Namajunas returns to action for the first time since dropping the strawweight title to Carla Esparza last May in a fight that was largely void of action. She holds a pair of wins over reigning strawweight queen Zhang Weili and has been one of the best female fighters on the planet for the past six or seven years, but it will be interesting to see how she looks up a division, fighting for the first time in well over a year.
Best Finishes From UFC Paris Fighters
This is a fascinating fight that carries a lot of value for each woman, as a victory for either cements their standing as a championship contender.
For Fiorot, it’s a chance to add another win to her resume and turn back a popular former champion, while Namajunas can show she’s back and focused on chasing down a second title by upending the French standout in her own backyard this weekend. With Erin Blanchfield stating her case for a championship opportunity last weekend in Singapore, this is Fiorot and Namajunas’ chance to make a stronger case for themselves.
Ciryl Gane vs Serghei Spivac
For the second straight year, Ciryl Gane returns to headline at home in Paris coming off a loss in a championship bout. This year, he faces Serghei Spivac, a surging contender with an approach that has proven challenging for the French heavyweight to deal with thus far.
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Gane stopped Tai Tuivasa in the main event of last year’s debut in Paris before landing opposite Jon Jones at UFC 285 in a bout for the vacant UFC heavyweight title. Just over two minutes in, “Bon Gamin” was forced to tap out to a guillotine choke, giving him two losses in his last three outings, each when the undisputed title was on the line.
