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Renato Moicano made certain to silence the raucous French crowd at Accor Arena on Saturday, ending the night with a stoppage victory earlier than the beginning of the third spherical of his essential occasion pairing with native favorite Benoit Saint Denis.
The Brazilian completely manhandled Saint Denis over the opening 5 minutes, dragging him to the canvas with ease early within the spherical earlier than climbing to dominant positions and battering the previous French army man with a buffet of punches and elbows that left him bruised, swollen, and bleeding.
To his credit score, Saint Denis refused to give up and gained the second spherical on all three scorecards, although it was clear that Moicano was taking the spherical off after expending an amazing quantity of power busting him up within the first. Prior to the beginning of the third spherical, the physician at ringside was known as in to evaluate Saint Denis, and when it was decided that he was unable to see out from between the black and blue welts that had closed over his proper eye, the bout was waved off.
In venturing to Paris and besting Saint Denis, Moicano collected his third win of the 12 months, fourth straight victory total, and prolonged his report to 7-1 since relocating to the light-weight division at first of 2020. He’s gained every of his final six begins within the division — his UFC 272 loss to Rafael Dos Anjos got here at a catchweight — and he’s earned finishes in six of these seven light-weight wins as properly.
Moicano was all the time an entertaining fighter throughout his featherweight run, however he’s reworked right into a can’t-miss attraction lately, and may proceed to be thrown into extremely entertaining matchups going ahead. He known as Paddy Pimblett and Dan Hooker “easy fights” throughout his profanity-laced, usually geo-political post-fight rant, and you’ll be exhausting press to seek out any battle fan that wouldn’t be eager to sit down down and watch both of these contests someday within the subsequent four-to-six months.
For Saint Denis, it’s a disappointing defeat at house and a second straight loss after coming into the 12 months on a five-fight profitable streak and on the cusp of title rivalry. He had no solutions for Moicano’s floor assault, and whereas his coronary heart and grit had been unquestionable, this was a type of cases the place the ringside doctor doubtless saved him from additional punishment, even when he felt able to persevering with.
IMAVOV EARNS THIRD TOP 10 WIN OF 2024
After a irritating 12 months in 2023, Nassourdine Imavov continued his triumphant 2024 at house in Paris on Saturday, selecting up his third straight win whereas concurrently halting the prolonged profitable streak of Brendan Allen.
“All-In” managed the primary, throwing Imavov to the canvas with drive early within the spherical earlier than conserving his shoulders stapled to the bottom for the rest of the body. But Allen wasn’t in a position to do a lot harm, and in each the second and third, the Russian-born, Paris-based Imavov did properly to stuff the takedowns and land stable offence of his personal, doing fast work when the 2 had been on the bottom and getting the higher of issues as they traded blows in area down the stretch.
That’s now three victories over ranked opponents this 12 months and 6 wins over his final eight fights, together with his lone setback coming in a bout up a division when Sean Strickland stepped in on brief discover at first of the 12 months; the opposite outcome was a no contest in Vancouver final summer time towards Chris Curtis.
Imavov politely requested a championship alternative following his win, which is comprehensible provided that he’s crushed Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze during the last seven months. But with Strickland doubtless subsequent for champ Dricus Du Plessis and Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev pencilled in for UFC 308 subsequent months in Abu Dhabi, the surging contender is probably going going to should win at the least yet one more earlier than getting an opportunity to battle for championship gold.
A pairing with fellow title hopeful Caio Borralho feels far too straightforward to not make at this level, however time will inform what the UFC sees subsequent for every man.
GOMIS EDGES BRITO
William Gomis picked up the most important win of his UFC profession, edging out Joanderson Brito by break up determination in a battle of surging featherweight hopefuls.
Paris’ “Jaguar” took the primary and the third on two of the three scorecards, using sharp, precision putting to counteract the aggression of the Brazilian. While Brito actually had his moments, each putting and on the canvas, Gomis was in a position to keep his quickness all through and was the more practical of the 2 within the decisive ultimate spherical.
Now 4-0 within the UFC and using a 12-fight profitable streak, Gomis is one other considered one of these quietly ascending skills within the lighter weight courses that ought to garner rather more consideration going ahead. Brito entered on a five-fight profitable streak, incomes finishes every day trip, and Gomis halted his momentum, which ought to advantage one other step up in competitors his subsequent day trip.
While he’s actually not going to get the matchup with Diego Lopes that he urged, a date with somebody within the 11-15 vary within the rankings would make an excessive amount of sense.
YOUNG FRENCH STARS SHOW OUT
Fares Ziam and Morgan Charrière despatched the partisan crowd in Paris into hysteria in back-to-back bouts to open the principle card.
In the opener, Ziam appeared poised to gather a unanimous determination win over veteran New Yorker Matt Frevola, having managed the opening two rounds together with his well-rounded, growing abilities. But halfway by way of the third, Ziam framed up an elevated knee from a again waist lock place, and as Frevola turned in, the knee got here up, discovered the jaw, and despatched “The Steamrolla” crashing to the canvas with a thud.
Charrière adopted that up by blasting Gabriel Miranda simply 27 seconds into the second spherical.
After a aggressive first spherical, the 2 males received into a short clinch entanglement, with Miranda trying a no-look kick that went between Charriere’s legs. As he stepped away and turned to see the place his opponent was, “The Last Pirate” put a left hand on his chin that shut off the Brazilian’s lights and ended the battle in a flash.
Charriere is the extra extremely regarded of the 2, and a large star of their house nation, however Ziam has been exhibiting a ton of promise over the course of his present four-fight profitable streak.
Both have stable expertise beneath their belts and are nonetheless a few years away from turning 30, which implies they’re simply hitting their primes.
The light-weight and featherweight divisions are all the time flush with expertise and advancing in both is a problem, but when Ziam and Charriere can keep their present kind as they proceed to achieve additional expertise on the large stage, every may discover themselves knocking on the door of the highest 15 within the not too distant future.
STILL STREAKING
A pair of unheralded rising skills of their respective division added to their particular person profitable streaks on Saturday as properly.
Ludovit Klein entered his conflict with Roosevelt Roberts on a three-fight profitable streak and sporting a 5-0-1 report since transferring to the light-weight ranks at first of his 2022 marketing campaign. While it was tougher than anticipated, the most important favorite on the cardboard managed to maintain his momentum intact, securing a unanimous determination win to maintain pushing ahead within the 155-pound ranks.
The Slovakian standout has been flying beneath the radar within the light-weight ranks due to some brief discover opponent adjustments and extra grinding wins, however Klein has earned clear wins over high quality names like Mason Jones, Ignacio Bahamondes and Thiago Moises, and will very properly discover himself in line for a big step up in competitors after efficiently navigating one other difficult short-notice swap in Paris.
After lacking weight on Friday, Ailin Perez made comparatively fast work of Darya Zhelezhnyakova on Saturday, submitting her Russian foe within the first spherical earlier than twerking straight in her face.
An consideration magnet together with her antics, Perez confirmed she’s a growing expertise within the bantamweight division as properly, securing the end with ease as quickly as she was in a position to deposit Zhelezhnyakova on the canvas and arrange the choke. She has now gained 4 straight, together with her effort in Paris being her most spectacular to this point, and her capacity to create viral moments goes to result in somebody wanting to place a cease to her post-fight dancing someday quickly.
EARLY AWKWARDNESS
There was some weirdness and factors of debate to cowl within the opening fights at Accor Arena on Saturday.
Midway by way of the second around the battle between acquainted foes Jacqueline Cavalcanti and France’s Nora Cornolle, Cavalcanti blatantly grabbed the fence to cease from being taken down. She remained upright and managed the rest of the spherical, and although she received a stern warning on the shut of the body, no level was taken.
Cavalcanti ended up on the comfortable aspect of a debatable break up determination outcome — she clearly gained the second and third — and some extent deduction would have shifted the result to a majority draw, which doesn’t essentially really feel proper, however that also needs to be what occurs when a foul or rule violation straight impacts the best way an interplay or spherical performs out.
As a lot as officers don’t need to have a direct influence on the result of fights, one thing must be finished with all these fence grabs and fouls, as opponents know there are not any repercussions for breaking the principles, and that undoubtedly influences their actions and actions contained in the octagon. All it’ll take is a few fighters being docked factors right away once they commit clear violations and a few wins flipping to attracts (or losses) because of this and everybody will probably be extra conscious of what they’re doing in these moments.
In the opening bout of the night, Chris Duncan jumped on a guillotine try halfway by way of the primary spherical of his conflict with Bolaji Oki, clamping onto the choke and making all the proper changes as he appeared for the end. Just when it appeared like Oki was freed from the maintain, Duncan threw a few fast strikes off his again and knowledgeable the referee that Oki was out chilly on prime of him.
The arm was checked, Oki was in reality out, and the battle was rightfully halted, leading to an odd first-round submission win for the Scottish light-weight Duncan.
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