UFC Paris Features Thrilling Sept. 6 Main Card!

February 1, 2025, Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia: Nassourdine Imavov battles Israel Adesanya in their middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night: Adesanya v Imavov event at anb Arena on February 1, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. /PxImages Riyadh Saudi Arabia – ZUMAp175 20250201_zsa_p175_126 Copyright: xDannyxPerezx

UFC Paris fight week continues. While the No. 1 MMA promotion in the world was dark last weekend in observance of the Labor Day holiday weekend, the organization is back its September schedule. It starts this Saturday with the fourth annual trip to Paris.

Live coverage of the show begins at 12 noon ET/ 9 am PT on ESPN+ with the prelims before moving onto the main card at 3 pm ET/ noon PT. All told, if there are no further adjustments to the schedule, the final version of this week’s show will feature a slate of 14 fights from the top organization in the world.

There’s already been one adjustment made to the bout order for UFC Paris. If you happened to miss the newsflash earlier on in the week, Fares Ziam had to withdraw from the show due to the death of his grandmother. In his stead, Harry Hardwick will be moving up from featherweight to compete against Kaue Fernandes in a lightweight undercard.

At the top of the bill on Saturday, the middleweights take to the fabled Octagon when No. 2 contender Nassourdine Imavov (16-4, 1 NC MMA, 8-2, 1 NC UFC) meets No. 7 contender Caio Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC.) This is a five-round fight at five minutes per round to close out the show.

Imavov enters the UFC Paris main event with a record of 4-0 with one no-contest in his last five appearances in the cage. On Feb. 1, he finished Israel Adesanya (24-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) with a second-round knockout by way of overhand right followed by ground and pound in just 30 seconds during the UFC Riyadh main event.

In so doing, Imavov pocketed $50,000 (USD) in bonus cash for the Performance of the Night Award. He’s been unbeaten in his last five fights and is right on the doorstep of a title shot should he secure the win over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Caio Borralho has posted a 5-0 record in his past five contests. Saturday’s UFC Paris main event is the first time he’ll make the walk to the cage in 2025. On Feb. 28, he partook in a grappling match, besting Brendan Allen by unanimous decision under the Karate Combat banner.

As far as MMA is concerned, the last time he set foot in the Octagon happened on Aug. 24 of last year. That night, inside the UFC Apex, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Jared Cannonier (18-9 MMA, 11-9 UFC) after three rounds, receiving a $50,000 advance for the Fight of the Night bonus.

With a victory here, Borralho will find himself on the cusp of the title picture at 185. Only time will tell, however, if this is to be the case.

UFC Paris Co-Main Event: No. 13 Contender Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Immediately beforehand, the UFC Paris co-main event of the evening will take place in the lightweight ranks. No. 13 contender Benoit Saint-Denis (14-3, 1 NC MMA, 6-3 UFC) meets Mauricio Ruffy (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC.) It’ll be a three-round fight at five minutes per round.

Saint-Denis will be making the walk this Saturday sporting a 3-2 record in his last five bouts. Back on May 10 during UFC 315, he finished Kyle Prepolec (18-9 MMA, 0-3 UFC) with a second-round rear-naked choke submission in Quebec. Prepolec was a replacement for Saint-Denis’ original adversary that night, Joel Alvarez, after he withdrew from the show because of a hand injury just days prior to the card taking place.

Can he score his second win in succession this week in Paris? Tune in and find out.

Across the way, Ruffy looks to try and get into the rankings at 155 on the strength of a 5-0 record in his last five bouts. He’s on a six-fight winning streak heading into UFC Paris.

On March 8, he stopped King Green (37-12-1, 1 NC MMA, 13-12-1, 1 NC UFC) with a first-round knockout due to a spinning heel kick during UFC 313 inside T-Mobile Arena in Enterprise, NV.

Saturday’s co-main event at UFC Paris is only Ruffy’s fourth walk to the fabled Octagon since joining the UFC’s active roster by way of Contender Series in October of 2023. Given that this young man is on a hot streak, a win here could propel him to a spot in the lightweight rankings.

UFC Paris: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig

Also on the main card Saturday, you’ll be seeing a light heavyweight affair between Modestas Bukauskas (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC), an alumnus of Cage Warriors, and Paul Craig (17-9-1, 1 NC MMA, 9-9-1, 1 NC UFC.) Bukauskas has posted a 4-1 mark in his last five contests.

At the moment, he’s on a three-fight winning streak, extended in Montreal on May 10 by way of split decision versus Ion Cutelaba (19-11-1, 1 NC MMA, 8-10, 1 NC UFC) during UFC 315 on pay-per-view. UFC Paris will serve as Bukauskas’ third walk to the Octagon in 2025, with all of those fights having happened in the last seven months. Will he go 3-for-3 this year?

In the other corner, Paul Craig has a 1-3 record with one no-contest in his five latest appearances. That no-contest occurred back in June in Atlanta when his fight against Rodolfo Bellato was stopped with one second remaining on the first-round clock after he connected on an illegal upkick to Bellato’s head to drop him.

Upon further review of the footage of the fight, in consultation with the cageside physician, the referee ruled the bout a no-contest. Craig hasn’t gotten his hand raised in victory since July of 2023. Expect him to fight with frustration here.

Final Thoughts

Which fight or fights on the UFC Paris main card are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.

UFC Paris Features Thrilling Sept. 6 Main Card!

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