UFC Paris: Gane vs. Spivac
The UFC returned to Paris for the second time in history on September 2, 2023, for UFC Paris. The main event featured former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane facing off against rising contender Sergey Spivac.
Gane (10-1) was looking to rebound from a disappointing submission loss to Jon Jones in his previous fight. Spivac (13-3) was looking to build on his three-fight winning streak and earn a title shot.
Gane ultimately prevailed by TKO in the second round. He showed off his superior striking and he was able to control the fight from start to finish.
In the co-main event, Manon Fiorot defeated Rose Namajunas by unanimous decision. Fiorot (9-1) is one of the most promising flyweights in the UFC, and she showed why with a dominant performance. Namajunas (11-5) was coming off a loss to Carla Esparza, and she was unable to find her rhythm against Fiorot. Rose also suffered a broken pinky in the very first round of the fight.
Other notable results from UFC Paris include:
- Volkan Oezdemir defeated Bogdan Guskov by submission (rear-naked choke) in the first round.
- William Gomis defeated Yanis Ghemmouri by TKO (body kick) in the third round.
- Morgan Charriere defeated Taylor Lapilus by unanimous decision.
- Ange Loosa defeated Nora Cornolle by unanimous decision.
- Farid Basharat defeated Jacqueline Cavalcanti by unanimous decision.
UFC Paris was a successful event, and it was a great way for the UFC to continue its expansion into Europe. The fans in Paris were passionate and appreciative, and they created a great atmosphere for the fights.
The UFC has already announced that it will return to Paris in 2024 (source: Cageside Press), and it will be interesting to see who the promotion will highlight next time.
Here are a few quick facts about UFC Paris:
- The event was held at the Accor Arena, which is a 20,300-seat arena located in Paris.
- The main card aired live on ESPN+ in the United States.
- The event was also available to watch on UFC Fight Pass in over 175 countries.
- The attendance for the event was 18,000, which was a sell-out.
UFC Paris was a great night of fights, and it was a successful event for the UFC. The promotion is clearly committed to growing its presence in Europe, and Paris is a major city that is well-suited for hosting UFC events. I’m sure we’ll see many more UFC events in Paris in the years to come.
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