UFC Paris Results: France has a New Star
The UFC returns to Paris this Saturday, and the City of Light gets a card loaded with European talent, dangerous prospects and veterans with plenty left to prove.
Preview
At the top of the card, French superstar Salahdine Parnasse makes his long-awaited UFC debut against longtime lightweight contender Dan Hooker. Behind them, French favorites Farès Ziam and Morgan Charriere look to deliver in front of the home crowd, while Michael “Venom” Page faces another dangerous middleweight test
UFC Paris isn’t built around one enormous championship fight, but it may be one of the more consequential cards for the European MMA scene this year.
Parnasse has the opportunity to immediately establish himself as a legitimate UFC lightweight contender. Ziam and Charriere are fighting in front of their home fans with plenty at stake, while Sola, Keita, Donchenko, Sy and Pinto are all trying to move from prospect status toward the next level.
And then there’s Hooker. The veteran has spent years welcoming the UFC’s best young fighters into the deep end. On Saturday night, he’ll try to do it again. The difference this time is that the young fighter is coming home.
Story
The UFC has a new French superstar.
A two-division champion in KSW, the MMA world was already well aware of Salahdine Parnasse. The North American audience got its introduction to the French sensation at MVP 1.
Somehow, his UFC debut was even more dazzling.
Parnasse’s speed advantage over Dan Hooker was evident from the opening bell. Hooker challenged the Frenchman with an array of kicks, but Parnasse consistently blocked the attacks. A left kick to the body took the air out of the New Zealander before a perfectly placed left hook crumbled Hooker and brought an emphatic end to the fight.
Parnasse now has his sights set on the UFC lightweight division. The French star wants the opportunity to prove he is the best 155-pound fighter in the world, while also calling for what he described as a “dream fight” with former UFC champion Max Holloway.
The UFC may have just added an elite contender to its lightweight ranks, while French fans have found another fighter to rally behind.
Scola Continues to Impress
While he isn’t yet at Parnasse’s level, Axel Sola is another intriguing French lightweight to keep an eye on.
Sola made it back-to-back first-round finishes, knocking out fellow Frenchman Farès Ziam with a devastating overhand left. The victory continues Sola’s rapid rise and gives the UFC another French prospect worth watching.
MVP Stays in the Win Column
Michael “Venom” Page picked up his fourth consecutive victory, earning a unanimous decision over Nursulton Ruziboev.
The crowd wanted more offense, but Page stuck to his game plan. The British striker repeatedly darted in and out of range, using his blitzes to score while doing an effective job of stuffing Ruziboev’s takedown attempts.
It wasn’t Page’s most explosive performance, but it was another example of the veteran finding a way to win.
Keita Makes a Statement
Losene Keita showed exactly what he is capable of in his second UFC appearance.
Coming off a split-decision loss to Nathaniel Wood, Keita bounced back in spectacular fashion with a knockout victory over Muhammad Naimov.
Keita opened a cut with the first left hook he landed. Moments later, he dropped Naimov with a jab before allowing him back to his feet and eventually closing the show with a walk-off overhand right.
It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why the former two-division champion in Oktagon, arrived in the UFC with so much hype.
Pinto Gets His Momentum Back
Marino Pinto needed this win.
The unbeaten prospect was in serious trouble after Ryan Spann landed a vicious uppercut that appeared to have Pinto badly hurt. Instead of folding, Pinto survived, recovered and stormed back to finish Spann with ground-and-pound strikes in the second round.
The victory was more than another win on Pinto’s record. It was a momentum-rebuilding performance.
An injury had cost him his previous scheduled appearance, and a lackluster showing had subsequently dampened some of the excitement surrounding his name. Against Spann, Pinto reminded everyone why he was considered such an intriguing prospect in the first place.
UFC Paris produced several impressive performances, but one fighter left France with considerably more attention than he arrived with.
Salahdine Parnasse didn’t simply make his UFC debut.
He announced himself.
Quick Results
UFC Paris Main Card On Paramount+ (3 p.m. ET):
- Lightweight: Salahdine Parnasse (24-2) def. Dan Hooker (24-15) by TKO (Strikes) 2:35 R1
- Lightweight: Axel Sola (13-1-1) def. Fares Ziam (18-6) by KO (Overhand Left) 1:40 R1
- Middleweight: Michael Page (26-3) def. Nursulton Ruziboev (37-10-2) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Welterweight: Daniil Donchenko (15-2) def. Punahele Soriano (13-5) by (29-28, 30-27 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Featherweight: Kurtis Campbell (9-1) def. Trevor Peek (9-4) by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 3:07 R3
- Featherweight: Losene Keita (17-2) def. Muhammad Naimov (13-5) by KO (Overhand Right) 2:54 R1
UFC Paris Prelims Card On Paramount+ (12 p.m. ET):
- Featherweight: Felipe Lima (15-2) def. Morgan Charriere (21-13-1) by (29-28, 30-27 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Heavyweight: Mario Pinto (13-0) def. Ryan Spann (24-12) by TKO (Uppercuts on Gr0und) 0:55 R2
- Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (21-7) def Oumar Sy (12-3) def. TKO (Strikes) 3:57 R2
- Featherweight: Pavel Andrusca (9-0) def. Nathaniel Wood (23-7) by (29-28, 30-27 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Flyweight.: Fabia Sintes (12-3) def. Michael Aljarouj (14-3) by (29-27, 29-28 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle (10-4) def. Klaudia Syguła (8-3) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Middleweight: Matthieu Duclos (11-3) def. luis Felipe Dias (17-6) by KO (Left Hook) 4:35 R1
- Women’s Strawweight: Delphine Benouaich (8-2) def. Sofia Montenegro (6-3) by Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:22 R2
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