UFC Fight Night 226 ‘Gane vs. Spivak’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Jacqueline Cavalcanti (139) vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos (140)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-375), Fairn dos Santos (+295)

Round 1

Come l’enfer ou hautes eaux, the promotion was going to put on more than 10 fights on this card, no matter what it had to do with the matchups already on the table. With eight of the 11 pairings on the billing containing at least one French fighter, the deck is stacked for local fight fans to get their money’s worth. We begin with a catchweight contest of 140 pounds, between two women who could not safely reach the bantamweight limit in time. After a bit of struggle, Paris-based Fairn (6-5, 0-3 UFC) managed to make the 140-pound cap, while her debuting Portuguese opponent Cavalcanti (5-1, 0-0 UFC) was all smiles on the scales. Someone here has to earn their first UFC victory, and referee Rich Mitchell will be there every step of the way. The first fight of the early afternoon card – for stateside audiences on the east coast – kicks off with a touch of gloves. Fairn takes to the center of the cage, where she paws out jabs and a right hand to follow one in order to find her range. The newcomer skirts along the outside, and she slaps a few leg kicks out while also swiping with a jab or two. The crowd booms in favor of Fairn, making sure to voice support for the French woman, and she continues moving forward aggressively. Cavalcanti chops at her from the outer edge of the cage, and she swats away the two-punch combos that aim her way. Neither woman engages with much of note, as they are tossing out pitter-patter strikes with very little on them. Fairn continues to plod forward, and Cavalcanti stays on her bike, poking out with low kicks here and there. Fairn follows her and swings, but she cannot find her target cleanly. Cavalcanti parries the punches and kicks the lead leg, and she mixes things up with a front kick. Fairn struggles to reach her foe with her fists, and Cavalcanti hand-fights to defend the majority of the punches that come her way. The Portuguese fighter turns her hips into a few heavier leg kicks, and the former kickboxer Fairn is doing nothing to check or counter them. Cavalcanti connects with a pair of punches, and Fairn pushes off to break up the combination and her fingers jam into both eye sockets of Cavalcanti at the same time. Mitchell calls time to allow Cavalcanti to recover from the Three Stooges-esque double eye poke, and he calls in the doctor to bring in a towel to allow her to wipe her eyes out. Cavalcanti is taking the time she needs to recover instead of rushing things, ignoring the jeers and whistles from the partisan crowd. After about half the time of the five-minute recovery period elapses, the doctor clears her to continue, and Cavalcanti is good to go. There is no apology glove touch offered from the French woman, who instead engages out of the gate by putting her foot on the gas. Mitchell warns Fairn again for her outstretched fingers, and Cavalcanti darts away from the flurries and largely avoids them until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The second round opens with a more aggressive Fairn, who keeps busy with jabs and reaching push kicks. Mitchell informs the Portuguese fighter to close her fists now, as both women are leading with their fingers pointed at their targets. Fairn catches her foe at the end of a right hand, countering a low kick. Fairn does not change her approach much, with the same patterns and movements that Cavalcanti has picked up on already. Cavalcanti continues to pepper her with frustrating leg kicks, and she strafes to the side to evade the lion’s share of what “Infinite” slings her way. Fairn walks forward swinging a right hand, and Cavalcanti responds with a slapping left hand. The most effective strikes of the fight so far are Cavalcanti’s kicks, as neither land with anything noteworthy with their fists. Cavalcanti closes the distance and suddenly tags Fairn with a crisp combination, and Fairn looks to bully her back but hits nothing but air. Cavalcanti pops the Frenchwoman with another few kicks, and Fairn’s methodical jab is not able to get any respect. Cavalcanti loops a right hand over the guard, and she stings Fairn and throws the same strike two more times. Fairn shakes it off and gets back into her slow, inaccurate groove, seemingly stuck in first gear. Cavalcanti strings a few punches into a leg kick, and Fairn grabs hold of her to set up a clinch or potential takedown. Cavalcanti shrugs it off and resets, and she chops down the lead leg of her opponent from both sides. The kicks force Fairn to preemptively raise her lead leg, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Cavalcanti leads the dance in the third round, moving right to the middle of the Octagon to strike with jabs and leg kicks. Fairn flails back with impunity, and she ends up walking into the chopping kicks that continue to work on her lead wheel. As the commentary booth loses interest in the matchup, the three men of John Gooden, Michael Bisping and Paul Felder begin to discuss their favorite sandwich – ending up settling on breakfast sandwiches with bacon and chipotle sauce as their top idea. All the while, the 140-pound ladies continue their slow, unhazardous kickboxing match, where there seems to be very little zip on any strikes. Fairn does not change her strategy, allowing Cavalcanti to pick away at her and counter her with small but scoring strikes. When Fairn lunges with a jab, Cavalcanti has a right hand read to smack her in the cheek. Cavalcanti uses head movement to make Fairn miss, and the accuracy rate of the Frenchwoman is likely very low in this contest. Fairn, with little options, moves forward into a clinch. Cavalcanti allows her to do this so that she can bust Fairn in the chops with several clean uppercuts. Fairn lets go of the grip and rebounds off the cage wall, and she is stuck eating shots while Cavalcanti slips the responses. Fairn reaches her with a right hand, and Cavalcanti keeps her guard high as the crowd gives it up for the briefly aggressive Fairn. This surge slows, as Fairn’s left eye begins to swell from the constant right hands she eats. Fairn shoots in for an ill-advised takedown, and Cavalcanti stuffs it with ease and moves around to take her back standing. Fairn shucks her way out of the body control, and Cavalcanti lays into her with a few more punches. The fight ends, and barring an extreme miscarriage of justice, France will be down 0-1 against the world today.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Zarah Fairn via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Farid Basharat (136) vs. Kleydson Rodrigues (134.5)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Basharat (-325), Rodrigues (+260)

Round 1

The action continues in the bantamweight division, when undefeated London Shootfighters product Basharat (10-0, 1-0 UFC) tries to keep his pro record unblemished against former flyweight Rodrigues (8-2, 1-1 UFC). A rarity for this fight card, neither competitor is fighting for French honor and glory in this matchup. With referee Loic Pora keeping a watchful eye on the action, the two men touch gloves ahead of their scheduled melee. Basharat moves right to the center of the cage and pushes Rodrigues back, and he ignores a low kick and absorbs one to the body in rapid succession. “K.R.” wraps his foot around the head of his opponent, and Basharat responds with a speedy takedown effort. Rodrigues stifles it and attempts to take the back standing, only to jump around and try to set up an unorthodox submission maneuver. Basharat stays composed and dumps Rodrigues to his back, and he does not waste much time before passing to half guard. Rodrigues responds with a few elbows to the thigh, and Basharat pays them no mind as he steps over to full mount with little effort. Basharat stays tightly pressed to his opponent instead of setting up some offense, and he takes some of the wind out of the explosive Brazilian’s sails with this pressure. Basharat gets off some short ground-and-pound, until Rodrigues bursts out of the bad position, reverses the position and is about to put Basharat on his back. Before he can, Basharat jumps back to his feet, and the two end up in the clinch. Rodrigues sneaks in several effective strikes on the inside, but he cannot stop Basharat from tripping up one leg and placing “K.R.” on his back. Basharat again methodically looks to pass the guard, and he frustrates Rodrigues with effective blows from above. Rodrigues fights back, only to take several elbows right on the jaw. Basharat uses shoulder pressure and smoothly sets up a kata gatame, and he steps over to the side while Rodrigues is attempting to break the grip. Basharat presses his full body weight down as he completely secures the arm-triangle choke, and there is nothing more that Rodrigues can do at this point. After a few seconds of this dire position, Rodrigues surrenders, and Basharat keeps his unbeaten record intact with a slick performance over a dangerous opponent.

The Official Result

Farid Basharat def. Kleydson Rodrigues R1 4:15 via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke)

Nora Cornolle (136) vs. Joselyne Edwards (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Edwards (-112), Cornolle (-108)

Round 1

Taking the stage for France, former muay thai competitor Cornolle (6-1, 0-0 UFC) is giving MMA a full-throated effort, and she has made it to the UFC to fight in her eighth pro bout. Panama’s Edwards (13-4, 4-2 UFC) nearly holds as much in-Octagon experience as Cornolle does in her pro MMA career, but it will be up to “La Pantera” to see if it makes a difference. Drawing the charge for this bantamweight contest will be referee Lukasz Bosacki, and he sits back as the ladies elect to touch gloves. Edwards starts off with a light low kick, and she leans back as Cornolle swings a head kick past her. Edwards responds with a kick to her foe’s lead calf. Edwards stands firm in the center of the cage, and they proceed to trade kicks. Cornolle strings together four straight kicks to the same target of Edwards’ thigh like she was striking a heavy bag, and Edwards get off one or two back at her. Edwards snipes her foe with a left hook, and she bull-rushes through a right hand and a high kick to tie Cornolle up with a clinch. Cornolle bends Edwards over, her back against the fence, and knees the Panamanian in the face twice. Edwards shrugs them off and squeezes with all of her weight to keep Cornolle pinned. Edwards considers a level change, and Cornolle stomps her toes. Bosacki claps for the ladies to start working, and Cornolle is the active fighter as she spams short knees. Edwards considers going after a leg, and she gets stood up with an elbow. Both women sneak in elbows, and Cornolle lands a solid one as Edwards lifts her off the ground and slams her on her back. “La Pantera” lands in half guard, and she does some work from on top but is more concerned with securing a dominant position. Cornolle bucks and nearly turns her over, but Edwards is able to keep her stuck on her back. Cornolle continues to move, and she turns Edwards over with 20 seconds left in the round. Edwards hangs on tight to stifle any offense, and she kicks Cornolle off of her right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The bantamweights clap hands together, and Edwards come out of her corner with a swollen right eye. Despite the damage, she is the first to strike, and she leaps back when Cornolle lets fly her fists. Cornolle catches her foe with a left hook over the top, and Edwards turns through the worst of it. Leg kicks are traded, and Edwards chains an axe kick into a sudden takedown where she snatches up Cornolle’s knee and deposits her on the mat. Cornolle ties Edwards up in hopes of forcing a referee standup, and Edwards frees and arm to land a strike or two. All the while, Cornolle is scooting her way to the fence, in an attempt to wall-walk. Instead, Edwards uses the position to get Cornolle’s neck stuck on the corner of the wall and the floor. Edwards follows Cornolle when Cornolle attempts to get back to her feet, and she lowers Cornolle back down thanks to several left hands. Cornolle muscles through it to stand back up, and she connects with a short but hard right hand. Edwards secures a mat return, with a hip toss that puts Cornolle down. Edwards cannot keep her adversary on the ground for more than a few seconds, as Cornolle explodes back upright. Edwards throws a labored strike, and Cornolle attempts to go after her own takedown. Edwards counters her with a head-and-arm throw, where she lands in a scarf hold position and smacks Cornolle with several short left hands. Cornolle attempts to take the back in this awkward position, until “La Pantera” slides over her to get into half guard. The Frenchwoman does not stop moving, and she manages to sneak around to get the back of her opponent. Cornolle secures a body triangle, and she starts fishing for chokes with seconds left. There is no submission to be had, and the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

The ladies reach the final round, and they clap their hands together before getting back to it. Edwards appears fatigued, as she reaches out with a side kick. Cornolle gets off several quick leg kicks, and Edwards counters with a solid right hand that appears to hurt Cornolle. Cornolle takes a few seconds to gather her thoughts, and she surges ahead with a combination only to get snatched up by the Panama native and pushed to the wall. Cornolle frames off with her elbow, and she knees the body multiple times as Cornolle is warned for fence grabbing. The Frenchwoman continues beating on the body with her knees, and she bends Edwards over and lands a few on the head. Edwards toughs them out and throws Cornolle to the floor with a head lock and a trip. Edwards lands in the guard and gets some ground-and-pound going, and Cornolle elbows her in response to get the crowd excited again. The two keep trading strikes from a horizontal position, and Cornolle sets up a triangle only for Edwards to push past it and shift around to take her back. Edwards hangs on and slithers her right arm under the chin for a possible rear-naked choke, and she switches her grip to complete it as Cornolle gets out of the bad spot. Through sheer force of will, Cornolle stands up, and she gets going with kicks while Edwards is on her back. Edwards follows her up, and the two empty their gas tanks with punches and knees. Edwards goes after a desperation hip toss, and Cornolle lands on her head but powers back up. Clinging to Edwards from behind when she stands up first, she tosses up a kick, and it bounces off the guard as the final bell rings. This one could go either way.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Nora Cornolle def. Joselyne Edwards via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Ange Loosa (171) vs. Rhys McKee (171)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Loosa (-180), McKee (+150)

Round 1

One never gets a second chance to make a first impression, although it is forgivable in some eyes that McKee (13-4-1, 0-2 UFC) was matched up against Khamzat Chimaev in his Octagon debut. Winless in two tries in the UFC, McKee returned to Cage Warriors and picked up a title courtesy of three stoppage wins, and standing in his way for his return to the organization will be the power-punching Loosa (9-3, 1-1 UFC). On the one hand, McKee has never won a fight on the scorecards, and on the other, Loosa has never suffered a stoppage loss. Something might have to give, with referee Loic Pora presiding over their 170-pound encounter. The gloves are swiftly bumped together, and McKee strikes first with his longer limbs. Loosa powers forward and backs McKee up against the wall, and he slugs the Irishman on the cheek hard. Loosa backs off as he gets jabbed, and Loosa positively explodes with a nasty combination of punches. McKee fires back, but Loosa takes him off-guard by shooting for a takedown and throwing “Skeletor” on the canvas. McKee defends as he hits the ground with a guillotine choke, but Loosa calmly works out of it as he advances to half guard. Loosa lands shots, and as he does, McKee bursts back to his feet to try to get away. Loosa is a dog with a bone, chasing after McKee and blasting him with overhand rights. McKee bounces off the wall and lands a leg kick, but Loosa keeps after him with two leg kicks back. Loosa races at him with two looping punches and a takedown shot, and McKee stifles it and allows Loosa to get back up. McKee boots his man upside the head, with the impact going through the guard, and Loosa completely no-sells it. McKee times a leg kick to disrupt the advancing Loosa, and he leans back to avoid a big overhand right. McKee takes a flush low kick to punch his way forward, and he sets up his high kick as Loosa is slowing to a degree. Loosa gathers a full head of steam and races ahead with two looping punches, and he takes a straight right hand on the jaw and rips the body with a few strikes. The punches from Loosa have busted up McKee’s nose, and McKee retaliates with a low kick only to take a right hand over the top. McKee leaps forward with a knee, and he swats out with a right hand. As the two men reset, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The welterweights touch ‘em up before getting back to it, and McKee is the immediate aggressor this time around. Cutting off Loosa and jabbing at him, he looks for a head kick when Loosa is circling to that side. McKee jabs the body with a kick, and he fires off a high kicks with both legs. McKee connects with two hooks, and Loosa absorbs them and gives him an overhand right to think about. Loosa splits the guard with a left, and he belts McKee with a right. McKee attempts to keep Loosa at the end of his punches, but Loosa is able to close the distance and catch him with his signature right hand. McKee doubles up on a jab, and he chains it into a head kick. Loosa, in response, fires off two right hooks, and a third comes with his left hand. As McKee swings back, Loosa shoots in with a well-timed double-leg takedown, and he successfully puts the Irishman down. Loosa passes guard, only to get kicked off. This allows him to stand back up, reset, and leaps down to get to the side. Loosa drops down elbows until McKee turns to his knees and stands. Loosa gives chase and trips McKee up to plant him on his seat between the floor and the fencing. Loosa steps over to a full mount type of position, and he begins to rain down right hands. McKee stands back up with all his might, but Loosa clobbers him with right after right. McKee leans back against the wall, and Loosa opens up with both hands as McKee is taking them all cleanly and barely surviving. As Loosa busts his man up, he drops down for a sudden takedown, and this allows him to catch his breath after the seemingly unending salvo of fists. McKee turns to a single knee, but Loosa is able to press him down and smack him with a few left hands before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Loosa has caused some serious damage on the face of his adversary, with a busted nose and a fast-swelling right eye. This does not appear to bother him, as McKee starts out ready to go. It only takes a few jabs until Loosa changes the pace and shoots for a double. Loosa rips the Irishman off the ground and throws him to his back to send a message, and he starts working almost immediately with his jackhammering right hand. McKee looks to initiate a scramble, only for Loosa to smother him back down. McKee gets to one knee again, and he crawls to the point where his hands are down but his knees are both off the ground. Loosa stays on him and scoops him up off the ground, and he slams “Skeletor” to the mat. McKee summons his willpower to stand up valiantly, and the fighters return to striking range. Loosa pursues a distant double, and he misses like a bull charging at a matador. McKee pokes out jabs, and Loosa responds with a right over the top. McKee largely is relegated to single strikes, but he is landing more than his opponent. Loosa stays elusive enough to avoid many of the straight blows that are aimed at him, and he keeps a guard high to block any head kicks. Loosa shoots in on the hips, and McKee stops it and throws his foe to the ground like a sack of bricks. Loosa appears to be hurt badly and totally wiped, and McKee senses his opportunity to attack. McKee does just that, railing McKee with punches and elbows, and one elbows slices Loosa’s left cheek wide open. McKee unloads with everything he has, including a flying knee, and Loosa is on the ropes but hanging in there. McKee continues striking with anything in his toolkit, but time expires before he can get the finish he sought.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Ange Loosa def. Rhys McKee via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Taylor Lapilus (135) vs. Caolan Loughran (136)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: N/A

Round 1

A few days ago, Lapilus (18-3, 3-1 UFC) was expecting he would take on Muin Gafurov. His opponent, the unpopular – in this building – Loughran (8-0, 0-0 UFC), had also trained for a different adversary, in Yanis Ghemmouri that will be fighting later. The promotion elected to shred a fight to make two others, and this is the first between two bantamweights that did not prepare for one another. The Irishman is putting his spotless record on the line in this short-notice switcheroo, while Lapilus is back with the UFC after a four-fight stint that ended in 2016. Referee Lukasz Bosacki receives the preliminary headlining assignment as the crowd is going wild, and the combatants do not touch ‘em up. Lapilus introduces himself with a right hand down the pipe, and he follows it with another when it lands cleanly. Loughran takes a solid left hand on the chin, and he moves forward, swinging his left arm around. Loughran aims a body shots and tries to go with a right over the top, but Lapilus is out of the way in time. The crowd begins singing in support of the Frenchman, and Loughran walks his foe down and tags him. Lapilus responds with a stunning left hand, and Loughran has to shake out the cobwebs early. Loughran absorbs another pair of punches before shooting in for a double-leg takedown. Lapilus allows himself to get pushed back to the wall, and he sprawls to defend it while Loughran switches to pursue a single. The audience continues singing all the while, and Loughran is stuck to his foe but unable to put him down. Lapilus defends another single, and Loughran lifts his foe’s right leg up. Loughran bails on it and connects with a pair of hooks, and Lapilus responds with an uppercut and a knee that misses by a small margin. Lapilus pops out the jab as Loughran is keeping the pace, and Loughran reaches out with a left hand. Lapilus flashes his jab and follows them occasionally with off-timed left hands, and Loughran is unable to get a bead on him. Loughran drops down to a knee for a level change, and Lapilus intercepts him with a knee to the chest to force Loughran to stand back up. The Accor Arena is practically deafening as they carry on chanting and singing. Lapilus gets on his bike, and as he retreats, Loughran tackles him down to the mat and speedily secures full mount. Lapilus turns to a knee, and Loughran looks for a back take while he stands over his foe, holding him down. Loughran lands a single right hand until Lapilus explodes back up. Lapilus connects with two left hands, with one of them busting open Loughran’s left eyebrow right as the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

The action is quick to begin in Round 2, as Lapilus snipes his man standing right in front of him. Lapilus dodges the counter and stops a potential level change. Loughran gathers his thoughts, and he scoops the Frenchman up and puts him on his back to take the energy out of the audience in a hurry. Loughran traps Lapilus’ legs in a leg triangle popularized by Khabib Nurmagomedov, allowing him to maintain a mount-esque position. Loughran sits up and starts dropping down left hands, and Lapilus sits up to lean against the wall. Lapilus keeps control of Loughran’s wrist to stifle most of the ground-and-pound, but he is getting controlled even as he stands back up. Loughran hops onto his back like a malicious Irish backpack, and Lapilus shimmies his foe off of him. Lapilus drills a knee to the body before Loughran pursues a double, and the unbeaten fighter changes his approach to a single when the first try falls short. Bosacki asks for Loughran to work, and Lapilus stands his man up with a knee and a straight right hand before Loughran drops down in pursuit of another takedown. Lapilus’ defense holds up, and he pushes “The Don” back. Lapilus peppers his foe with jabs and a body kick, and a head kick from the Irishman is blocked well in time. Lapilus beats Loughran to the punch with a left hand, and he ducks a strike to get off another left. Loughran goes to the body, and Lapilus responds by stamping his foot and then sneaking in another big left. Loughran lunges forward, but the round ends before he can reach his foe.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

Practically sprinting at his opponent, Loughran starts off the round hyper-aggressively. As he throws strikes and counters a jab with a leg kick, the strike goes a bit high and bangs into Lapilus’ cup. Bosacki pauses the action, and Lapilus takes 30 seconds to recover. When they get back to it, Loughran is practically a coiled spring ready to lash out. Lapilus sees this coming and tags the Irishman with a left hand, but he cannot dissuade Loughran from attempting another takedown. Lapilus is able to defend it against the wall, and he stops a second single effort as well to break off and get some space. Lapilus prods with his jab until Loughran races at him for a low double. Lapilus stands him up and knees him in the belly, and Loughran doggedly pursues a double only to also get stifled once more. Lapilus allows Loughran to dive himself off-balance, and he steps away and lets Loughran stand. Lapilus stays active and prepared with counters, while not over-extending himself to allow for a takedown. Loughran rushes at him and drops down for a double, and Lapilus bucks him off and tosses aside a second attempt. Loughran swings his way into close proximity, and he manages to catch his foe with a few right hands. Loughran leaps at him and grabs hold of the ankle, but Lapilus grabs the fence, spins himself around, is warned for the foul and gets away. Lapilus flicks out jabs and threatens with lefts, and he clubs Loughran with one such left hook. Loughran explodes forward for a double, ignoring the jab in his face so he can move things to his preferred position. Lapilus’ takedown defense is exceptional in this battle, as he stuffs Loughran once more. Loughran lets his hands go, and he spins with a kick. Lapilus responds with a clean one-two down the pipe, and Loughran has to blink it out. The Irishman spins with a back fist that bounces off the guard, Lapilus dodges and releases two kicks, and the clash of styles has reached the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Taylor Lapilus def. Caolan Loughran via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Morgan Charriere (146) vs. Manolo Zecchini (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Charriere (-340), Zecchini (+270)

Round 1

It is well-timed that One Piece aficionado Charriere (18-9-1, 0-0 UFC) – who once went by the nickname of “Luffy” – makes his long-awaited UFC debut just days after the live action adaptation of the beloved anime series came out. Now calling himself “The Last Pirate,” the French fighter surges into this pairing with three wins dating back to 2022. He meets Venator FC standout Zecchini (11-3, 0-0 UFC), in a historic matchup of France vs. Italy. The featherweights will be joined in the Octagon by referee Rich Mitchell, who is prepared in the event that this does not go the distance. Fists are not bumped, and instead they proceed to strike almost right out of the gate. Zecchini uses his legs, while Charriere sticks his hands in Zecchini’s face. Charriere just misses with a check right hook, and both men proceed to throw hands. Charriere strings together a one-two, and he appears to have drawn some blood already on the forehead. Charriere follows his man around the cage, only for Zecchini to retaliate with three looping right hands. “The Last Pirate” keeps busy with his jabs and follow-up punches, and he intercepts a charging Zecchini with a solid right hand. Charriere slips the wide hooks, and he cracks Zecchini with a right hand behind the ear that drops Zecchini to his hands. Zecchini stands and whiffs with a head kick that makes him topple over, and Charriere allows his foe to stand up. Zecchini comes up short on a few kicks as he gives chase, and Charriere lines up a right hand that snaps the head back. Zecchini swings for the fences with an overhand right, and Charriere counters and eats a short right on the way forward. Charriere jabs to disrupt a low kick, and he rolls with a clean right hand and rips a left to the liver. Zecchini grimaces and gets on his bike to try to recover, and Charriere stabs his toes to the same spot. Zecchini is about to sling a right hand, and the pain suddenly catches up to him as the shutdown blow has found its mark. The Italian fighter bends over, and Charriere launches a Gum-Gum Whip of a soccer kick to the ribs to put Zecchini down for the count. As Zecchini slumps against the fence, Charriere bowls his doomed opponent over and deliver some punctuating punches, and Mitchell does not need to see any more as he waves off the contest. This is a statement performance for the debuting Charriere, who gives the French fans plenty to cheer for with his spectacular stoppage.

The Official Result

Morgan Charriere def. Manolo Zecchini R1 3:51 via KO (Body Kick and Punches)

Yanis Ghemmouri (146) vs. William Gomis (146)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gomis (-220) vs. Ghemmouri (+180)

Round 1

It’s France-on-France violence as the main card carries on, with the second of two matchups totally flipped on its head thanks to a few fighter withdrawals. Instead of Gomis (12-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. Lucas Almeida at 145 pounds and Ghemmouri (12-1, 0-0 UFC) taking on Loughran at bantamweight, Gomis and Ghemmouri square off. While he had to come in 10 pounds heavier than expected, Ghemmouri seems otherwise prepped and ready to make his promotional debut, but he is not favored to get his hand raised. Odds do not make fights, and referee Loic Pora knows that more than most people. The rebooked countrymen sportingly bump their fists together, and Gomis hand-fights early to not let Ghemmouri get his range. With Ghemmouri in orthodox and Gomis fighting southpaw, it allows Gomis to let loose with body kicks to the liver. He does just that, and Ghemmouri responds with multiple leg kicks on the outside. Gomis paws out a left hand, and he eats another chopping kick to the knee. The two trade kicks, one after the other. Gomis tries to double up on his strikes to outpace his foe, and the second gets caught. Ghemmouri just misses with a high kick, and Gomis springs out of the way to dodge one to the midsection. Gomis pokes out a few jabs and sticks a kick to the side, and the pace is largely in this kick-for-kick approach. Both men test one another with these kicks, and Gomis stomps down on the knee when he attacks a few times. Ghemmouri has a head kick blocked, and he avoids a spinning back kick with ease. Ghemmouri keeps his hands high to guard against a sudden high kick, and Gomis stands in front of him with his hands down. Gomis stomps the knee effectively, hyperextending the joint of Ghemmouri momentarily. Ghemmouri misses the mark with a head kick, and he shrugs at Gomis when Gomis continues chewing up his leg. When Ghemmouri goes high with his shin, Gomis intercepts him with a right hand. Ghemmouri tries to catch a kick, and it bounces up and into his cup. Pora offers the fouled fighter time to recover, but Ghemmouri tells him he is good to go. Gomis snaps into action with several punches and a kick, and he races back to block the coming strikes as the round ends.

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

The second round begins right where the two left off, smacking one another with kicks in alternating fashion. Gomis looks to push the pace earlier, and he outvolumes Ghemmouri in the early going but is still absorbing plenty that come back at him. Ghemmouri is inaccurate with a hook kick, and Gomis blitzes him with a solid right hand. Ghemmouri walks into a head kick, and he tries to clinch up only to get cracked with an elbow. Gomis leaps forward with a punch, and Ghemmouri snatches up his leg and goes after a single. “The Jaguar” jumps back to the wall, and he sets up a standing guillotine choke and keeps it tight. Gomis turns the choke into a power guillotine, and he jams Ghemmouri down to the floor. Ghemmouri appears to tap out once on Gomis’ hip, but Pora is on the other side and does not see it. Ghemmouri powers his way back up, his neck still in danger, and Gomis is hanging tight with it. Gomis presses hard in the posture until Ghemmouri pulls his neck out and turns the MMA Factory fighter around. Ghemmouri settles down, pressing Gomis against the cage, and thumping him with shoulder strikes and a solid knee to the body. Ghemmouri knees the body and they split apart, where they proceed to jab at one another using their feet. Gomis stays active with a low kick and one upside the face, and Ghemmouri wags his finger at him. Ghemmouri hops forward into a kick on the thigh, and Gomis replies with two right back. Gomis tries to swarm ahead with two looping punches, and he has a jumping switch kick bounce off the guard. Gomis spins with a back kick to the ribs, and the horn sounds.

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

The Frenchmen high-five and then hug, and the crowd gives it up to them after a spirited 10 minutes of combat. Gomis leads off with a few stomping kicks to the knee, and Ghemmouri looks to catch a leg kick and go after a takedown. Although he cannot snag hold of a limb, he does rumble forward into a clinch that pushes Gomis to the wire. Gomis answers him with a sudden high knee, and Pora promptly tells them to do more. Gomis gets free first, and he blocks a big head kick. Gomis turns his hips into a leg kick, and Ghemmouri does not like this one and he switches stances briefly. Ghemmouri races forward in pursuit of a single, and he lifts Gomis’ right leg up and jams him against the fence. Pora asks for more action, and Gomis splits off again and lets loose two kicks to the body. The second kick skims up and brushes the cup as it strikes on the belt line, lifting Ghemmouri off the ground, and Ghemmouri groans and bends over in pain. Pora shouts to Ghemmouri that it was a legal strike and that he needs to keep fighting. Ghemmouri protests that the kick landed on his groin, and Pora waves the fight off to declare it a knockout instead calling time for an illegal strike. Ghemmouri is beside himself, upset and confused and angry that he has now officially suffered the first knockout loss of his career under controversial circumstances. The replay booth reviews the footage and upholds Pora’s ruling that the kick was legal, and the fight result stands for the time being.

The Official Result

William Gomis def. Yanis Ghemmouri R3 2:20 via TKO (Body Kick)

Bogdan Guskov (205) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (205)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Oezdemir (-185), Guskov (+154)

Round 1

Given his consistently high level of opposition since debuting in the UFC back in 2017 against Ovince St. Preux, Oezdemir (18-7, 6-6 UFC) has seen his stock rise to heights of championship contention and fall to a .500 record in the Octagon. Having dropped three of his last four since the pandemic began, “No Time” has no time left to get back in the win column. Receiving a late replacement for Azamat Murzakanov, the Swiss striker now meets Uzbekistan-born powerhouse Guskov (14-2, 0-0 UFC), who celebrates 11 first-round finishes across his 14 pro victories. Violence and carnage are soon to be had for these two heavy-handed light heavyweights, but referee Marc Goddard checks the two in calmly as they touch gloves first. Oezdemir lands the first strike, with a leg kick, and Guskov responds with a missed punch. Oezdemir clips him with a short pair of punches, and he hops back from a straight left hand. Oezdemir snacks the thigh with a kick, goes after the calf, and then ducks away when Guskov tries to counter. Oezdemir clips his foe with a left hand, and he slams his shin to the thigh. Both men crash together throwing hands, with Oezdemir landing the flusher blow but getting tagged as well. Oezdemir ducks a punch and shoots for a takedown, and he lifts the newcomer off the ground and sets him down lightly. “No Time” lands in half guard, and he lands a pair of punches to the body and stacks Guskov up. Guskov manages to work his way to one knee, and Oezdemir drags him down again. Guskov explodes to his feet and gets cracked with a right hand, but he shakes it off and hammers Goskov’s lead leg with a few kicks. Oezdemir misses the mark with a front kick, and after an exchange, his nose is briefly bloodied up. Oezdemir drills the Uzbekistani fighter with a vicious left hook, and he gives chase and knocks Guskov off his feet. Guskov falls to the ground, and he turns to his knees as Oezdemir pounds on him. Oezdemir easily claims full mount and blasts away with punches until Guskov turns to his belly. The Swiss contender quickly takes advantage of this position by flattening Guskov out and snatching up the rear-naked choke. Guskov is totally defeated and wastes no time before tapping, and “No Time” has successfully landed his first submission since 2012.

The Official Result

Volkan Oezdemir def. Bogdan Guskov R1 3:46 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)

Thiago Moises (156) vs. Benoit St. Denis (156)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: St. Denis (-155), Moises (+130)

Round 1

In this lightweight “featured fight of the night,” these two men come into this battle with the ultra-rare distinction of their recent wins both coming by face crank. To note, they attempted rear-naked chokes, but elected to crush the jaws of their opponents to force taps, rather than sliding their forearms under chins. St. Denis (11-1, 1 NC; 3-1 UFC) tapped out surging Brazilian Ismael Bonfim in his last time out, while Moises (17-6, 6-4 UFC) put the hurt on the valiant Melquizael Costa in January. Someone’s finish streak will come to an abrupt halt shortly, and referee Lukasz Bosacki is squared away should his services be needed. Excited to get after it, the two lightweights do not bother touching them up. The crowd clearly is on the side of St. Denis, and their chants give him energy as he practically races out of his corner to strike. As St. Denis loads up on several kicks, one pounds square into the cup of the Brazilian, and Moises moans as Bosacki calls time. Moises takes about 90 seconds before getting back to action, and the audience sings the whole time. St. Denis does not stop throwing his rear leg body kick when they resume, and he slams his shin on the ribs again. On a second strike, Moises claims it went low, and Bosacki has a very difficult decision to make regarding ruling it legal or a foul. The replay shows it was close, and Moises is amped up but St. Denis is ready to hunt him down on the reset. St. Denis charges, tagging Moises with several punches and knocking him into the wall. Moises responds with a body kick, and when he gets backed to the wall, St. Denis drops down to take him down. Moises keeps his footing but decides to drop down to a knee to protect himself from knees that would otherwise be soaring at his dome. St. Denis lets him back up so that he can connect with one flush knee, and the Brazilian bursts out of the position to reset. Moises scores a heavy low kick on the inside calf, and St. Denis shakes his leg out and knocks Moises back to the wire. Moises counters wildly, connecting flush with a huge right hand, and St. Denis is staggered. To recover, “God of War” goes after a double, and he succeeds in putting Moises on his face. Moises takes the punches on the side of the head so that he can suddenly spin around and latch on with a leg lock. St. Denis wrenches his leg out and bowls Moises over again to deliver some stern ground-and-pound. Moises keeps his offensive guard busy to keep St. Denis on his toes, but he does take a sharp elbow on the forehead in the process. St. Denis stacks his opponent up and lands some powerful strikes, and he shreds open a huge cut on Moises’ temple. Moises rolls for a sneaky kneebar, and St. Denis pulls out of it as the two get back to their feet. The lightweights proceed to slug it out ferociously, both cracking the other and getting rocked in a terrific exchange that only ends when the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores

Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 St. Denis

Round 2

The cut on Moises’ face is largely sealed between rounds, but St. Denis is ready to punch that target repeatedly as the round begins. St. Denis rushes out of his corner to trade leather, and as soon as Moises sits down on counters, the Frenchman changes levels and drags Moises to a knee. St. Denis drives his knee to the thigh as the crowd cheers for every strike he lands as if it were a muay thai banger in Lumpinee Stadium. Moises gets stuck on his knee as St. Denis beats on him, and he powers upright and out of the bad position as blood leaks from his visage. St. Denis paws at it with his fist, and his left hand splits the guard a few times. St. Denis slams his shin off the raised guard, and Moises swings for the fences with counter shots. One such power strike makes St. Denis slow down for a moment, with a bit of a mark forming under St. Denis’ right eye. Moises changes things up and attacks for a takedown, and he sets St. Denis down. Much to the delight of the audience, St. Denis springs back to his feet, and the two men trade vicious elbows on the inside. St. Denis muscles Moises down to his knees, and he whacks him with several right hands as Moises appears to be fading. St. Denis allows Moises to stand just so he can irritate him with a sudden mat return, and his right hand continues to bounce off Moises’ head and guard. The Brazilian is turtled up against the cage, and St. Denis lays into him with fists that make Bosacki take a close look at the action. St. Denis unloads with knees to the side, and he rains down a lengthy barrage of right hands in pursuit of a finish. Bosacki gives Moises every bit of time to defend himself or improve his position, but St. Denis will not allow Moises to get up. Instead, the French fighter rains down one final stream of right hands that keep getting through, and Bosacki deems Moises is no longer intelligently defending himself. The crowd explodes in favor of “God of War,” as he puts French competitors at 4-1 thus far against foreign opponents – as Gomis vs. Ghemmouri came between two men hailing from L’Hexagone.

The Official Result

Benoit St. Denis def. Thiago Moises R2 4:44 via TKO (Punches)

Manon Fiorot (125) vs. Rose Namajunas (125)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fiorot (-185), Namajunas (+154)

Round 1

The bout that likely holds the greatest immediate title implications today comes in the co-main event, between two flyweights. Competing in MMA on French soil for the first time, Nice-born Fiorot (10-1, 5-0 UFC) hopes that a win over former champ Namajunas (11-5, 9-4 UFC) will propel her to the top of the weight class. On the other side of the equation, “Thug Rose” will be making her first jaunt to 125 pounds after multiple championship reigns down at strawweight. The size difference is not as significant as some might expect, and the women will have upwards of 15 minutes to state their case as elite members of the division. As referee Rich Mitchell stands by, the two ladies decide against bumping fists. Namajunas snaps out a quick right hand, and Fiorot responds with a left. Namajunas lands a low kick, and she pushes off with a side kick as Fiorot crowds her. Namajunas misses with a back fist, and Fiorot lands with a stern right hook. Fiorot stands fearlessly in front of her opponent, and she misses with a one-two and tries to catch her with a second. Namajunas slides to the side and sneak out a left hook. Fiorot catches Namajunas before the former champ can get off a combination, and she connects with a body shot when Namajunas closes the distance. Namajunas kicks low and shoots for a single, and the Frenchwoman tosses her aside with little effort. Fiorot keeps her range with a low kick and lunging jab, and her kicks are successfully keeping Namajunas at bay. Fiorot gets off a jab and a one-two, and Namajunas parries the latter. Namajunas beats Fiorot to the punch with a left hand, and she lands this same punch two more times. Namajunas kicks the lead leg, and Fiorot backs her off with short combinations of punches. Namajunas lands one kick and takes three punches off the top before she can reset. Namajunas manages to get in a single left, and Fiorot ignores it. Fiorot misses with a strike, and Namajunas slips her and connects cleanly with a left hand. As the former champ blocks a kick, she meanders forward and evades the other strikes with decent head movement. Namajunas drops down to her knees to snatch up a single, and Fiorot shuts it down and gets away. Fiorot lands cleanly with a left hand on the nose, and she bats Namajunas away with a side kick. The round ends with Fiorot jabbing.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 2

Between rounds, Namajunas informs her corner that she broke her right pink finger, and partner Pat Barry says “that’s alright, you don’t need her finger.” Namajunas is not discouraged despite the potential injury, and she is ready to resume action. Namajunas gets in Fiorot’s face early with a flurry of punches, and Fiorot stays composed and does not take many strikes cleanly. Fiorot boxes Namajunas up with a few shots ending with a short right hook, and two punches send Namajunas off-balance. Namajunas topples over, and she climbs to her knees and up as Fiorot rushes at her. Namajunas fights her way out of the clinch, only to absorb a flush knee to the body. Namajunas swipes out with a left, and her strikes do not have near the impact compared to her opponent’s – and the size difference does appear to be widening the competitive gap between the two. Fiorot takes a hook kick on the nose, and she leans back to dodge a subsequent spinning wheel kick in the nick of time. Fiorot spams punches, and Namajunas evades every single one and comes back with a right hand over the top. Fiorot times a head kick as Namajunas comes in on her, and Namajunas is able to respond with a huge right hand that shakes Fiorot up at the same time Fiorot tosses a side kick. Namajunas uses the moment to pursue a takedown, but Fiorot outmuscles her and keeps herself upright before breaking free. Namajunas lands a right hand on the break, and she holds her guard high to defend against a kick. Both women swing at the same time and duck down, and their heads clack together as a sizeable cut opens on Fiorot’s right temple. Fiorot pays it no mind and tells Mitchell she is fine, and the blood flow is not presenting any issues. Namajunas times a left hand on that target, and she gets pushed back from a side kick. Fiorot sweeps the leg, and she absorbs a good right hand on the way out. Namajunas scores a short left, but Fiorot lands two back at her. Namajunas swings hard, and she does land a left hook, only for Fiorot to completely ignore it as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores

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

Round 3

There is no plan on a glove touch to start the last round, and instead Namajunas is ready to go to battle and try to pull off a comeback. Namajunas lets go with a head kick and shoots for a single, and Fiorot blocks the former and stuffs the latter. Namajunas resets and chops at the lead leg, and she darts forward with a pair of punches that whiz past the Frenchwoman. Namajunas whips a left hand over the top, and she lands another before changing levels. Fiorot will not allow herself to be taken down, and she bucks out of the posture and gets back to kickboxing range. Fiorot gets off a stomp kick to the knee, and Namajunas rushes at her opponent only to miss wide. Namajunas sticks Fiorot during an exchange, and Fiorot retaliates with a trio of punches. Fiorot comes up just short when trying to counter a leg kick, and she absorbs a flush right hand but keeps on moving. The former champ scores a right hand, but it is one-and-done as Fiorot is well away from any strikes that could possibly follow. Fiorot snipes with her jab and swiping right hook, using it to stop Namajunas from getting on the inside. Namajunas chases after Fiorot, and they trade head kicks – Fiorot’s lands much harder. Namajunas tries to cut off the cage, but Fiorot is elusive and her timing is erratic enough to not let Namajunas track her down. Namajunas dings her foe with three left hooks, and Fiorot slips but gathers herself and leans back against the wall instead of falling down. Namajunas looks for a few strikes, and Fiorot breaks off and escapes. Namajunas continues her pursuit, and Fiorot gets out of danger and watches a spin kick soar past her as time elapses.

Sherdog Scores

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

The Official Result

Manon Fiorot def. Rose Namajunas via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Ciryl Gane (250) vs. Sergey Spivak (256)

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gane (-166), Spivak (+140)

Round 1

It’s heavyweight time. In the main attraction, with 25 minutes or less to get things done, former interim champ Gane (11-2, 8-2 UFC) wants to give home country fans something to cheer about in a big way. Standing across from him will be Spivak (16-3, 7-3 UFC), a veritable polar bear that has developed into a serious contender. In this classic striker vs. grappler contest, anything could happen. Referee Marc Goddard will be here for it. The respect is ample as the big men bump their fists together, and away we go. Spivak moves right to the center of the cage, and Gane keeps his hands low and circles around him. Gane splits the guard with a quick jab, and he pushes out with a front kick. Spivak responds with a body kick, and Gane switches stances and paws out with a leg kick. Gane snipes with a jab, and he dips a looping right hand that slides past his shoulder. Gane hand-fights when Spivak gets close, and he jabs the midsection. Spivak attempts a takedown, and Gane pushes both of his hands on the back of Spivak’s head to stop it in its tracks. Gane picks away with front kicks to the body and jabs, and Spivak is already not having a great time in there. Biting down on his mouthpiece, Spivak closes the distance and tags Gane with a right hand. Spivak sells out for a charging takedown, and Gane expertly sprawls, allows Spivak to stand back up, and knees him square in the liver. Gane targets all areas with impunity, and both men snap the other’s head back with power jabs. Gane works the body and goes up top when places open up. Gane continues to do work and evade a few looping strikes, and a jab makes Spivak blink it out repeatedly. The continued jabs from Gane bloody up the nose, and his chipping leg kicks are having an impact as well. Gane digs two hands to the body, and he ducks the overhand right counter with ease. Gane styles on Spivak with distant strikes, and his range is such that Spivak cannot touch him back. Gane doubles up on a jab and pushes out a right hand, and he chains a high kick that slaps into the guard. Spivak lumbers forward, and Gane dances around while scoring three jabs and a right hand to conclude the fairly one-sided 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 heavyweights touch gloves to get started again, and Gane instantly enters cruising altitude with frustrating leg kicks, jabs and other distance-keeping strikes. Spivak looks to catch one low kick and crash the pocket with an overhand right, and Gane parries him aside without allowing the takedown to materialize. Gane confidently stays seemingly right in front of his opponent, landing shots to anywhere he sees fit, and Spivak is tough but not offering much back effectively. Gane dips to his side, and Spivak times a clean left hook. Gane responds by putting some pop into his shots, and he makes Spivak shell up momentarily to protect from further harm. The Frenchman springs back and forth, ducking a right hook and jabbing the body with his toes outstretched when eh resets. Gane strings punches up top to a few to the body, and he steps in with a knee to the breadbasket for good measure. Gane keeps working the body brilliantly, and he steps in with a vertical elbow and a right hand to follow it. Gane digs his shin to the liver, and he leans back right as Spivak is about to counter him. Gane finds a right hand right on the target with odd timing on it, and Spivak reels and bounces off the fencing. Gane blasts the body again and again, and one knee bends the Moldovan over in pain. Spivak recovers, but he is getting picked apart. Spivak is offering nothing back, and Gane lays into him with his punishing fists. Spivak leans over and a few blows bounce off the back of his head, but Gane keeps right on clubbing him without any concern of reprisal. The strikes do not stop coming from Gane, and he pushes Spivak back to the fence and unloads with punches, hammerfists, tomahawk arcing fists and anything else he feels like drilling Spivak with. As Goddard watches closely, Spivak’s balance nearly betrays him. Before Spivak hits the ground in defeat, Goddard leaps in between the two to cease the dominant beating courtesy of the Frenchman. Gane is all smiles as the crowd erupts in celebration of his triumph and the others from earlier, with French combatants tonight performing swimmingly – of the seven from this country against foreign opponents, six emerged victorious. The promotion is prepared for the end result, placing heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall in the crowd as the likely next test. If that fight comes together, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.

The Official Result

Ciryl Gane def. Sergey Spivak R2 3:44 via TKO (Punches)