issues a hard warning to Imavov for his infractions.

They touch gloves to start up again, and after Imavov lands a punch, he shrugs at his opponent who appears to be complaining about something. Imavov steps in with a crisp right hook and ties Borralho up, but he lets go so he can keep throwing hands. Imavov takes a hard look at the clock that reads 1:45, and Borralho does not take advantage of this immediately. They swing and end up clashing chests together, and breaking free before anything happens from it. Imavov gets behind his jab, and he follows one with a heavy right hand. Borralho bites down on his mouthpiece and looses a right hand, and Imavov does the same. Borralho grapples the French fighter against the fence, possibly for a takedown entry, but he elects not to do so and initiates a brawl. Imavov spins with a back elbow that smashes square into the Fighting Nerds product’s dome. Borralho reels and backpedals, and Imavov lashes out with a final couple strikes to punctuate a performance that could have scores ranging from 3-2 to 5-0.

The night proved to be spectacular for the French faithful, with all five athletes from L’hexagone prevailing at its conclusion. The looming question is whether Imavov’s performance was enough to earn a crack at Khamzat Chimaev’s belt, and Imavov gives a succinct answer to that: “I am next.” With that, a memorable show is in the books, and Noche UFC is on deck in seven days. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (50-45 Imavov)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (50-45 Imavov)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Imavov (50-45 Imavov)

The Official Result

Nassourdine Imavov def. Caio Borralho via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)