UFC Paris proved to be one of the standout cards of the year, taking place live at the Accor Arena in the heart of the French capital. The event was headlined by a high-stakes middleweight clash between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, with both men looking to secure a shot at newly crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev. The co-main event brought even more excitement as hometown favorite Benoit Saint-Denis squared off with Mauricio Ruffy.
The Brazilian entered the bout riding momentum from his spectacular wheel-kick knockout of King Green, while Saint-Denis looked to redeem himself after a disappointing showing in his last Paris appearance in 2024. The card was stacked with notable names as well, including Paul Craig, Rhys McKee, Marcin Tybura, Modestas Bukauskas, Brad Tavares, and Ante Delija. Here’s a look at how the night unfolded, starting with the headliners.
UFC Paris Results: Breaking Down the Main and Co-Main Event Showdowns
Both Imavov and Borralho entered UFC Paris riding impressive win streaks, knowing that a simple victory wouldn’t be enough. An emphatic performance was needed to put them in line for Chimaev’s middleweight crown. With Reinier de Ridder vs. Alexander Hernandez also looming at UFC Vancouver, the pressure was on to deliver a statement finish. That finish never came.
Heading into the main event, the card had already produced a historic night of action. All but one fight had ended inside the distance, with nine knockouts and two submissions. By the time Imavov and Borralho made their walks, that record had already fallen. The first two rounds saw more feints than fire, though Imavov began to find his rhythm late in the second with sharp body shots and a spinning backfist.
In the third, the Frenchman finally hurt Borralho, forcing him to cling to survival, only for the action to be halted moments later due to a low blow. Borralho recovered, even answering with a clean shot of his own, but another pause came shortly after when he suffered an eye poke.
As the bout wore on, Imavov steadily pulled ahead, landing the heavier shots in the fourth and fifth, while Borralho chased a finish he desperately needed to sway the scorecards. When the final horn sounded, the judges were unanimous: 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 for the hometown star.
The co-main event was more emphatic as Benoit Saint-Denis dominated Mauricio Ruffy on the ground and won via a rear-naked choke at the 2:56 mark in the second round. The Frenchman wasted no time asserting himself, scoring an early takedown and controlling much of the first round with his grappling.
Ruffy managed to weather the early storm and fire back with some striking success in round two, but the momentum didn’t last long. Saint-Denis dragged the fight back to the mat, forcing the Brazilian to deal with more adversity before sealing the upset victory.
Ruffy’s seven-fight win streak was snapped, while Saint-Denis rebounded strongly from tough losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano. Speaking after the fight, the Frenchman made it clear he’s eager to stay active and step in if the UFC needs him for a major matchup. He even singled out the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden this November, saying that fighting on the iconic New York card is high on his radar.
The main card delivered plenty of action, with the most emotional moment coming in Paul Craig’s farewell to the sport. The 37-year-old veteran of 22 UFC fights entered the night hoping to snap a four-fight losing streak. The first round was competitive, with Craig working his kicks from range while Bukauskas looked to close the distance.
In the final seconds, Craig pulled guard, but Modestas Bukauskas read it perfectly. He unleashed heavy ground-and-pound, landing a brutal elbow at the buzzer that knocked Craig out cold. While Bukauskas celebrated the biggest win of his comeback, Craig took the microphone to announce his retirement at UFC Paris.
“The young eat the old, and I’m old. Thank you for the memories,” he said, walking away with a 9-10-1 (1 NC) record and a resume that includes victories over current and former 205lbs champions like Magomed Ankalaev, Jamahal Hill, and Shogun Rua.
UFC Paris: All Main Card and Undercard Quick Results
Lightweight: Mason Jones beat Bolaji Oki via TKO (strikes) 3:18 of Round 2
Welterweight: Axel Sola beat Rhys McKee via TKO (punches) at 2:02 of Round 3
Featherweight: William Gomis beat Robert Ruchala via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Light heavyweight: Oumar Sy beat Brendson Ribeiro via TKO (punches) at 4:42 of Round 1
Heavyweight: Ante Delija beat Marcin Tybura via TKO (punches) at 2:03 of Round 1
Lightweight: Kaue Fernandes beat Harry Hardwick via TKO (leg kicks) at 3:21 of Round 1
Welterweight: Sam Patterson beat Trey Waters via TKO (punches) at 3:01 of Round 1
Middleweight: Robert Bryczek beat Brad Tavares via TKO (punches) at 1:43 of Round 3
Welterweight: Rinat Fakhretdinov beat Andreas Gustafsson via TKO (strikes) at 0:54 of Round 1
Strawweight: Sam Hughes beat Shauna Bannon via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:58 of Round 2
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
