UFC Paris Main Card Preview

The UFC is headed to Paris with a loaded main card and we can not wait...

Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane VS. Tai “Bam Bam”Tuivasa

In an intriguing heavyweight matchup, two heavyweights do battle in the main event in the first UFC event in Paris. One of the heaviest hitters in the division, the Australian Tai Tuivasa, will take on the dynamic French kickboxer and former interim champion and title challenger Ciryl Gane. This is a fight with title implications, as both men continue to surge in the heavyweight division. Gane is coming off a loss against Francis Ngannou, which saw him handily win the first 2 rounds until Francis showed off his wrestling. Many in the MMA media believe that Gane’s lack of experience led him to his first career combat sports loss. He faces his third straight power threat in a row, the athletic Tai Tuivasa. Coming off the biggest win of his career against Derrick Lewis, he will attempt to continue surging while looking for his 6th victory in a row. Riding a 5 fight knockout streak that includes wins over Greg Hardy, Augusto Sakai, and “the Black Beast” Derrick Lewis, Tuivasa’s power is undeniably his biggest strength. However, when fighting Ciryl Gane and his well-rounded Muay Thai style, it may prove to be a difficult obstacle to overcome. As of the time of writing, Cyril Gane is a -600 favourite, while Tai Tuivasa is a +400 underdog. However, many critics believe this fight is much closer than Vegas has depicted it to be. Will Cyril Gane have another perfect performance, or will Tai Tuivasa add another highlight to his already long reel? This is a fight that cannot be missed, and it cannot be understated how intriguing and mutually dangerous and destructive of a matchup this can pan out to be, and it is all happening on a historic night.

Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker VS. Marvin “The Italian Dream” Vettori

In a fight initially slated for UFC 275 in Singapore, two well-rounded middleweights look to make their stake at a trilogy against the #2 pound-for-pound and dominant middleweight king Israel Adesanya. Both 185 lb fighters are two of the most well-rounded mixed martial artists in the game and both plan on smashing their way to a victory on Saturday night. All-time great middleweight Robert Whittaker hopes to display his slick boxing, underrated Karate, and jiu-jitsu to a win over “the Italian Dream.” The always challenging, iron-chinned Marvin Vettori looks to build another winning streak after defeating Paolo Costa in an underrated fight of the year candidate. To many fans, this fight boils down to Vettori’s steel chin, well-rounded skill set or Whittaker’s ability to seemingly overwhelm every opponent he fights. Without a doubt, this is a Pay-Per-View fight, but it is brought to us fans for free, and it will undoubtedly deliver as a contender for fight of the night.

Alessio “Manzo” Di Chirco VS. Roman Kopylov

With Di Chirico going 1-4 in his last 5 bouts and Kopylov being on a two-fight skid to open his UFC career, this fight may be viewed as a potential “do or die” matchup. Alessio Di Chirico brings a well-rounded set of skills to the matchup, with 6 KO/TKO and 4 submissions on his record of 13-6, and Kopylov with 7 KO/TKO on his record of 8-2. Against Manzo, Kopylov needs to utilize his 83% takedown defence rate, as Di Chirico has the edge on the ground. While not being a fight people expected for the main card, it is an important one to both fighters’ future.

Nasrat Haqparast VS. John “The Bull” Makdessi

Two Canadian MMA products will do battle in Paris. Haqparast is a pupil of the legendary Faraz Sahabi out of Tristar gym in Montreal, Quebec. Both fighters bring a similar game plan to the table, as they are both strikers. Makdessi is a kickboxer who has performed impressively over the surging Ignacio Bahamondes, Ross Pearson, and Shane Campbell. Nasrat Haqparast holds wins over Marc Diakiese and Rafa Garcia, most notably. Both men are potent strikers with a solid ground game; however, many believe Haqparast has the edge in grappling. This is one of many potential fight-of-the-night candidates coming to Paris on Saturday that cannot be missed, as it is an exciting stylistic matchup with two very violent men.

Charles “Air” Jourdain VS. Nathaniel “The Prospect” Wood

Exciting young prospects Charles Jourdain and Nathaniel Wood face off in the main card opener in Paris. This is undoubtedly the leading candidate for the fight of the night as both men do nothing but pure violence, each showing in the octagon. The Canadian Jourdain is a well-rounded fighter with all but one finish in his victories. He has excellent Muay Thai skills and a very underrated ground game as a black belt. Some deem him one of the most exciting fighters in the entire promotion. Nathaniel Wood, the British former Bantamweight, is a powerful striker who can also hold his own on the ground. With both men seen as potential future contenders for the featherweight title, this bout speaks volumes about who is developing at a faster rate and has implications for a spot in the top 15 in the coming months. This is one of the best ways to start the main card on a night full of violence and history for the UFC.

By: Steven Liakakos