*Nassourdine Imavov cracks Brendan Allen with a straight left hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

The UFC returns to the Accor Arena in Paris, France, with an outstanding Fight Night card. The entire card has been loaded with exciting matchups, debuting prospects, and rising contenders, all looking to earn a post-fight bonus this Saturday. In the co-main event, we’ll see a dangerous marauder in Benoît Saint Denis take on a red-hot, quickly-rising striker, Mauricio Ruffy. In the main event, two top-ten Middleweights collide for a chance to enter the title picture when the #2 ranked Nassourdine Imavov faces off against the #7 ranked Caio Borralho. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchała

*William Gomis lands a looping right hook on Jarno Errens. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Featherweight Bout

William Gomis: 14-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Robert Ruchała: 11-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Gomis has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Joanderson Brito (17-5-1), Francis Marshall (8-3-0), and Yanis Ghemmouri (12-3-0). He’s a patient, technical striker with a diverse kicking game. He won’t overwhelm his opponent with movement or volume, favoring his impressive accuracy and power to do damage. Training at the MMA Factory, he’ll often end combinations with kicks and does an excellent job of moving in and out of the pocket without eating shots. He’s a solid wrestler, has fantastic takedown timing, and is very strong in the clinch. He’s patient in top position and won’t put himself in dangerous spots, always remaining heavy on top and making his opponents work to get up. Gomis is defensively sound everywhere, having defended 60% of significant strikes and 73% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC.

*Robert Ruchała flashes a smile for the camera as he pins his opponent to the fence. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Ruchała has won four of his last five bouts and is making his UFC debut. He’s an unorthodox scrapper with a dangerous arsenal of kicks and excellent wrestling. He favors his kicks to his punches when he’s standing, varying his shots well and constantly throwing kicks to the legs, body, and head. Ruchała improves as the fight goes on, letting his hands go more often and constantly coming forward. Training at Grappling Krakow, He’s a tenacious grappler, willing to work or string multiple attempts together to secure a takedown, and has excellent top control when he gets the fight to the mat. He’s always working in top position, constantly looking to improve, posture up, or secure a submission. Ruchała has excellent cardio, having fought in multiple five-round title fights in KSW, and is dangerous at all times.

Axel Sola vs. Rhys McKee

*Axel Sola fires a stiff jab at Lucas Caio. Credit: Ares FC.*

Welterweight Bout

Axel Sola: 10-0-1, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Rhys McKee: 14-6-1, 11 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Sola has won four of his last five outings with one draw and is making his UFC debut. He’s an efficient, highly technical striker who’s comfortable anywhere the fight goes. Although he’s only been a professional since 2021, he had an extensive amateur MMA career with a record of 19-4. Sola always fights behind his jab and will look to wear down his opponent with footwork and straight punches before turning up the heat and going for a finish. Training with the Boxing Squad, he’s a solid grappler with great scrambles and reversals, and will constantly look to posture up and land ground and pound from top position. He has outstanding striking in the clinch, especially with his elbows and knees, and will regularly keep his opponent against the cage and batter them with strikes. Sola has excellent cardio and gets increasingly dangerous as the fight continues, with five of his six finishes coming after the first round.

*Rhys McKee cracks Daniel Frunza with an uppercut. Credit: The Irish Sun.*

McKee has won three of his last five fights, holding a UFC victory over Daniel Frunza (9-3-0). He’s a patient striker who always remains technical and pushes a consistent pace. He’s constantly throwing his jab, gauging distance, and looking to set up combinations. McKee varies his shots and angles, attacking the head and body evenly. Training at Fight Academy Ireland, he favors volume to power but won’t often throw long combinations, typically throwing a few straight shots before returning to range. He does most of his damage with his hands but does an excellent job mixing in kicks, never telegraphing anything. McKee is always looking to methodically and efficiently break down his opponents while absorbing as little damage as possible.

Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones

*Bolaji Oki lands a powerful left hand on the chin of Timmy Cuamba. Credit: DH.*

Lightweight Bout

Bolaji Oki: 10-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Mason Jones: 16-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Oki has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Timmy Cuamba (9-3-0) and Michael Aswell Jr. (10-3-0). Oki is a powerful, technical striker who’s constantly coming forward to do damage. He has excellent distance management and is dangerous anywhere, capable of landing heavy shots at range or inside the pocket. He fights behind his jab and tends to counterstrike, looking to draw reactions out of his opponents so he can land slip and return fire. Training with Valon Team, his pace increases as the fight continues, and he’ll constantly look to blitz forward and unload powerful hooks and straights. Oki has heavy kicks and power in both hands, remains technical throughout, and won’t load up or telegraph his attacks. He has found four of his six finishes in the first round but carries his power throughout the fight and is always dangerous.

*Mason Jones lands a cracking left hook on Jeremy Stephens. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Jones has won four of his last five outings, with a UFC victory coming over Jeremy Stephens (29-22-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper who’s willing to engage the fight anywhere. He holds black belts in Judo and BJJ, but is comfortable fighting on his feet, primarily utilizing his stand-up abilities to secure his recent victories. Jones holds the center of the cage well and is constantly pressing forward while unloading crisp combinations. He will regularly throw kicks from range and at the end of punch combinations, occasionally mixing in some flashy spinning kicks. Training at Pedro Bessa BJJ, he’s on his second tenure with the promotion, and is averaging over four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes within the UFC. Jones has finished three of his five consecutive victories via knockout, and heats up as the fight continues.

Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig

*Modestas Bukaukas fires a powerful knee at Marcin Prachnio. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Modestas Bukauskas: 18-6-0, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Paul Craig: 17-9-1, 4 KO/TKO, 13 Sub.

Bukauskas has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Tyson Pedro (10-5-0), Ion Cutelaba (19-11-1), and Marcin Prachnio (17-9-0). He is a technical kickboxer, always in perpetual motion, constantly feinting and making great use of his footwork. He has a solid arsenal of kicks and will often do most of his damage from range, only entering the pocket to unload combinations. Bukauskas throws everything with power but is an accurate striker, never wasting energy or point-fighting. He’s at his best coming forward, controlling the distance and speed of the fight. Training at Gintas Combat, he favors a slower-paced, technical kickboxing match and rarely pursues takedowns or looks to grapple. Bukauskas tends to favor power to volume and can do significant damage without much output, having been outstruck in nearly all of his wins in the promotion.

*Paul Craig locks in a vicious triangle choke on Jamahal Hill. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Craig has won one of his last five bouts with one no contest, holding UFC victories over Light Heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1), #6 ranked Light Heavyweight Jamahal Hill (12-4-0), and #13 ranked Light Heavyweight Nikita Krylov (30-11-0). He’s one of the most accomplished grapplers in the UFC, holding the record for submission wins via triangle, with four, and has earned the third most Performance of the Night bonuses ever, with 8. He’s a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and is comfortable anywhere on the ground, whether on his back or in top position. Training at Higher Level Martial Arts, Craig is highly experienced and always remains calm and technical on the ground, never rushing or putting himself in dangerous spots. On the feet, he tends to throw kicks at range and looks to close the distance and get the fight to the mat. He finds submissions quickly on top and bottom and is very tough to get away from on the ground. Craig is highly durable and can find submissions even in the deepest waters.

#13 Benoît Saint Denis vs. #15 Mauricio Ruffy

*Benoît Saint Denis unloads brutal ground and pound strikes onto Thiago Moisés. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Lightweight Bout

Benoît Saint Denis: 14-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Mauricio Ruffy: 12-1-0, 11 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Saint Denis has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Ismael Bonfim (20-5-0), Thiago Moisés (19-9-0), and Matt Frevola (11-5-1). A well-rounded scrapper, he’s constantly pressing forward with heavy kicks and throwing bombs. He throws everything with fight-ending intentions and is always in pursuit of a finish. Saint Denis is an excellent grappler, holding a black belt in Judo, a brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a great variety of submission wins on his record. Training at CYFIT, he typically secures takedowns quickly and has heavy top control, always choosing position over submission and rarely putting himself in risky spots. A decorated veteran and former Special Forces paratrooper, he’s incredibly tough and capable of enduring impressive damage. Saint Denis always pushes a heavy pace and has only left the second round once in his UFC tenure.

*Mauricio Ruffy blasts James Llontop with a powerful left hook. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Ruffy is on a seven-fight win streak, with UFC victories coming over Jamie Mullarkey (17-8-0), James Llontop (14-5-0), and King Green (32-17-1). A lethal, elusive striker, he’s always dangerous and constantly hunting a knockout. He’s highly accurate and favors power to volume, often throwing single shots with knockout intentions. Ruffy has fantastic distance control and head movement, typically staying at range and picking his opponents apart with brutal leg kicks. Training with the Fighting Nerds, he throws everything with impressive speed and is unpredictable, regularly attempting unorthodox strikes without telegraphing them. He varies his shots well and will constantly look to draw in his opponents so he can land counterstrikes. Although 81% of Ruffy’s knockouts have come in the first round, he has solid cardio and can carry his power comfortably across 15 minutes.

#2 Nassourdine Imavov vs. #7 Caio Borralho

*Nassourdine Imavov stuns Israel Adesanya with a lunging right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Middleweight Bout

Nassourdine Imavov: 16-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Caio Borralho: 17-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Imavov has won four of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Middleweight Israel Adesanya (24-5-0), #9 ranked Middleweight Brendan Allen (25-7-0), and #11 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (18-9-0). He utilizes a fluid kickboxing style, fighting behind his jab and throwing every shot with devastating power. He’s constantly coming forward and has excellent distance management, and although he favors power to volume, he won’t telegraph shots or get wild. Imavov is a solid grappler and has excellent takedown defense, and averages just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. Training at the MMA Factory, he advances position very quickly on the mat, constantly raining down ground and pound and wearing down his opponent. He won’t force submissions, typically focusing on landing damage, but will pursue chokes if the opportunity is presented. Imavov has excellent technical skills but can get emotional in the cage and be drawn into a brawl.

*Caio Borralho drops Jared Cannonier after landing a straight left hand. Credit: Boxing News.*

Borralho is on a sixteen-fight unbeaten streak and has UFC wins over #11 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (18-9-0), Michal Oleksiejczuk (21-9-0), and Abus Magomedov (28-6-1). He is a well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a slick submission game. He’s in perpetual motion on his feet and is highly elusive, having outlanded six of his seven UFC opponents. Training with the Fighting Nerds, Borralho looks to land kicks at range before entering the pocket to land powerful hooks. On the mat, he has excellent top pressure, great sweeps, and constantly pursues a finish. He’s averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and is very explosive, often landing takedowns in open space. Borralho has excellent cardio and pushes a heavy pace throughout the fight, making him dangerous at all times.

Best Bets

Axel Sola Moneyline: This is a matchup of two excellent Welterweight strikers that I’ve been looking forward to. Although both tend to keep the fight standing, their styles are very different. Sola is a very technical, efficient striker, always fighting behind his jab and remaining elusive while picking his opponents apart. McKee, while technically skilled, is a much more chaotic fighter, willing to be drawn into a brawl and constantly advancing to inflict damage. Although impressively durable, McKee is extremely hittable, absorbing, on average, about 84 significant strikes per fight in the UFC. This works in favor of Sola, who’s already a highly accurate striker and very intelligent about picking his shots. Sola is also the quicker and more technical striker of the two, which should make up for his four-inch reach disadvantage. I expect Sola to control the center of the octagon from the opening bell, setting the pace early on while wearing down McKee with sharp shots from range. As the fight continues, I expect McKee to slow and Sola to open up, letting his hands and kicks go and battering McKee while forcing him to the outside of the cage. Ultimately, I expect a controlling, impressive victory for Sola on Saturday.

Mauricio Ruffy Moneyline: This is a fascinating matchup of two exciting Lightweights, both of whom could soon be contending for titles. Saint Denis is a well-rounded fighter, comfortable and dangerous anywhere the fight goes, possessing solid power and excellent submission skills. Ruffy is more of a pure striker, using excellent head movement and distance management along with his devastating punching power to secure victories. Although Saint Denis has more paths to victory, I believe Ruffy’s advantage in the striking will be the deciding factor. Saint Denis is obviously dangerous on the mat, but he tends to favor his striking and is easily drawn into wild brawls and exchanges in the pocket. Against a striker with the accuracy and power of Ruffy, you cannot take the risk of walking through punches to land damage of your own. Ruffy has also shown outstanding takedown defense in the UFC, having successfully defended all takedowns attempted on him so far. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with both men meeting in the middle of the octagon and letting their hands go. I believe Ruffy will get the better of these exchanges and force Saint Denis to panic-grapple, wearing down his cardio while denying takedown attempts. As Saint Denis slows and starts throwing caution to the wind, I anticipate Ruffy lighting him up on the feet and earning a massive victory to climb further up the Lightweight ladder.

Imavov vs. Borralho Over 4.5 Rounds: An important matchup of two top-ten Middleweights, the outcome could have big implications on the title picture. Both are well-rounded and dangerous anywhere, and both fighters are coming off the biggest wins of their respective careers. A win for either man could very easily propel them to a title shot, so I don’t imagine either one is planning to come in guns blazing. Not that I’d expect a fight between two exciting fighters to be boring, but I do anticipate both of them to have a more measured, precise approach in this fight. Both also have proven to have the cardio to comfortably go five rounds, and don’t need to go wild for an early finish with concerns of waning stamina. I expect plenty of close, heated exchanges on the feet, and, as the fight continues, for both men to pursue takedowns and their own grappling offense. These fighters match up extremely well in terms of technical skill, so while its tough to predict a finish or a victor, I am confident that this fight lasts at least four and a half rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Borralho Preview