UFC announces return to Paris with huge implications

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Mathew Riddle | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 9:27 AM ET

UFC.com

UFC returns to the 'City of Light' this September for a Fight Night event that has fans buzzing.

The Parisian crowd has long been one of the most frenetic and rewarding crowds for MMA fighters to perform in front of, on par with the British and Australian fans.

UFC announced their return to Paris in a post on June 3. The Fight Night will take place on September 7. The promotion's French talent has waned since the last event, with fighters like Benoit Saint-Denis losing some momentum; however, there is still potential.

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UFC returns to Paris for a highly-anticipated Fight Night

UFC mentions Ciryl Gane, Nassourdine Imavov, Manon Fiorot, and Benoit Saint-Denis on their website, but hasn't confirmed any fights yet.

Could it be Ciryl Gane?

Of course, Ciryl Gane is the No. 1 seed for a French event, but he could be next in line for Tom Aspinall if Jon Jones is truly retired. 'Bon Gamin' is one of the few top heavyweights Aspinall hasn't fought, but then again, the Paris event is being marketed as a Fight Night, not a PPV.

England vs. France would still be a huge draw.

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Nassourdine Imavov in a middleweight title eliminator

The next biggest name would be Nassourdine Imavov, who knocked out Israel Adesanya in February. 'The Sniper' is the backup fighter for UFC 319 on August 16, so if all goes well, he's a very likely option for Paris, possibly fighting Caio Borralho or Sean Strickland.

The next fight for underrated lightweight Fares Ziam?

'Smile Killer' Fares Ziam is looking for a lightweight ranking after putting together a five-fight winning streak. He flew under the radar for a while after losing to Terrance McKinney in 2022, and for putting on some snoozer performances, but he's come into his own as of late.