Tag: UFC Fight Night 226

Tom Aspinall: Serghei Spivac ‘stylistically a bad matchup for Ciryl Gane,’ fight not as one-sided as people think

Heading into UFC Paris, Tom Aspinall believes people are counting out Serghei Spivac too easily.

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] believes [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] is being counted out too much against [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag].

Spivac (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) meets former interim heavyweight champion Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 226 main event at Accor Arena in Paris. The event streams on ESPN+.

Gane will look to rebound from his quick submission loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285. Aspinall (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who will be in attendance for the fight, holds a quick TKO finish over Spivac. But he thinks Spivac’s grappling could pose problems for Gane.

“He does not like another guy on top of him roughing him up,” Aspinall said of Gane on the “Fight Disciples” podcast. “There’s no answer to it. That’s why he does a lot of flicking in and out movements, which, granted, he’s very, very good at. But against someone like Spivac, who’s a front-foot fighter, who’s a strong grappler, you need to get him on the back foot.

“So, I don’t think this fight’s as one-sided as a lot of people are thinking. A lot of people are going out there thinking, ‘Oh yeah, Ciryl Gane’s a lot better than him.’ Granted, he looks a lot better, he’s a better striker, he’s definitely a better mover, his punches are more accurate, he’s probably more of a complete fighter than Spivac is. But stylistically it’s a bad matchup for Ciryl Gane.”

According to BetMGM, Spivac is a +140 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Moldovan fighter would win $140 profit. Gane is a -165 favorite, meaning a $165 bet would be needed on “Bon Gamin” to return $100 profit.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

Zarah Fairn promises upgrades at UFC Paris after training with Khamzat Chimaev

Zarah Fairn has yet to taste victory in the UFC, but she thinks that’s about to change.

PARIS – [autotag]Zarah Fairn[/autotag] has yet to taste victory in the UFC, but she thinks that’s about to change.

Fairn (6-5 MMA, 0-3 UFC) takes on UFC newcomer Jacqueline Cavalcanti (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on Saturday, and she’s a sizable underdog in the women’s bantamweight fight. But she thinks she might have some surprises in store thanks to her training camp. She spent a portion of it working with UFC standout Khamzat Chimaev and expects a new version of herslef.

Fairn talked about that and more at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day in Paris.

Check out the full interview in the video above. UFC Fight Night 226 takes place Saturday at Accor Arena and is the UFC’s second visit to France. The event streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

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Nora Cornolle not worried about Joselyne Edwards’ recent weight misses, even if she comes in at lightweight

Nora Cornolle said she’s got nothing to lose, everything to prove and has no pressure heading into her UFC debut.

PARIS – [autotag]Nora Cornolle[/autotag] said she’s got nothing to lose, everything to prove and has no pressure heading into her UFC debut.

Cornolle (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) said she feels honored to have her first fight in the promotion come against someone with more experience than her. Joselyne Edwards (13-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC), whom Cornolle fights in a women’s bantamweight matchup, has a three-fight winning streak and six fights in the UFC. But she’s not worried that Edwards has back-to-back weight misses at 135 pounds. She’s ready for her UFC debut no matter the circumstance.

Cornolle talked about that and more at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day in Paris.

Check out the full interview in the video above. UFC Fight Night 226 takes place Saturday at Accor Arena and is the UFC’s second visit to France. The event streams on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

UFC free fight: Serghei Spivac submits Derrick Lewis with ease

Ahead of his return Saturday at UFC Fight Night 226 in Paris, watch Serghei Spivac make quick work of Derrick Lewis.

[autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] is coming off arguably the best win of his career.

In February, the Maldovan fighter headlined UFC Fight Night 218 against former UFC title challenger Derrick Lewis. Spivac took Lewis down, controlled him, then locked in an arm-triangle choke for a first-round submission win.

It was a swift and flawless performance by Spivac, and you can watch the video of the full fight above.

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Spivac returns to the octagon Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night 226 at Accor Arena in Paris. Spivac takes on former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane.

Spivac (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) currently is on a three-fight winning streak and 6-1 in his past seven fights. His lone defeat during that current stretch came against top contender Ton Aspinall in 2021. Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is coming off a submission loss to Jon Jones in March for the vacant heavyweight title. [lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

Yanis Ghemmouri predicts Fight of Night vs. William Gomis at UFC Paris

Yanis Ghemmouri has high hopes for his UFC debut – the kind that come with an extra $50,000.

PARIS – [autotag]Yanis Ghemmouri[/autotag] has high hopes for his UFC debut – the kind that come with an extra $50,000.

Ghemmouri (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on William Gomis (12-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a featherweight bout Saturday in France, but it’s one that was hastily assembled with opponent switches. Ghemmouri went from fellow UFC debutant Caolan Loughran to Gomis, who has a pair of UFC wins under his belt.

And to add another wrench to the works, Gomis, like Ghemmouri, is from France. But he thinks all the elements are in place for the pair to have the kind of performance that leads to bonuses.

Ghemmouri talked about that and more at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day in Paris.

Check out the full interview in the video above. UFC Fight Night 226 takes place Saturday at Accor Arena and is the UFC’s second visit to France. The event streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

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William Gomis wants more than a win over Yanis Ghemmouri at UFC Paris – he wants a finish

William Gomis not only has been accustomed to winning, he’s been accustomed to finishing his opponents.

PARIS – [autotag]William Gomis[/autotag] not only has been accustomed to winning, he’s been accustomed to finishing his opponents.

Before he came to the UFC, Gomis was on an eight-fight winning streak with six stoppages. But in his promotional debut in Paris in front of his home fans a year ago, he had to settle for a majority decision win. His next time out in April, he missed weight, then took a split call from Francis Marshall.

Now Gomis (12-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is hoping he can get back to finishing people when he meets fellow French fighter Yanis Ghemmouri (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on Saturday.

Gomis talked about that and more at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day in Paris.

Check out the full interview in the video above. UFC Fight Night 226 takes place Saturday at Accor Arena and is the UFC’s second visit to France. The event streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

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UFC Fight Night 226’s Benoit Saint Denis: ‘You will never see me doing a boring fight’

Don’t expected Benoit Saint Denis to fight more conservatively now that he’s finding success and rising up the UFC lightweight rankings.

PARIS – Don’t expected [autotag]Benoit Saint Denis[/autotag] to fight more conservatively now that he’s finding success and rising up the UFC lightweight rankings.

Saint Denis (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has reeled off three straight wins – all by stoppage – as he heads into Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 226 matchup with Thiago Moises (17-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC), which takes place at Accor Arena and streams on ESPN+.

The Frenchman values winning above all else, but he also knows entertainment is a significant part of gaining traction with the UFC brass and fans of the sport. For that reason, he enters the cage each time willing to go out on his shield.

“If I need to go through a fight and I’m not winning it, I will do everything I can to win it,” Saint Denis told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day. “If I need to get knocked the f*ck out or I need to get submitted by doing that, I will go through. All I want is a victory. If there’s a 1 percent chance of getting the victory by putting myself in danger, I will do it. You will never see me doing a boring fight. If I’m losing a fight, I will take risk.”

The approach from Saint Denis, 27, has paid dividends. “The God of War” positioned himself to get a fight with Moises, who has shared the octagon with the likes of current UFC lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev, Beneil Dariush, Bobby Green and more. It’s a true test for Saint Denis, and he’s ready to see how he stacks up.

“I’m very happy because I’m looking for a tough fight, and he’s a guy that can give me what I’m expecting to have inside the octagon of the UFC,” Saint Denis said. “He’s well-rounded, he’s only gotten finished by the champ (Makhachev and Joel Alvarez). … He’s a tough fighter and I think he thinks he’s better than me in everything. I think the same. Let’s see who is right.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

Serghei Spivac open to Tom Aspinall rematch with win over Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris

Ahead of his second straight UFC main event, Serghei Spivac thinks he could be inching closer to a heavyweight title shot.

PARIS – Ahead of his second straight UFC main event, [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag] thinks he could be inching closer to a heavyweight title shot.

Spivac (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has a tall order in front of him Saturday when he takes on former interim champ Ciryl Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in front of Gane’s home fans in France. But a win would give him four straight – and he already has his sights set on a possibility for what could be No. 5.

If Spivac beats Gane, he said he’d love another shot at Tom Aspinall, who recently returned from a yearlong injury layoff with a dominant finish of Marcin Tybura in London. Aspinall put Spivac away halfway through the first round nearly two years ago. Spivac hasn’t lost since.

Spivac talked about that and more at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day in Paris.

Check out the full interview in the video above. UFC Fight Night 226 takes place Saturday at Accor Arena and is the UFC’s second visit to France. The event streams on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

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Manon Fiorot not impressed by Erin Blanchfield, thinks title shot is hers with Rose Namajunas win at UFC Paris

Manon Fiorot is confident she leapfrogs Erin Blanchfield with a win at UFC Fight Night 226.

PARIS – [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] is confident she’ll leapfrog [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] with a win at UFC Fight Night 226.

Fiorot (10-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) takes on two-time UFC strawweight champion Namajunas (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in a flyweight bout in Saturday’s co-main event at Accor Arena in Paris. The event streams on ESPN+.

Blanchfield (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is coming off a unanimous decision win over former title challenger Taila Santos this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 225 in Singapore. After watching that fight, Fiorot was even more assured that an impressive win over Namajunas makes her No. 1 contender.

“I’m 100 percent sure that if I put on a good performance in this fight, considering the performance we’ve seen from Santos and Blanchfield, I’m going to be fighting for the belt,” Fiorot said through an interpreter during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day. “I’m 100 percent convinced by that.”

Fiorot is not sold on Blanchfield’s resume, and doesn’t think it warrants a title shot over her.

“I wasn’t impressed at all, actually, because until this point, she never really fought against an opponent at a high level,” Fiorot said. “I think this fight showed her real level, and so I wasn’t really that impressed, no.”

Fiorot got her wish in welcoming Namajunas to flyweight, and sees her as the perfect challenge in her pursuit to gold.

“I think Rose is one of the best fighters we’ve seen,” Fiorot said. “She’s an incredible fighter. I personally put her in the top five in the rankings. She’s a former champion, as well. It’s a massive test for me, as well, before I want to go and get that fight for the belt.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.

Ciryl Gane’s message ahead of UFC Paris: I’m still here, and I’m making a heavyweight title run

Ciryl Gane is eager to regain his UFC heavyweight title contention status.

PARIS – [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] is eager to regain his title contention status.

Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) will look to rebound from his quick submission loss to Jon Jones when he meets Serghei Spivac (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 226 main event at Accor Arena in Paris. The event streams on ESPN+.

“Bon Gamin” finds himself in unfamiliar territory having lost two of his past three. Flying in to challenge the winner of Gane vs. Spivac is Tom Aspinall, but Gane says his goals go beyond Aspinall.

“The better way for me, no, it’s not this way,” Gane said during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day. “The better way for me is to do exactly what we did the last years – to put a big message this Saturday, and the message is: ‘I’m still here, I want to go back to the belt.’ This is the better way, shorter way to go to the belt.”

It’s been a fast rise for Gane, who entered the UFC at just 3-0. He climbed his way to the interim heavyweight title, but finds himself having to rebuild. With his success, it was hard for Gane not to capitalize on the opportunity to build his brand, but he says it’s now time to block the outside noise and focus fully on training.

“All of my career, I was in a rush,” Gane said. “I started MMA in 2018 and I did my first fight just after six months. Since this fight, I was already in a rush until today. So, yes, I want to take my time now. I want to take my time at the gym,

“But I’m going to find some time without all of the things you have around the training and the gym. So, I don’t need to take my time in between two fights, I need more time. No, it’s about that. I need to manage my schedule without all the things you have around the fight, and like that we’re going to have time.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.