The UFC hits the road, bringing violence to the Accor Arena in Paris, France. A fully loaded 14-fight card that features a French fighter in almost every match-up, UFC Fight Night 243 is headlined by fan favorites Benoit Saint Denis and Renato Moicano.
5-2 in the UFC overall, Saint Denis is desperate to get back on track after a disastrous step up against Dustin Poirier earlier this year. Having collected four bonuses since joining the organization in 2021, Saint Denis has proven himself as a rugged fighter willing to live and die by the sword.
A hard-charging man with a deep gas tank, Saint Denis often starts fast and rarely eases up on the pressure. History has shown he can take a beating and keep moving forward and he has made impressive technical strides in recent years.
The loss to Poirier exposed defensive flaws Saint Denis continues to carry into the cage, but he remains a durable and persistent offensive threat. In particular, Saint Denis does an excellent job at close range and often dominates tie-ups.
That said, he does his best work on the mat and Saint Denis’ improvements as a wrestling have been clear. Though he often engages in relatively risky grappling exchanges, Saint Denis is an excellent scrambler who has proven the ability to grapple with serious practitioners and come out on top.
On the other end of the cage will be a fellow offensive dynamo who has found a way to slingshot himself into mainstream popularity. A longtime veteran of the sport, Moicano is one of few fighters to seriously evolve in the latter stages of their career.
Now 35-years-old and with several revenue streams outside of fighting, Moicano has nonetheless maintained an impressive upward trend. The developments have manifested in a significant three-fight win streak.
A grappling specialist with unquestionable heart, Moicano has managed an 11-5 record in the organization and remains a legitimate threat on the mat in terms of both submission and control. That said, he owns a mind and spirit that stays willing but a body that betrays him on occasion.
Having been finished in four of his five losses, durability has been an irreparable gap in Moicano’s armor. Though he may have the conditioning to deal with an extended fight this weekend, winning rounds will be a taller task.
The style of Benoit Saint Denis lends itself to the judges’ favor to begin with, but the Frenchman should have little difficulty imposing his game on Moicano. With a physical advantage and the toughness to walk through anything Moicano can offer on the feet, Saint Denis can effectively bully his way through this fight.
The threat of a submission will remain legitimate even if/when Moicano finds himself on the bottom, but Saint Denis has never been submitted and shows little sign of falling victim to one soon. Unrelenting pressure and a southpaw stance will allow Saint Denis success on the feet and any tie-ups will strongly favor the bigger, stronger man.
Look for Saint Denis to dominate from the opening bell and push Moicano the limits. The French veteran should be able to handle anything Moicano can throw back and a finish won’t off the table for the betting favorite.
Same Game Multi: Saint Denis Wins By KO/TKO or Submission + Saint Denis 2+ Takedowns Landed + Saint Denis 50+ Strikes Landed
The French betting favorite this weekend, Nassourdine Imavov is less than four months removed from the biggest win of his career (on paper). The win, on the books as a TKO4 over Jared Cannonier, is exactly the result Imavov wanted but the timing of the stoppage was controversial to the say the least.
Nonetheless, Imavov’s performance proved he was capable of hanging with the upper tier. Three fights have occurred since Imavov’s one-sided loss to Sean Strickland last year and each have showcased a focus on fixing errors.
Imavov’s overall composure inside the cage has drastically improved and at this point he is settling into the lengthy striking threat he was meant to be. Despite being born in Dagestan, Russia, wrestling is only an accessory tool for Imavov to utilize.
Sharp at range and with a competent clinch game to survive close exchanges, Imavov has been growing in confidence and outputting more offense than ever. Past concerns with his gas tank have been largely addressed, fortunately without compromising offensive output.
Now ranked #4, Imavov has an opportunity to keep the momentum going with a favorable match-up this weekend. A seven-fight win streak and a recent split decision win over Chris Curtis do little to showcase Brendan Allen’s development.
Allen made his organizational debut submitting Kevin Holland in 2019 and the pace of Allen’s career since has never waned. 12-2 in the UFC, the American has already avenged one loss (to Curtis) and is positioned well to rematch the other (Sean Strickland) if he continues succeeding.
Best known as a grappling specialist, Allen is a fiend for taking backs and snatching necks. In fact, the majority of his career has seen him poke and prod opposition at range until bulldozing them down, suffocating them on the mat, and finding a finish.
That said, Allen has made significant improvements in his striking game and despite a lack of knockouts has managed to be surprisingly effective on the feet. His overall game being smoothed out has been reflected in his impressive win streak and he maintains a solid chance of continuing it despite coming into UFC Fight Night 243 as the underdog.
In a mere 15-minute affair, Allen will need to work hard from the opening bell and make effective use of any takedowns he may be able to secure. Both have shown sizable wrestling improvements in recent years but Allen has consistently found a way to get opponents down and do solid work within a 3-round time frame.
I anticipate the lengthy striking and mobile footwork of Imavov to keep things frustrating for the American on the feet but Allen has shown persistence if nothing else. An imposing fighter in his own right, Allen may find himself to be the stronger and more diverse wrestler in tie-ups.
Imavov has done well to rebuild since a tough loss last year but Allen has maintained a consistent trend of offensive effectiveness few can handle. He may have to walk through some fire to get there, but I expect Allen to eventually clear a path to victory and notch the upset win in hostile territory.
Same Game Multi: Allen Wins By Submission + Allen 2+ Takedowns Landed
Joanderson Brito has been nothing but successful since dropping his UFC debut in 2022. The loss to Bill Algeo showcased some flaws in Brito’s typically overwhelming game but subsequent appearances have highlighted some of the method behind the madness.
Infamously aggressive and capable of ending the fight anywhere, Brito developed a reputation as a fast-starting finisher who steamrolls over opponents. Resilient veterans have managed to survive a couple of rounds, but Brito has nonetheless maintained a finish rate nearing 90%.
That said, recent outings have shown that Brito is still developing and may be settling down a bit inside the cage. His fight with Jack Shore was ended early due to a cut on Shore’s shin but the underlying performance – dominance on the feet from Brito – showed a lot for Brito to be happy with.
Despite the status as the betting favorite, Brito will not be the fan favorite in France at UFC Fight Night 243. A homegrown talent who fights out of Paris, William Gomis is a solid 3-0 in the UFC and looking to get the crowd on their feet with an upset win.
Gomis is a lengthy and measured striker who has shown impressive composure and technical ability, even as he stepped into the big leagues. Gomis is temperamentally quite mild but does a good job of staying active and effective enough to win rounds.
That said, the lack of urgency in Gomis’ style has led to some close scorecards and brings into question how much more Gomis could be doing in otherwise advantageous bouts. A well-rounded competitor, Gomis is even a surprisingly successful wrestler but failed to force many finishes on the mat, either.
Both men in this contest are under 30 and show tremendous upside as featherweight contenders but the stark contrast in styles is bound to favor Brito this weekend. Sharp low kicks and well-timed offensive flurries will go a long way in winning rounds even against a measured striker like Gomis.
I expect Gomis to seek out takedowns at some point in this bout but tie-ups are no solace from Brito’s onslaught. There remain some question marks about Brito’s lasting power in a full-length bout but he has been pacing himself well and won’t need to over-exert himself to outwork Gomis.
All said, Brito’s reputation as an offensive juggernaut has proven justified. Though he may have some initial trouble finding the target, I expect Brito to start cutting the cage off and doing damage sooner rather than later.
The first appearance of the year for Bryan Battle ended in a No Contest after an eye poke but the minutes leading up were trending strongly in Battle’s favor. Though the bout goes down as ultimately inconsequential, Battle’s skills in recent years have been anything but.
5-1 in the UFC, the lone loss came at the hands of Rinat Fakhretdinov after an onslaught of takedowns stalled any hope of Battle mounting an offense. Falling victim to seven on nine attempts, Battle has since strung together two wins – both finishes.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 29 winner at middleweight, Battle has always shown signs of excellence but seems to be turning a corner as a fighter in recent years. A composed counter-puncher in the pocket and deceptively sharp on the outside, Battle has quietly sharpened his striking tools and become surprisingly effective there.
Most importantly, Battle is learning to meld his game increasingly well. With roots in grappling, Battle does his best work when he can establish top position. Recent years have seen Battle drop a division and settle into being a physically imposing welterweight who has upgraded his wrestling significantly.
Standing across from him this weekend will be French-born striker Kevin Jousset. Known as “Air” and riding a five-fight win streak into this bout, Jousset impressed ten months ago when he outpointed Kenan Song.
The fight represented a clear step-up in competition for Jousset, a test passed with flying colors and a unanimous decision win. This weekend serves as another chance to ascend the divisional ladder, this time in what is likely to be a stylistic contrast.
Jousset hails from the City Kickboxing team in Auckland and predictably prefers to keep things on the feet, but it’s likely he will be met with tie-up attempts from the oncoming American. Where Jousset’s last foe remained content in a measured kickboxing bout, Battle is likely to press the action and avoid hanging out where he’s uncomfortable.
Both men have shown proficiency in every aspect of the sport but Battle remains a dominant grappler who will have a hefty advantage on the mat. Tie-ups in general stand to favor Battle, even despite the rare size parity Battle will be dealing with here.
Battle can threaten a finish with enough top time and otherwise make things grimy on the feet, leaving Jousset with a narrow path to victory. Jousset remains a mobile and interesting threat but I anticipate Battle being able to close the distance and control the tempo of this bout.
The year didn’t start well for Morgan Charriere, as he lost a close decision to Chepe Mariscal and suffered the tenth loss of his career. A professional since 2014, Charriere is only 28-years-old but has been around the block with experience in multiple organizations.
Merely 1-1 in the UFC, Charriere is nonetheless a composed, technical, and highly skilled fighter. Sharp on the feet and owning devastating kicks, Charriere is a joy to watch work but it is the output of said work that draws criticism.
Stretches of inactivity have led to a litany of close, often controversial scorecards turned in for his bouts. Even his loss to Chepe Mariscal could have gone his way with a bit more output, but he continues to favor the cleanest work over the most effective. That said, the French fighter finds a heavily advantageous match-up this weekend when he takes on a hard-charging foe happy to force the action.
A Brazilian who also holds a 1-1 record in the UFC, Gabriel Miranda is a submission specialist who looks to end things early. His organizational debut was a rough pairing with Benoit Saint Denis but his follow-up resulted in the ninth fastest submission in divisional history.
Miranda occasionally tries to be patient but does his absolute best work when marching forward and looking to force a grappling exchange. Miranda’s striking is nothing impressive and his defense is exploitable to say the least, but he wraps people up like an anaconda on the mat.
This style contrast serves to favor Morgan Charriere, as he will be forced to actively fend off Miranda or fall prey to his overwhelming nature. The other side of the coin for Miranda is the tendency to fade if his initial onslaught is met with too much resistance.
Though dangerous and determined, Miranda has not proven himself to be the level of wrestler necessary to get Charriere down. The longer this fight goes, the worse for Miranda; there will be little stopping Charriere from imposing his will down the stretch. Look for the Frenchman to get the crowd on their feet with a big finish after Miranda’s fast start.
The slight betting favorite and French representative, Fares Ziam has tallied a solid 5-2 record in the UFC but failed to amass many highlight reels in the process. Ziam has yet to find a finish in the Octagon but to his credit, he has rebounded well since losing to Terrance McKinney in early 2022.
Riding a three-fight win streak since, Ziam is a measured and relatively passive fighter but clearly one with quite a lot of skill. Ziam has struggled to overwhelm opposition but he is a technically sound striker who does solid work on the outside with a rangy and diverse attack.
Ziam is competent on the mat and survived some tense grappling exchanges but his takedown defense has proven a bit leaky. He gave up eight takedowns in his first two UFC bouts and earlier this year was taken down seven times by Claudio Puelles.
Though Ziam may not always lose fights he is hitting his back in, it remains a concern that a relatively low-volume fighter like Ziam also struggles to maintain particularly strong takedown defense. By some metrics, this contest is a step-up in competition and Ziam will need to put his best foot forward to get past a gritty veteran in Matt Frevola.
Best known as the “Steamrolla”, the American is 3-1 in his last four and showing clear signs of improvement as he looks to break into the elite. Frevola has roots firmly planted in wrestling and is predictably solid in tie-ups, but remains unafraid of doing work on the feet.
Frevola owns a notable KO win over Drew Dober and he has made remarkable progress on his boxing ability inside the cage. He remains a defensively liable fighter but the offensive output he brings to the table cannot be denied.
Frevola’s wrestling remains an effective part of his game (he even scored two in a 1:31 bout with Benoit Saint Denis) and he has an opportunity to play spoiler once again in front of a hostile crowd. Historically, Frevola has been tough to beat if you cannot hurt and threaten to finish him. Against a relatively low-key fighter in Ziam, a disparity in output and temperament is likely to form.
No stranger to upsetting the odds, look for Frevola to assert his will and overpower the younger man in the UFC Fight Night 243 main card opener.
Saint Denis v Moicano: Benoit Saint-Denis by KO/TKO or Submission @ $1.68
Imavov v Allen: Brendan Allen @ $2.65
Brito v Gomis: Joanderson Brito by KO/TKO or Submission @ $2.30
Battle v Jousset: Bryan Battle by Submission @ $6.50
Charriere v Miranda: Morgan Charriere by KO/TKO @ $1.75
Ziam v Frevola: Matt Frevola @ $2.10
Cutelaba v Erslan: Ivan Erslan by KO/TKO @ $2.55
Sy v Da-woon: Oumar Sy by Submission @ $2.30
Klein v Roberts: Ludovit Klein by KO/TKO @ $1.88
Lapilus v Morales: Taylor Lapilus by Points @ $1.67
Perez v Zheleznyakova: Ailin Perez by Points @ $1.77
Altamirano v Barez: Victor Altamirano @ $1.78
Cavalcanti v Cornolle: Jacqueline Cavalcanti by Points @ $1.75
Oki v Duncan: Bolaji Oki by KO/TKO @ $2.20