UFC Fight Night 209 ‘Gane vs. Tuivasa’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Stephanie Egger (145) vs. Ailin Perez (144.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Egger (-285), Perez (+240)

Round 1

Vive la France! The UFC has now officially placed the Octagon in L’Hexagone, with Paris its first staging ground. A dozen fights will play out with levels of varying intrigue, and a large number of Frenchmen (five!) will be appearing throughout the night and hoping they can win one for the motherland. Up first, instead of a French man or woman, is a Swiss fighter in Egger (7-3, 2-2 UFC) who hopes to get the European-proud crowd pumped up early as she tries to shake the stigma of a recent confusing armbar loss. She will be facing late replacement and twerking enthusiast Perez (7-1, 0-0 UFC) out of Argentina, in which “Fiona” has not lost a fight other than by her own recklessness in a disqualification. Fight one will draw officiating by referee Loic Pora, and the ladies do not touch gloves as the French crowd is already lathered up and ready for action. Perez takes a step back early so that she can set up a few low kicks, until she suddenly bull-rushes forward in pursuit of a takedown. Egger uses this aggression to flip the Argentinian over to her side, where she uses a head-and-arm throw to get her down. Egger clings to a scarf hold position until Perez bucks out of the posture, which lets Egger shift around to clear top position in side control. Egger looks to isolate an arm for a kimura setup, and she moves from one side to the other through north-south posture, all while attempting to lock an arm down. “Fiona” does not let anything materialize, and she drags Egger back to her guard momentarily. The Swiss fighter is extremely active on top, jumping straight into side control again, and she begins to rain down elbows. Perez absorbs several of these strikes until she explodes back to her feet, and she latches on to a single-leg takedown that she uses to reverse position and dump Egger to her backside. Egger springs back up with the fence behind her, and she works knees to the body when Perez hangs on to her. Perez looks for another takedown, only for Egger to once more hit a judo throw that lands her in scarf hold position. From there, Egger pounds on Perez’ face with her fist, and she elects to move so that she can set up a crucifix. Egger works Perez over with short but nasty elbows, frustrating Perez and pinning her down. Despite this, Perez moves with all her might to stand up, and she muscles her way up and tosses Egger out of the way. Perez whips a low kick and a left hand, and she backs off. Egger backpedals, and Perez follows her with a spinning back fist that dings her upside the head. Perez gives chase, only to end up in the clinch, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Egger
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Egger
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Egger

Round 2

There is a half-hearted glove touch, and Perez comes out firing as she wings a body kick. Egger plods forward to tie her up, and Perez lets her hands go with several winging punches. Egger shells up and keeps moving ahead until she ties Perez up, and she looks to hip toss her opponent. Perez stays on her feet, but Egger still has her hands on her looking for unorthodox takedowns or throws. Perez turns the tables in pursuit of a single, and Egger rolls all the way through it and isolates an arm for an armbar. Perez keeps moving all the way through to put the Swiss woman on her back, and she manages to land in side control. Egger holds on with a guillotine off her back, and Perez has a possible Von Preux choke setup if she chooses to go for it. Egger wisely lets her own grip go, and she scrambles to go after her own single-leg takedown that results in both women standing up. Egger uses her full body weight to jam the newcomer up against the wall, and Perez looks for an escape but there is none to be found. Egger lines up a knee to the body, and as the action stalls, commentator Michael Bisping offers up a comical French accent impression. While he amuses himself in the booth, Egger trips her foe to the ground, and she climbs right into three-quarter mount. Perez twists and turns to save her position, but Egger follows her all the way through and gets hold of her back. Egger starts punching Perez upside the head, and she looks to her corner for what to do next. Perez tries to shake Egger off, but Egger drags her into back control. Egger gets both hooks in and starts fishing for a rear-naked choke, and the crowd gets excited about this sudden burst of movement. The Swiss fighter slugs Perez a few more times until she manages to slither her left arm under the chin, and she cinches her other arm behind the head and crushes the grip with all of her energy. Perez panics, and she does need more than a second or two before tapping out to the rear-naked choke. The crowd goes wild for the local fighter – relatively, as Switzerland is right across the eastern border – and Egger has started off the event with a finish.

The Official Result

Stephanie Egger def. Ailin Perez R2 4:54 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Christian Quinonez (136) vs. Khalid Taha (135)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taha (-125), Quinonez (+105)

Round 1

Moving right along to the bantamweight division, one fighter looks to stop the proverbial bleeding and notch his first win since 2019, while the other hopes to make a splash in hostile territory in his debut. Taha (13-4, 1 NC; 1-3, 1 NC UFC) will represent Germany, while newcomer and 2021 DWCS signee Quinonez (17-3, 0-0 UFC) will be fighting out of Mexico as the unwelcome foreigner for the Euro-based audience. Despite the intensity between the two, a touch of gloves between the fighters comes in front of referee Rich Mitchell. Taha is the initial aggressor as he looks to find his range, and Quinonez feints and fakes to keep Taha honest early on. Several lunging punches come from the newcomer, who jabs and looks to utilize his reach advantage to the fullest. Taha has no answer to the strikes, other than crashing the pocket with looping punches that miss the mark. Quinonez goes up high with a kick that brushes over Taha’s hair, and the crowd reacts to the near-hit. Taha decides he has had enough of the picking and poking from the man known as “Problema,” and he rushes in with a trio of massive punches. One of them clips Quinonez, and Taha uses the momentum to wind up with two more as Quinonez is retreating. This does not dissuade Quinonez from letting out sharp jabs, and he aims an elbow to intercepting Taha. Taha ducks and presses in with haymakers, and he settles down and starts to push out a few jabs of his own. Quinonez lets go with a high kick that is blocked in the nick of time, and he snaps out a few more jabs to the dismay of “The Warrior.” They both clash with strikes at the same time, and Quinonez appears to get the better of the exchange and starts to get in his groove. He marks up Taha with continuous jabs, and as Taha charges at him, the Mexican fighter cracks his man with an overhand right flush on the temple. Taha’s legs go out beneath him as he falls forward, and Quinonez bulldozes him over with a clubbing right uppercut and starts pounding on him. Mitchell watches on very carefully as Quinonez unloads with a short ground-and-pound salvo, and he steps in to stop the fight. Taha looks at him and raises his arms confusedly, as Mitchell intervened after just three or four punches after Taha fell to his back. The crowd is not thrilled by the stoppage, not just because the German fighter lost, but because of concerns it might have been early. The boos rain down, but they do not matter, as the only opinion is Mitchell’s, and the fight is over. The victorious Quinonez goes over to embrace training partner and interim champ Brandon Moreno, who is in the building, beaming with pride.

The Official Result

Cristian Quinonez def. Khalid Taha R1 3:15 via TKO (Punches)

Gabriel Miranda (155.5) vs. Benoit St. Denis (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: St. Denis (-265), Miranda (+225)

Round 1

If this next fight were summed up in one word, it might be “submission.” Combined, France’s St. Denis (9-1, 1 NC; 1-1 UFC) and Brazilian debutant Miranda (16-5, 0-0 UFC) have recorded 23 submissions of the tap or nap variety across their 25 total wins. On the other hand, neither has ever surrendered via sub, so it remains to be seen how these two lightweights and their 100% finish rates stack up. As a note, St. Denis becomes the first fighter from France to compete on a French card in the UFC, and the crowd is deafening for his entrance. Few preliminary competitors in the history of the promotion have received a louder reception than St. Denis did than when his feet hit the cage floor. Referee Jason Herzog is ready for anywhere the fight goes, and he sharply inhales as the two touch gloves ahead of what could be a wild pairing. St. Denis slowly works his way forward, landing a body kick that surprises and hurts Miranda immediately. Miranda looks to change levels, and he gets thrown to his back by the Frenchman. This is not the worst place for him, as Miranda fishes for submissions off his back until St. Denis stands up to let him go. Miranda charges in when they are both upright to tackle St. Denis over, and after they both gain top position briefly, Miranda claims the top spot. St. Denis keeps moving and gets up, and Miranda grabs hold of a guillotine choke on the way. St. Denis wriggles his neck out, and the two engage in a ferocious brawl of feet and fists. Both men get stunned, and Miranda appears to get the better of it and rushes in forward. As he does, “God of War” spins with a back fist that clips the Brazilian, and Miranda falls forward in pursuit of a takedown. St. Denis stuffs it, turns him around and puts Miranda on his back. St. Denis postures up and delivers some powerful punches from above, and he stands up to lord over his foe with standing-to-ground blows. Miranda tries to tag him with upkicks, and St. Denis lowers himself into the guard as Miranda hunts for the left arm of his man. Herzog asks if St. Denis will let him up, and he intervenes when there is a lull in the action. Miranda sticks out a body kick, and St. Denis responds in kind. St. Denis swings with everything he has, blasting Miranda in the face and putting him down to the ground. It might not have been a typical knockdown as he follows Miranda down with heavy blows, and St. Denis lands in side control and starts smashing Miranda in the face with his fists. St. Denis looks for an arm-triangle choke, but when there is nothing there, he hammers down with elbows and punches. The constant strikes from the Frenchman open up a cut on the side of Miranda’s eye, and Miranda bucks to kick St. Denis off of him and they stand up with 15 seconds to go. St. Denis unloads with three brutal overhand rights, and he knocks a fatiguing Miranda down at the tail end of the round. When St. Denis looks to seal the deal, the horn sounds, but it is so loud in the building that he cannot hear the stoppage and Herzog has to pull them apart. What a round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 St. Denis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 St. Denis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 St. Denis

Round 2

When the second round begins, it is clear that Miranda is not recovered from the shellacking he received at the conclusion of the previous frame. His legs are not quite beneath him yet, and St. Denis takes full advantage of that as soon as Herzog says “fight.” St. Denis rushes in to start throwing bombs, and although Miranda responds with a few blows of his own, it is St. Denis who powers forward with a massive right hand. The blow shakes the debuting Miranda to his core, and he falls down to the mat on his side. The finish is right around the corner, and “God of War” unleashes a fury with a couple more concussive left hands until Herzog has seen enough, and the roof practically blows off in favor of the local fighter. Various chants rain down in the building in support of St. Denis, loud enough to shake the walls of the Accor Arena and drown out most of the broadcast team. If this victory is any indication of how receptive the crowd will be towards French fighters, this fight card could truly be one to remember.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Gabriel Miranda R2 0:16 via TKO (Punches)

Michal Figlak (156) vs. Fares Ziam (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Figlak (-195), Ziam (+165)

Round 1

For the second fight in a row, a home country fighter will be representing France against an opponent from a distant land. Unlike Brazil for Miranda, Ziam (12-4, 2-2 UFC) will take on someone from just a few countries east in Europe. Making his debut after an impressive run in Cage Warriors that ended before he could vie for the 155-pound strap, the unbeaten Figlak (8-0, 0-0 UFC), born in Poland but repping England, has been plucked out of that league and into the majors. As a result, Ziam is the only betting underdog of the five men out of France today. Ziam offers a glove touch under the watchful eye of referee Rich Mitchell, but Figlak has no interest and lets the fingers brush off his forearm. Figlak wants to fight, and he comes out pressing forward. Ziam is on his bike early, with Figlak aggressive and throwing hands at him in high intensity. Ziam manages in kickboxing range, with low kicks and jabs, trying take advantage of his range while staying on the outside. “Smile Killer” kills Figlak’s smile with a heavy low kick that bends the knee of his opponent, and Figlak crashes forward only to get popped with a left hook. Ziam follows it with another hard low kick, prompting Figlak to press in for a body lock takedown. Ziam spins him around and dumps Figlak to the mat, where he lands right in side control. The British-based fighter powers his way up to his seat and considers a counter takedown, but it is all so that he can stand back up. Ziam strikes first with his feet when the two are upright again, ripping a low kick on the calf and swinging one to the ribs. Figlak punches his way in with an overhand right, and a left to the body that makes Ziam cough. The unbeaten debutant ignores a few quick left hands so that he can rush in, and Ziam meets him with a standing elbow. Figlak spins with a back elbow that glances off his intended target, and his forward momentum pushes the two up to the wall. They jockey for position, trading knees up against the wire, and Ziam looks to change levels and lift Figlak’s right leg for a single. Figlak keeps his balance, and he stops a trip attempt from the body lock of his opponent. Mitchell tells them to keep fighting as they jockey for position, and as Ziam goes for a throw, they both land on their knees. Figlak counters, only to get tossed to his back. Figlak closes his guard, takes an elbow on the dome that cuts him open on the hairline, and he sets up an armbar with seconds to spare. Ziam rolls all the way through it, fights off a subsequent kimura try, turns to his side and stands up. He takes an upkick on the chest at the bell, and Mitchell leaps in between them so nothing more comes of it.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ziam
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ziam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ziam

Round 2

The second round opens with a brief slugfest, as Figlak hopes to start out hot, and Ziam throws cold water on him with a tie-up in the middle of the cage. As Figlak swings for the fences after the break, Ziam targets the body with a kick and a left hand over the top. Figlak responds with a pair of heavy punches that shake the Frenchman up, and Ziam responds with a takedown effort. Ziam lifts Figlak all the way up in the air and slams him down, and as soon as Figlak hits the mat, he snatches the leg and starts fishing for a leglock. The attempts force Ziam to stand back up and reconsider his posture, where he ends up lowering himself back into the guard and easily moving to half guard. Ziam starts working the body from this position, and Figlak sits up as a trickle of blood flows from the bridge of his nose into his right eye. Figlak stays active from his back, hunting for armbars or any kind of submission that keeps Ziam honest, and he manages to drag Ziam back to his guard. “Mad Dog” explodes against the wall, using it to stand back up, and he is ready to trade leather. Figlak walks forward fearlessly to throw hands, and Ziam backs up to the wall and gets clipped with a right hand. Ziam meets him with a knee up the middle, and Figlak drops down to go after a single. Ziam slides his leg out and looks for separation, only for Figlak to chase him to the wall and try to trip him. Out of nowhere, Ziam spins with a back elbow on the temple that rocks the undefeated fighter badly. Figlak wobbles back to the wall, and Ziam bowls him over and starts blasting him with ground-and-pound. Figlak uses his offensive guard to keep Ziam at bay on the mat from anything that could set up a finish, but he can only hold on so long before Ziam shifts into full mount. Time is Ziam’s enemy in this exchange, as he slides off the side and looks for a choke of some kind. There is nothing there before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ziam
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ziam
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ziam

Round 3

Ziam opens the final round with several heavy low kicks one after the other, forcing a limp out of the debuting fighter. Ziam sees this and targets it again, and the punches in response from Figlak have a lot less sting on them now. One such powerful kick forces a stance switch out of Figlak, and Ziam does not mind and he kicks the back leg multiple times. As Ziam moves forward, seeing his man is compromised, Figlak meets him in the middle and decides to grab hold of a standing guillotine choke. There is nothing to this, so he ignores a few punches to hit a double. Ziam wall-walks up to his feet before long, and the crowd is thrilled that they are back on the feet again. Figlak slips a punch and clinches up, and Ziam pushes him off and sticks out a jab. Figlak again goes for a body lock, and Ziam is having none of it. Figlak is still in the southpaw stance as a result of the damage absorbed on his left leg, and he cannot plant fully when trying to take Ziam down again. Ziam turns the tables on him, scooping the unbeaten man up and tossing him down to the canvas. Figlak tightly closes his guard, only to suddenly roll for an armbar as Ziam postures up to aim punches from above. Ziam sees it coming and pushes off, and he ends up standing back up. Figlak follows him up, and Ziam cannot take advantage of this position. Figlak shoots for a takedown, and he grounds Ziam and instantly moves to full mount. With sheer strength, the Frenchman reverses Figlak by lifting him off of him and tossing him to the back. Ziam, in half guard, uses shoulder pressure and flirts with an arm-triangle choke, but is more intent on passing to the side. Ziam tries a two-on-one wrist lock to keep him down, but elects to start pounding on Figlak instead. Figlak throws his legs up in desperation for an armbar, and he sits up and dives for a single. Time expires as Ziam is smacking Figlak upside the head, and the underdog Frenchman appears to have scored a significant upset and handed Figlak his first career defeat, all to the delight of a partisan crowd.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Ziam (30-27 Ziam)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Ziam (30-27 Ziam)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ziam (30-27 Ziam)

The Official Result

Fares Ziam def. Michal Figlak via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Nasrat Haqparast (155) vs. John Makdessi (154.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Haqparast (-230), Makdessi (+195)

Round 1

Lightweights enter the cage next, as one of the most experienced UFC fighters in Makdessi (18-7, 11-7 UFC) steps up to take on former top-15 contender Haqparast (13-5, 5-4 UFC). Despite their vast differences in age and cage time – Makdessi has appeared in twice as many bouts inside the Octagon as Haqparast – they both celebrate exactly nine knockouts apiece. Whether referee Marc Goddard is needed for 15 seconds or 15 minutes, he is ready for where things go next. This match has developed a bit of bad blood, and there is no sign of a glove touch. Makdessi chases his foe around the cage, as Haqparast circles on the outside, well out of range. Makdessi cuts him off with a single leg kick, and Haqparast stays on his bike out of harm’s way. Another leg kick comes from the Canadian, as Haqparast measures his own range with a jab that comes up short. Haqparast tosses out a one-two that is shy of the mark, and Makdessi keeps working on the lead leg of the fighter repping Morocco. Haqparast wings w left hand over the top, but he still is nearly a foot away from where he tries to hit. Makdessi is comfortable with this pace, and Haqparast starts to rev things up a little with more fists. Haqparast finally reaches his foe with a body kick, and Makdessi responds by attempting to kick him upside the head. Haqparast stabs another kick to the body, and Makdessi jabs his way forward and barely blocks a head kick in time. Makdessi greets a jab with a one-two over the top, and he keeps active with chipping low kicks as the crowd voices its disapproval with the relative lack of action thus far. Haqparast has another head kick bounce off the guard, and Makdessi walks through a kick to the body so that he can whip a right hand around the block. Makdessi tosses out a side kick, and when he kicks the knee, Haqparast pushes forward trying to catch the leg. There is nothing from it, so they resume their pitter-patter approach of strikes. Haqparast sticks a straight left hand in, and then chains it into one to the body. Makdessi checks a low kick after throwing one, and he sneaks a head kick up that surprises Haqparast. Makdessi works the body with a kick, and he actively fires off a few kicks to other targets as well. Haqparast swirls his arms around to summon Makdessi into an exchange, and when that does not happen, Haqparast leaps forward. Goddard has to pull them apart when the bell sounds, as they are standing in each other’s face, not budging.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Makdessi
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Makdessi
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Makdessi

Round 2

The second round begins with more of the same, just at a slightly higher pace. Makdessi gives chase with kicks at all targets, and they hand-fight with alternating fists. Haqparast stabs a left to the ribs, and he misses a front kick as Makdessi retreats. Haqparast sneaks out a jab, and Makdessi responds with a spinning kick that collides with the guard. The strikes from Haqparast are having an appreciable effect on his opponent, with a left hand that opens a cut on the corner of Makdessi’s eye. Haqparast catches a kick and responds with one of his own, and they return to a tit-for-tat striking approach. Makdessi surges forward with several punches, and he steps back and makes the time-out sign with his hands, claiming an eye poke happened on the way in. Goddard properly informs Makdessi that he cannot call his own time-out, and the action resumes. Makdessi appears agitated, and he throws punches and kicks in alternating fashion while Haqparast is forced to defend. Makdessi starts chasing Haqparast around again, like the beginning of the first round, and he peppers his foe with kicks to the high guard and down to the lead leg. Even when blocked, the responsive strikes from Haqparast appear to have a greater impact, but they are slower and less often. Makdessi spins with a back fist and falls over, and Haqparast times him with a short left hand that sends Makdessi crashing to the canvas. Makdessi gathers himself and stands up with the wall to his back, and Haqparast unloads with a vicious salvo of punches. Rather than punching himself out looking for a finish, however, Haqparast backs off and seemingly lets Makdessi back in the fight. Makdessi gathers his thoughts and returns to his leg kick-heavy approach with jabs and single shots. Haqparast stays elusive, hopping back from the bigger kicks that come to the body or head, and he sits down on two punches that shake the Canadian up. Makdessi tries to catch a high kick, but Haqparast skirts out of the way and blocks a few punches as the horn blares. This time, Goddard does not have to get between them.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast

Round 3

After 10 minutes of combat, the bad blood appears to have settled down, and Haqparast even offers a glove touch. Makdessi ignores him, but he settles to bump his fist before getting back to it. Haqparast strings together a few punches to the body as Makdessi comes forward, and he takes a right hand over the top. Haqparast surges forward with two punches, and he slides out to the side to avoid the counters. Makdessi looks to swat away the punches that come at him, and he swarms forward with flailing punches. The straighter one-twos of Makdessi get in, while the looping strikes bump into Haqparast’s arms. They trade front kicks, and Makdessi is the faster one of the two as he kicks low after. Haqparast springs forward with a superman punch, and they reset and Makdessi puts his foot on the gas. Haqparast meets him in the middle with a doubled-up jab, and he follows a right hand down the pipe. Makdessi looks to make him pay, but Haqparast’s footwork keeps him out of danger. Makdessi blocks a double-leg takedown, but it appears to be a fake, as he comes up top and busts up Makdessi’s nose. Haqparast smoothly evades the majority of the blows from Makdessi, and he rolls with a heavy left hand that soars at his face. The two score low kicks one after the other, and Makdessi is chasing Haqparast around the cage constantly. Makdessi walks through punches, with his hands fairly low, and he punches into a spinning back fist. Haqparast meets the overly aggressive Canadian in the middle of the cage, and he hits a double that plants Makdessi on his back. “The Bull” powers his way back up and charges, but as he throws punches, Haqparast scores another double that deflates Makdessi. Makdessi tries to get into a slugfest off his back, but his blows have no impact and Haqparast completely ignores them. The ground is where this fight ends, and it goes to the hands of the judges.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (29-28 Haqparast)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (29-28 Haqparast)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Haqparast (29-28 Haqparast)

The Official Result

Nasrat Haqparast def. John Makdessi via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Abusupiyan Magomedov (186) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Magomedov (-265), Stoltzfus (+225)

Round 1

Wrapping up the prelims with a bow, highly touted debutant Magomedov (24-4-1, 0-0 UFC) will finally step into the Octagon for the first time after a number of unfortunate delays. He draws Stoltzfus (14-4, 1-3 UFC) in his first assignment, who will serve as the final U.S.-based fighter on the card. Out of the last 14 wins for “Abus,” he has procured stoppages in 13 of those, with his lone decision coming over PFL 2022 welterweight finalist Sadibou Sy back in 2018. The third man inside the cage for this one will be referee Loic Pora, who stands back while the two men bump fists. Stoltzfus punches his way into an exchange, blocking a kick with his knee on the way in. Magomedov is a man possessed after this brief feeling-out process, splitting the guard with a Lyoto Machida-esque front kick that staggers the American. Magomedov senses he already has Stoltzfus in danger, and he meets Stoltzfus with an uppercut that knocks him back to the wall. “Abus” releases a left hook and a massive uppercut that wreck Stoltzfus, who crumbles to his back on the floor. Sealing the deal, the German-Russian newcomer drives two blistering right hands into the jaw, and Stoltzfus goes out and gets snapped back into consciousness with the thunderous punches. Pora cannot get in fast enough to save Stoltzfus from any further damage, and Magomedov has just made a massive statement by destroying Stoltzfus in less than 20 seconds. The stoppage will likely clock in as one of the fastest knockouts in UFC middleweight history, depending on when it was officially called. Wow.

The Official Result

Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Dustin Stoltzfus R1 0:19 via TKO (Front Kick and Punches)

Charles Jourdain (145.5) vs. Nathaniel Wood (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jourdain (-135), Wood (+115)

Round 1

The main card should start off with a bang, if Jourdain (13-5-1, 4-4-1 UFC) and Wood (18-5, 5-2 UFC) have anything to say about it. The Canadian has leaned into his French-speaking side this week, acting as an adopted French fighter, and the crowd is clearly on his side for this featherweight contest. Lacing up his running shoes is referee Rich Mitchell, who may be moving fast and furious to keep up with these two action-heavy 145ers. They touch gloves before the mayhem begins, and the crowd goes wild at the sight of all-time great Georges St. Pierre in the crowd. Jourdain pays his countryman no mind as he has a job to do, and he starts off with a flurry of kicks. The Canadian goes high and low with kicks, and he trips Wood up. Wood throws haymakers back, surprising Jourdain briefly, and the two wind up in a clinch. Wood trips Jourdain out and plants him on the mat, where he climbs into the guard to take the striker out of his game briefly. Jourdain defends off his back with a guillotine choke, but the leverage is not there, so Wood does not register it. The Brit hangs on from above, and Jourdain considers grabbing the guillotine again until Wood threatens with his shoulder in the early stages of a Von Preux choke. Jourdain bucks and sits up, but Wood is persistent in keeping him pinned to the canvas. Mitchell tells them to work, so Jourdain answers by walking up the fence. Jourdain gets away with a fence grab while Wood is hanging on to him in the clinch, and he pushes the fighter off of him so that he can strike. Jourdain tags Wood with a few punches and a high kick, and he snaps the head back much to the delight of the French-speaking audience. Wood gathers himself and pitches out a front kick, and his foot skims off the cup and causes a brief pause in the action. Wood apologizes for it, and they get back to it after a few seconds. Wood times a front kick that comes at him with a huge right hand, and Jourdain is hurt badly but keeping a stiff upper lip. Jourdain’s balance nearly gives way beneath him, but with Wood not pushing the pace, Jourdain is able to get his wits about him again. This similar exchange occurs twice more, with Jourdain pushing out a front kick only to get clubbed with a right hand over the top. Jourdain toughs it out and gets kicked hard on his calf, forcing him to spin all the way around. Wood chips away at the lead leg again, and Jourdain greets him with three crisp uppercuts. Jourdain strings three punches together, but Wood unleashes one power right hand that stings Jourdain again. “Air” backs off, and he suddenly leaps in the air with a flying knee that Wood sees coming. Wood pushes it off and strings together a combination, and the two high-five when the bell sounds, putting a close to this exciting round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wood

Round 2

The fists get bumped to start off the second frame, and Wood stalks his foe down early. Jourdain does not let Wood get the upper hand, crashing forward with a several-punch combination that is largely blocked, and a head kick that is also guarded. Wood works the body with a few punches and a front kick, and Jourdain comes out firing right back at him. A body kick from Jourdain allows Wood to trip his other leg out, and Wood jumps down to take top position. Jourdain kicks off before long, working his way back upright. Jourdain steps through a leg kick to score a few uppercuts and a knee up the middle, and Wood lets him have it with a huge left hook. Jourdain shrugs it off and the body shots that come to follow, and he answers with two ripping punches to the midsection. They trade punches in close boxing range, fighting in a phone booth when they close in. Jourdain strides in with several uppercuts, and Wood does the same before tripping Jourdain’s legs out and putting him down once more. Wood moves into the guard, and Jourdain tries to hip escape but gets held there. Mitchell is already imploring Wood to work after just a few seconds in top position, as Jourdain is fighting tooth and nail to get the right angle to explode back up. Mitchell warns the Brit again to improve his position, as Wood is just punching the body with short strikes, and they get stood up. Wood strings three punches together when standing again, and Jourdain takes a leg lock as he tries to reply. When they close in, four uppercuts come from Jourdain, and a furious exchange ensues with “Air” getting the better of it. They remain up close, and Jourdain blasts the body with a stern knee. Wood responds with a few straight punches, but Jourdain is the more active of the two as he keeps working the body and head with uppercuts. Wood stuns him with a left hand, and Jourdain takes it flush and throws back. Jourdain turns the tables and hits a trip on Wood, and they get back up quickly. Wood pays him back with his own trip, and Jourdain springs back up and nails Wood with an elbow. From a foot away, Jourdain manages to spin with a subsequent elbow, and England's Wood eats it like a platter of fish and chips. The round ends after this striking flurry.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wood
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wood

Round 3

The fighters embrace after 10 minutes of action to open up the last round, and they pick up right where they left off. Both men strike with punches and body kicks one after the other, and when one scores a low kick, the other replies in kind. Jourdain pushes away a body kick and walks into a leg kick, but he manages to get off a few short strikes up the middle. Wood dips back when a bigger uppercut comes at his face, and he gets tripped out and put down. “The Prospect” manages to turn him around and drop Jourdain to his back, and he lowers himself into the guard to slow things down. Jourdain wants none of this, and he muscles himself up to the fence. Wood follows him so that he can rail him with two short but fierce elbows, and Jourdain pushes off and keeps a tight guard to come in and throw hands. Wood counters and then hits a trip to dump the Canadian to the mat, and Jourdain kicks him off without concern and stands up. Wood is right there every step of the way when Jourdain tries to engage in their close-range battle, and he beats Jourdain to the punch when they get up tight. Jourdain uses uppercuts effectively to the body and chin, and one of Wood’s counters knocks Jourdain back. Jourdain tries to stride in and spin with an elbow, but Wood keeps his guard up in time. Wood fishes for a trip and cannot land it, as Jourdain marks his body up with several knees. Jourdain fires off another spinning elbow up close, and it collides behind the ear of the Brit. Wood puts a kick to the body that changes Jourdain’s expression, and he scores several more body shots that slow the Canadian down. Wood’s workrate is higher, and Jourdain begins to start getting desperate and throwing winging punches. “Air” mixes in flying knees, and he sits down on two hooks that knock Wood back. With 15 seconds to spare, Jourdain empties the gas tank with a flying kick, and Wood shuts this down with a clinch, and he manages to put Jourdain down to the mat to ride out the exciting battle.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Wood (30-27 Wood)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Wood (30-27 Wood)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Wood (30-27 Wood)

The Official Result

Nathaniel Wood def. Charles Jourdain via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Jarno Errens (146) vs. William Gomis (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gomis (-220), Errens (+195)

Round 1

Two UFC neophytes will take center stage on a surprisingly high placement on the main card, with MMA Factory product Gomis (10-2, 0-0 UFC) aiming to be the last fighter to get on the board for France until the main event. He will square off against recent Brave CF victor Errens (13-3-1, 0-0 UFC), with the winner hoping to impress the bosses in this matchup booked on quite short notice. Both happy to be inside the UFC cage for the first time, the featherweights happily touch gloves as referee Jason Herzog waits in the wings. Errens pushes the pace, but he gets struck first when Gomis lets go with a body kick. Errens cautiously approaches his foe, as they are both tense and coiled to strike. Gomis misses a front kick, and Errens darts forward with a straight right hand to the body. Gomis reaches out with a couple leg kicks, and he blocks a high kick that darts at him. The Dutch fighter goes for a spinning wheel kick, and Gomis sees it coming and is well out of the way. Gomis blasts the body with his shin, and Errens tries to punch the same spot in response. Gomis continues to work the body with his legs, and he is forced to back off as Errens leaps at him with a flying knee. Errens checks a kick and punches his way in, but Errens is able to swat it away and stomp the knee with his heel. They go kick for kick low, until Gomis crashes the pocket with a few swarming punches. Gomis gets grabbed in the clinch, but he manages to put Errens on his back through sheer power. In the full guard, the Frenchman can do little more but hang on, as Errens clings to him tightly. Errens scoots his back to the wall, and he opens his guard as he considers a triangle choke. The angle is such that he cannot set anything up, so Gomis holds on and punches him once. Errens grips the wrist to protect himself from harm, and he gets bulled and smacked with an elbow and a few short punches before threatening with a double off his back. The attempt allows Errens to stand back up, and Gomis jams him up against the wall. They trade knees, and one bounces off a cup but there is no pause. They break apart, and Gomis lets fly kicks with both legs until the horn ends the round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gomis

Round 2

A touch of gloves starts off the second stanza, and they are tentative to trade like the previous round. Gomis strikes first with two looping punches, and he blocks a counter kick with his knee and jumps with a switch kick. Errens pushes forward, throwing hands, and the crowd begins conflicting chants for each man. Errens catches Gomis with a knee, but he does not capitalize and slowly works his way in while Gomis backs off. Gomis jumps forward with a superman punch, and Errens clocks him with a counter right. Gomis is staggered but still remains upright, and he shoots in only to get met on the way down with a flying knee. Gomis still powers through it, possibly hurt badly from the concussive blow, but he manages to ground the Dutchman. Errens scoots his back to the wall again, but his closed guard is preventing him from escaping. Gomis is comfortable in this position, occasionally landing strikes but more content to nullify his opponent. Errens sits up and turns to a side, but Gomis pushes him back over. Errens puts his feet on Gomis’ hips to kick him off, and when they both stand back up, Errens begins to trade. The Dutch fighter plods forward with a stream of punches, only to be backed off when Gomis kicks high at him. Gomis fires an inside thigh kick that slides up to the cup, and they do not break, so Herzog tells them they are even in terms of uncalled groin strikes. Gomis shoots for a takedown, and Errens rolls all the way through and even gets mount for a second. “Jaguar” keeps moving, doing enough to fight all the way to his feet again and in pursuit of a takedown once more. Gomis has his hands clasped around the waist, and Errens counters with a judo through only to get turned to his back once more. The round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gomis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gomis

Round 3

Double high-fives and a hug start off the last round, and the two featherweights motion to the crowd to let their voices be heard. The audience begins to chant as Gomis starts his offense, kicking while fighting off his back foot. Gomis turns his hips with a body kick, and Errens meets him with punches to the face and two more to the body. The Frenchman threatens with a flying knee and a spinning back kick, and the latter slams into the side of Errens. Errens takes it and keeps coming forward, half-checking a low kick so that he can crack Gomis with a right hand over the top. Gomis clinches up and turns Errens to the fencing, where he begins to knee the thigh repeatedly. Herzog asks them to work as they stall out, so Gomis replies by lifting Errens up with a powerful double and setting him down gingerly. Errens defends when he hits his back with a guillotine choke, only to bail on it when Gomis wriggles his neck out of harm’s way. Errens tightens up a body triangle from off his back, and Gomis breaks it by slamming his fists into Errens’ jaw. Errens drags his backside to the wall, and he keeps a high guard with a possible triangle or armbar setup as he attempts to roll for a sweep. Gomis is tightly pressed to him and keeps him trapped, and he opens up with heavy punches to the body and elbows to the jaw. Errens keeps working and turns to his side, but Gomis is able to toss him back over. As Gomis scrambles to maintain top position, Errens flings his legs up and traps Gomis in a triangle choke. Gomis stands up, and in the process, allows his right arm to be snagged with a triangle armbar. The Frenchman slowly but calmly slides his neck out, and the crowd goes wild for Gomis’ smooth escape. Gomis moves to half guard and stays in that position until the horn blares. Even if the next two French fighters end up suffering defeats, France has beaten the world with three wins tonight for five fighters.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Errens (29-28 Gomis)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Errens (29-28 Gomis)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Errens (29-28 Gomis)

The Official Result

William Gomis def. Jarno Errens via Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29)

Alessio Di Chirico (186) vs. Roman Kopylov (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Di Chirico (-115), Kopylov (-105)

Round 1

Far from the bastions of activity, since late 2019, Italy’s Di Chirico (13-6, 4-6 UFC) has fought three times while Kopylov (8-2, 0-2 UFC) has only managed to compete twice, with the latter suffering both of his career losses as a UFC fighter. A possible pink slip derby looms as for these two middleweights, as each man desperately needs a win. Referee Rich Mitchell understands the personal stakes of this bout, and he is ready as soon as the cage is sealed from the glove touch. Di Chirico strikes immediately after the touch, with a front kick up the middle. Di Chirico stays on the outside in kicking range, and Kopylov walks him down but cannot reach him. The Italian picks and pokes with kicks, and he checks a low kick that comes his way. Di Chirico smiles, and Kopylov loads up on a left hand only to get countered with a short left by “Manzo.” When Kopylov attempts another calf kick, Di Chirico answers him with two winging punches. The fighter from Italy is warned about outstretched fingers, and the two fighters reset. Kopylov dips back when a head kick zooms past his hair, and he works on Di Chirico’s lead calf once more. They clash together, and when they both back off, Di Chirico is busy with kicks. Di Chirico falls over when swinging a head kick, and Kopylov moves out of the way and re-engages with a few punches when Di Chirico stands back up. Di Chirico is once more warned for fingers pointing at his opponent, and like before, he does not stop. He does, however, greet an advancing Kopylov with two heavy punches. Kopylov marks up the calf with a thudding kick, and he winds up with a body kick on the other side that lands with a resounding slap. Kopylov counters a body kick with a pair of punches that knock Di Chirico all the way back to the wall, and he tries to take advantage of the blow with a step-in elbow but it is too short. Di Chirico winds up on three overhand lefts, and Kopylov stuns him with a jab and looks for a head kick to follow it. Di Chirico tries to dart in, possibly for a level change, but Kopylov pushes his head down before anything comes of it. The Russian springs in the air with a flying knee, and Di Chirico catches it and pursues a takedown. Kopylov balances himself with the wall at his back, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kopylov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Kopylov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kopylov

Round 2

As soon as the two touch gloves, Di Chirico springs into action with a swarm of punches. Kopylov keeps on his bike and strafes away to avoid from most of the damage, and the commentary team decides to drift into a discussion about sandwiches. The action wanes, until Di Chirico suddenly leaps into a flying knee, but it is blocked and one-and-done. Kopylov connects with a shin to the body, and he steps back when Di Chirico tries to make him pay with a salvo of punches and a knee. Kopylov sticks out a jab, and the Italian ducks down to snatch up a single. Kopylov stuffs it and flashes out a jab a few more times to the dismay of Di Chirico. After taking one jab flush, Di Chirico plods forward and bites down on his mouthpiece, where he cracks Kopylov with heavy punches. Kopylov stands firm and connects with a few of his own, until they disengage, with Kopylov’s nose crooked from the exchange. Di Chirico crashes the pocket to go after a takedown, switching from a body lock to a trip to a double, and Kopylov stops it every step of the way and pushes him off. Kopylov, with space, lines up a kick to the body, and Di Chirico grunts and swings haymakers. A head kick from Di Chirico misses, and he falls to his back when he loses balance. As soon as he climbs back up, the Russian greets him with a fierce kick to the ribcage. Di Chirico charges forward and throws hammers, and he knocks Kopylov back to the wall and gets a few around the guard to further reshape Kopylov’s nose. Kopylov digs a left to the body and a right to the head, and a fatigued Di Chirico spins with a back fist that is telegraphed and inaccurate. As the round ends, both fighters appear fairly spent.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Di Chirico

Round 3

The last round opens with tight boxing from both fighters, standing in front of one another and lancing single strikes. Di Chirico gets his foe’s attention with a right hook, and Kopylov strings together jabs and punches to the head and body. Di Chirico gets knocked back from a one-two, and he tries to respond with a flying knee that ricochets off the guard. Kopylov connects with a liver kick, and Di Chirico is feeling it and takes a one-two down the pipe as well. The Italian get stunned with a body kick, and Kopylov senses an opening and strikes. The Russian drills Di Chirico with a fast combination, and the power of his punches knocks Di Chirico into the fencing. As he is defending and against the proverbial ropes, Di Chirico suddenly drops his hands, allowing Kopylov to tee off on him. Kopylov takes advantage of this blunder and lights Di Chirico up with lightning-quick fists, and Di Chirico crumbles and faceplants from the accumulation of damage. With this victory, Kopylov has finally pulled off a win inside the Octagon, and he has landed eight knockouts across his nine career triumphs.

The Official Result

Roman Kopylov def. Alessio Di Chirico R3 1:09 via KO (Punches)

Joaquin Buckley (186) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Imavov (-255), Buckley (+215)

Round 1

On fight day, this relatively high-stakes middleweight tilt shifted from the prelims to the “featured fight of the night” slot, as proud Frenchman Imavov (11-3, 3-1 UFC) is a member of the top 15 in his division. Buckley (15-4, 5-2 UFC), the owner of a number of highlight-reel victories including one of the greatest knockouts in the history of the sport, will face him as he seeks to make the Parisian audience sad and chalk up one more name on his ledger. This potentially violent clash at 185 pounds will draw officiating from referee Marc Goddard, who is nearly forced to step in when the two angrily meet in the middle of the cage before what might be a magnificent melee. Buckley is already the least popular man in the building right now, and he starts off aggressively with a high kick that bounces off the shoulder. Imavov shrugs it off and comes forward, with a more traditional martial arts stance, prepared for the head kick that will almost certainly come towards him. One more does fly, and Imavov ignores it and tries to reach out with his jab. While they measure one another with range strikes, commentator Michael Bisping gives his best Mr. T impression. Buckley throws a low kick, and the Frenchman meets him with a straight right hand over the top. Imavov aims an uppercut when Buckley closes the distance, but the American plays it off and clinches up. Buckley separates, and Imavov follows him enraged. They slug it out, and a front kick from Imavov sends Buckley’s mouthpiece goes flying. Goddard steps in to allow Buckley to replace it, and Imavov ignores him and wants to keep fighting. Goddard lays down the law, shoving the French fighter back until they reset. When they resume, Imavov kicks and falls over, and he springs back up to attack with a right hand that drops Buckley to a knee against the wire. Buckley powers his way back up and throws and elbow, and he wings a pair of punches as Imavov talks at him. “New Mansa” kicks the leg, and he swarms forward with punches that Imavov rolls with. Imavov sticks him with a jab, and he uses his head movement and footwork to evade the lion’s share of a long combination from Buckley. The American does land a punch as he surges forward, but Imavov escapes largely untouched and resets. Buckley comes up short with a low kick, and Imavov comes in with a knee to intercept a high kick. Buckley pushes Imavov against the fence, and he fires off an elbow as Imavov responds in kind. Imavov counters a rushing takedown from Buckley to push the American on his back, and he climbs right to full mount and begins to batter Buckley with unanswered punches. Buckley turns over to his belly and shells up, but before the stoppage can materialize, Buckley is saved by the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 2

Imavov keeps both hands outstretched as the second round opens, with neither man committing to much of a strike in the first 30 seconds. Buckley lands a low kick, and as he rushes forward, Imavov pops him with a pair of right hands that send Buckley running to the side. Buckley gathers himself and darts in with an overhand left, and Imavov pushes him off with his hand and jams him in the eye with his thumb. Goddard issues a hard warning to Imavov for his fingers outstretched and eye pokes, and they get back to it after a few seconds. Buckley is fired up and throws big punches, and Imavov stays moving and away from the worst of the strikes. Imavov catches Buckley on the way in with longer punches, with his range and footwork giving Buckley fits. Buckley walks through a left hand so that he can clip the Frenchman with a pair of huge left hands, and Imavov rolls with the punches and escapes out the side as the back of his head bumps a cameraman. Buckley throws caution to the wind as he jumps in and out, and his strike attempts force him to move quickly in and out so that Imavov cannot snipe him from a distance. Imavov times a lunging strike to duck down and hit a double, and he puts Buckley down on the mat with emphasis. Imavov steps over to half guard on the side to start blasting Buckley in the face, and Buckley turns in hopes of standing but ends up giving up his back. Imavov is quick to hook in the body triangle without crushing it tightly, and he hunts for a rear-naked choke. The Frenchman cannot get his forearm under the chin, so he crushes on the face, but Buckley grits it out and turns his head enough to lessen the squeeze. Imavov starts talking to Buckley as he goes for chokes, and he belts him with an elbow that slashes a cut open as blood sprays from the side of Buckley’s head. Imavov squeezes for another choke, and Buckley’s mouthpiece squirts out of his mouth. Imavov slaps Buckley on the side of the head repeatedly with an open palm until the round ends, and he does not immediately get up and let Buckley go, forcing Goddard to once more get involved.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Imavov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Imavov

Round 3

Cooler heads prevail to start off the last round, and Buckley opens up as the immediate aggressor, knowing he is down on the scorecards. Buckley chops down the lead leg of his opponent on both sides, and he shrugs off an uppercut that catches him about as cleanly as one can so that he can brawl. Buckley leaps forward into action, and he tags Imavov several times and knocks the Frenchman back to the wire. Imavov breaks free of a clinch and threatens with a takedown, but Buckley is upright and able to keep coming strong. Buckley starts swinging wildly, with Mortal Kombat-esque uppercuts and ridiculously arcing punches that slam into Imavov’s guard again and again. Buckley is putting everything he has into the punches, and Imavov is able to slip most of them and block many of the others. A few get through, but Imavov’s chin is able to tank them, and he is able to counter effectively and keep Buckley honest. Buckley telegraphs with wide swings, and they come in combinations and not as single strikes. Buckley puts his foot on the gas, lobbing bombs, and Imavov is able to wear them as he begins to fatigue. The Frenchman attempts to take the fight down, and Buckley has none of it and keeps winging haymakers. Imavov tries his best to slow the fight down, and Buckley cracks him with an elbow and fires off an eight-punch hook combination. Buckley stuffs a takedown and fires a blistering knee that would have felled lesser men, but Imavov is ironclad in front of him. Buckley pushes off of a clinch with sheer muscle, tripping Imavov to the mat, but he does not follow. He lets Imavov back up so that he can load up on one last series of punches. Imavov showboats and salutes the crowd as he ducks and dips most of Buckley’s wild strikes, and he pops Buckley in the chops a few times just to keep active on his own end. As the last few seconds tick off the clock, “New Mansa” pours it on to chase a finish, and Imavov is simply too evasive to absorb much of the onslaught. The fight ends, and Buckley collapses to his back, totally spent. What a brawl this turned into. As the 15-minute furious fight comes to a close, the two appear to squash their beef, and for good reason, as they just threw down for three hard rounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Buckley (29-28 Imavov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Buckley (29-28 Imavov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Buckley (29-28 Imavov)

The Official Result

Nassourdine Imavov def. Joaquin Buckley via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Marvin Vettori (186) vs. Robert Whittaker (186)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Whittaker (-230), Vettori (+195)

Round 1

Even though these two middleweights are in the top three or four of their division, this match between former champ Whittaker (23-6, 14-4 UFC) and fiery ex-title challenger Vettori (18-5-1, 8-3-1 UFC) may be little more than a stay-busy fight as long as Israel Adesanya holds the title. These two top contenders are taking it quite seriously, and so is referee Jason Herzog. There is no interest in a glove touch, as these two would rather get right to the action. Whittaker lands first with a lunging low kick, and he connects with another right after to the same spot. Vettori crashes in to engage, but Whittaker is able to dodge them all. Whittaker scores a low kick and escapes the counters that fly, and he is able to beat Vettori to the punch in a few exchanges. Vettori loads up on a heavy inside leg kick as he gets cracked with an overhand right, and Whittaker reaches him with a left hand when they settle. Whittaker catches the Italian coming in with a swatting left, and he flusters Vettori with his movement. Vettori snakes in a left hand over the top, and Whittaker leans back as another is aimed at his jaw. Vettori times a dipping Whittaker with a sharp left, only to get popped with a swiping right hook. “Bobby Knuckles” stabs breadbasket with the toes with a front kick, forcing Vettori to shoot in, and Whittaker easily turns him around and separates. They both paw at one another with single strikes, and Vettori loads up on a body kick. Whittaker secures two left hands, and he absorbs a body kick so that he can snap out a right hand. Vettori ignores a jab to step in with a knee, and the horn sounds to end the close round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker

Round 2

The middleweights meet in the middle, and Whittaker lands the first blow with a stomping kick to the knee. He follows it with a kick to the ribs, and he hops back when Vettori tosses out a right hand. Whittaker fires a high kick that makes him fall over before it can reach Vettori, but he climbs back up with no issue. Whittaker leans back as a head kick soars past him, and he springs away when Vettori gives chase with a few punches. Vettori clinches up the former champ and pushes him to the wall, and Whittaker frames him off and gets back to the middle of the Octagon. “The Italian Dream” dreams up a head kick, but it floats past Whittaker. Whittaker then responds with a head kick, and as it skims off the head, he connects with a follow-up right hand that stuns Vettori. Whittaker puts a front kick up to split the guard, and Vettori gives one jab back in response. The punches from Vettori are out of range, and Whittaker is able to close the distance and pop him in the chops and get out of the way before a counter comes. Whittaker launches another head kick, and as it gets blocked, he pounds a right hand on the chin. Vettori blocks another head kick, but it gets through the guard and he is wobbled. Whittaker does not let things go, instead staying measured and allowing Vettori to hit air. Whittaker pushes out a right hand down the pipe, and he sneaks up a speedy head kick that careens off the block. Vettori appears to have his legs beneath him again, but he cannot seem to connect with any meaningful offense. Whittaker bullies him back with punches off the arms, and he nails Vettori with a right hand and a head kick. The Italian bounces off the fence and right into a fist of “Bobby Knuckles,” and Whittaker is in his element. When Vettori comes forward, Whittaker chops a side kick on the knee that hyperextends it for his foe. Whittaker drills his man with a straight right hand, and the horn sounds. As it does, Vettori limps back to his corner, possibly compromised from the leg strikes.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker

Round 3

Vettori is motivated going into Round 3, with a higher pace, but he still cannot consistently find the mark. Whittaker plants the ball of his foot on Vettori’s body several times, and he stands there a little too long, allowing Vettori to score a few punches. Vettori gives chase as Whittaker moves quickly, and he tries for a high kick only to get caught on the way up with a right hand. Vettori walks through a punch so that he can pound a left hand on the chin, and the responsive strike from the former champ opens a cut on Vettori’s left cheek. Whittaker jabs and fires off a head kick, and Vettori smiles but he is hurt. Whittaker jumps forward with a right hand, and he snaps the head back with another. Whittaker swings a high kick that ends up kneeing Vettori on the top of the head, and Vettori’s eyes go wide but he remains on his feet. Vettori kicks low, only to get it checked, and Whittaker replies with one that lands. “Bobby Knuckles” plants a right hand on the cheek, knocking Vettori back and making Vettori check himself. Vettori gathers steam and looses a head kick, and Whittaker leans back and watches it soar past him. Vettori attempts a takedown entry, and Whittaker tosses him aside and busts him in the face with a right hand. Whittaker side kicks the knee and then uses his other leg to belt Vettori upside the head, and Vettori is guessing and eating shots without any hope of response. As Vettori plans on defending a head kick, Whittaker shoots in low and takes him down to make a point. Vettori sits up and turns to his knees, and Herzog informs Whittaker that his foe is grounded. Whittaker elects instead to uppercut Vettori a few times, before Vettori climbs back up to his feet. Vettori looses a head kick, and Whittaker responds with three that land time and again. The bell sounds to end the 15-minute showcase in striking, with Whittaker putting on a master class.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (30-27 Whittaker)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (30-27 Whittaker)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (30-27 Whittaker)

The Official Result

Robert Whittaker def. Marvin Vettori via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Ciryl Gane (247) vs. Tai Tuivasa (266)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gane (-540), Tuivasa (+420)

Round 1

Depending on how this headliner shakes out, a title shot may loom for one of the victors. While former interim beltholder Gane (10-1, 7-1 UFC) would certainly like another crack at Francis Ngannou, he first has to deal with the surging brawler Tuivasa (14-3, 8-3 UFC), who has won five straight fights by knockout. Gane will need to keep his wits about him, and referee Marc Goddard will too so that he avoids any possible errant blows from the two strikers. The fists are bumped, Gane pats Tuivasa in the face, the cage door is locked, and it’s time for the main event! Tuivasa ignores an early leg kick so that he can try to close the distance and solve the rangy puzzle that is the Frenchman, but he does not throw much. Tuivasa absorbs another low kick, and he fires one back, forcing Gane to awkwardly recoil his own leg. Gane jabs with his foot, and he sits down on a kick to the body with his other leg. Tuivasa stalks Gane down but cannot corner him, although he does get off another leg kick that he turns his hips into. Gane catches “Bam Bam” coming forward with a swatting right hook, disrupting the offense Tuivasa was able to release. Gane comfortably pokes and jabs, and the crowd serenades him with the French National Anthem. Tuivasa starts laughing, and Gane appreciates it and ducks a massive haymaker. A leg kick from the Aussie gets checked, and he swings heavily to close in. Gane blocks most of the strikes, taking one flush, and otherwise keeping his preferred range. The crowd chants loudly for their fighter, and Tuivasa is unable to do much to deflate the crowd. Gane slips a leg kick and releases a body kick. Tuivasa responds, and he just misses an overhand right by a whisker. Gane sticks out a jab and goes after a head kick, and the kick slams into Tuivasa’s guard…he feels it. Tuivasa hand-fights to get in on Gane, and Gane is elusive as he snaps out a front kick. The Aussie lunges with two punches, and Gane skirts out the side and lightly taps his foe’s calf with a kick. The horn sounds to end this sparring match of a round.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Gane
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gane
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gane

Round 2

The heavyweight headliners touch ‘em up to start the second round, and Tuivasa slaps the thigh with a kick. Gane responds with one to the inner thigh, and he snaps out a jab. As Tuivasa looks to weave forward, Gane splits the guard with another jab, shutting down the offense before it comes. Tuivasa trips his man up as he comes forward, but it is simply that their legs are tangled. “Bam Bam” advances and wings a right hand, and it glances off the dome as Gane moves away from it. Gane front kicks his man and flicks out a jab, with a low but consistent pace that frustrates the brawler. The crowd grows restless as the approach of these two big men, and Tuivasa absorbs their energy by releasing a right hand that slams into Gane’s face. Gane smiles, and the two high-five after the exchange. Gane scores a low kick and a pair of jabs, and Tuivasa follows him along only to walk into a straight left hand. Tuivasa leans back when a high kick is unloaded, and he cuts Gane off with three short left hooks. Gane pushes through the guard with a jab and shoots in for a takedown, but the Aussie is a brick wall and shoves him back. Tuivasa is extremely mad by the exchange, and he winds up with a monster right hand that sends Gane crashing to the mat. Gane crawls to the side, and Tuivasa looks to hop on the side and pound him out. Gane survives and manages to back off, and Tuivasa gives chase and gets clipped with a right hand. Gane targets the body with impunity, kicking the body several times until Tuivasa bends over. Tuivasa is hurt but still dangerous, as swings with all his might, and he manages to crack Gane again. When Gane retreats, he jabs out to the body, and Tuivasa is hurt once more. The crowd is going wild as these two keep hurting one another, and Tuivasa blasts Gane with another overhand right. Gane blinks it out and works the body even more, and Tuivasa signals to the crowd to give it up for them. They do, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tuivasa
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gane
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Gane

Round 3

They touch fists to start off the third round, having spent the last minute recovering and retooling their gameplans. Tuivasa actively attacks the lead leg, and Gane strings together a few punches on Tuivasa’s iron chin. Tuivasa chops at the leg, and Gane kicks the body and may have grazed the cup. Tuivasa complains, but Goddard tells them to keep working, and Tuivasa grabs his cup and shakes it. They resume combat, and Gane measures his man with sharp front kicks as Tuivasa takes a deep breath. Gane loads up on a liver kick, and Tuivasa just watches it land. “Bam Bam” ducks in for a punch to the body, and Gane sticks out several jabs. Tuivasa turns to his side as he misses with a kick, and he sprints back to the fence and bounces off it like a professional wrestler. Gane high-fives him, and he then kicks Tuivasa in the face. Tuivasa eats it like Vegemite on toast and immediately absorbs one more, and he wobbles back. He might be playing possum, as he leans back and winds up an enormous right hand that buzzes Gane’s dome. The Frenchman kicks him two more times right in the head, and Tuivasa is stunned but still swinging everything he has in hopes of catching Gane. Gane keeps tagging Tuivasa with his rangy blows, and Tuivasa shakes his head every so often and loads up on what Quinton Jackson would call “bungalows.” Gane largely avoids them, but he still cannot quite evade every one. Tuivasa marches forward, and Gane smacks him in the face with a standing back fist. As Tuivasa slows, Gane feed his man a steady diet of front kicks to the body, and Tuivasa bends over again in pain but is still on his feet. Gane knows that Tuivasa is fading, and he lets loose with a right hook square on the chin that puts Tuivasa on ice skates. The Aussie is tough but his consciousness is fading, and Gane unloads a bombardment of five vicious punches including an arcing hammerfist that send Tuivasa crashing down to the canvas. Goddard is about to step in, so “Bon Gamin” makes sure he does by hammering Tuivasa with two devastating punches, putting a cap on a sensational performance after a spectacular fight. The Accor Arena, which might have already set decibel records in the city tonight, shatters those with raucous cheers and applause for its home country fighter. France ends the night at 5-0 against foreign opponents, with each one making a statement, but none more massive than Gane. The French fighter celebrates with his family, who flood the cage in support of the victor. The triumphant Gane only one has target: the title, which currently sits around the waist of former opponent Francis Ngannou. Even though Ngannou is in the building, he does not enter the cage, as he may not want to take away from Gane’s moment. The crowd is in the palm of Gane’s large hand, and the UFC should know once and for all it has a star on its hands. Next week, the UFC is going to try to cash in on a pair of other stars, and we will be here for it with UFC 279. We hope you are too. Vive la France!

The Official Result

Ciryl Gane def. Tai Tuivasa R3 4:23 via KO (Punches)