After a successful debut in Paris in 2022, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return to the French capital on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 226—a fun but top-heavy card. As was the case a year ago, the main event sees Ciryl Gane attempting to rebound from a disappointing loss, this time against Moldovan wrestler Sergey Spivak in an important fight for both men. The co-headliner is the other clear gem of the card, as former strawweight champ Rose Namajunas makes an unexpected move up to flyweight and gets thrown into the fire against top contender Manon Fiorot. Other than that, there is the expected focus on French talent in some well-matched fights that should be buoyed by a passionate crowd. Now to the UFC Fight Night “Gane vs. Spivak” preview:
Heavyweights
Ciryl Gane (11-2, 8-2 UFC) faces Sergey Spivak (16-3, 7-3 UFC) in the heavyweight bout, with the odds in favor of Gane. Since his professional debut in 2018, Gane’s combination of size, speed, and fluid striking left his opponents struggling to find answers. However, his bout against Francis Ngannou exposed some weaknesses in Gane’s decision making on the mat. Gane remains a heavyweight contender despite his flaws, and with heavyweight still not being a wrestler’s division, he is unlikely to face too many problems in the near future. The bad news for Gane is that Spivak, his opponent in Paris, is one of the few fighters who could exploit his weaknesses.
Moldova’s Spivak was an interesting prospect prior to his UFC debut in 2019, but a 50-second knockout loss to Walt Harris raised concerns about his ability to get to his wrestling against better athletes. However, Spivak has managed to take advantage of the lack of wrestling present at heavyweight in impressive fashion. Notably, he has thrown around massive opponents like Derrick Lewis and Greg Hardy. Spivak’s grappling skills make him prone to pulling off upsets, and this bout against Gane is no exception. While Gane could score a quick knockout, it is predicted that Spivak will secure a takedown sooner and find a finish from there, winning via first-round submission.
Fiorot vs. Namajunas
In the co-headliner event, former strawweight champ Rose Namajunas makes a surprising move up to flyweight to face top contender Manon Fiorot.