*Renato Moicano stuns Drew Dober with a stinging left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

The UFC hits the Accor Arena in Paris, France, with an outstanding Fight Night card. There are fantastic matchups from top to bottom, all filled with fighters looking to earn a highlight-reel victory. In the co-main event, two top-ten Middleweights will go toe-to-toe when #4 ranked Nassourdine Imavov takes on #8 ranked Brendan Allen. In the main event, two devastating Lightweight finishers collide in the octagon when #11 ranked Renato Moicano faces off against #12 ranked Benoît Saint Denis. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Farés Ziam vs. Matt Frevola

*Farés Ziam lands a brutal head kick on Michal Figlak. Credit: Yahoo Sports.*

Lightweight Bout

Farés Ziam: 15-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Matt Frevola: 11-4-1, 4 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Ziam has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Jai Herbert (13-5-1), Claudio Puelles (13-4-0), and Jamie Mullarkey (17-8-0). He is a patient, technical kickboxer, constantly feinting and looking for openings to land powerful straight shots. He’s at his best when he takes the center of the octagon and fights at range, picking his opponent apart with a mix of kicks and punches. Ziam is a capable grappler with a solid submission game, particularly chokes. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he’s very defensively sound, having defended 65% of significant strikes attempted on him in the UFC. He’s proven capable of surviving in deep waters on the ground, regularly getting taken down and fighting back to his feet. Ziam has outstruck his opponent in all of his UFC wins, always pushing a consistent pace throughout the fight.

*Matt Frevola rains down ground and pound onto Genaro Valdez. Credit: Yahoo Sports.*

Frevola has won three of his last five bouts and has wins over #14 ranked Lightweight Jalin Turner (14-8-0), Drew Dober (27-14-0), and Ottman Azaitar (13-2-0). He is a wild striker who always comes out guns blazing and pushes a heavy pace from start to finish. He relentlessly pressures his opponents, is always willing to brawl in the pocket, and throws everything in combination with serious power. Frevola tends to headhunt but won’t telegraph his attacks, possessing very fast kicks and one-shot knockout power. Training with Serra-Longo Fight Team, he started his UFC tenure as more of a grappler, averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. He has solid top pressure and devastating ground and pound but seems content lately with staying on his feet. All of Frevola’s knockout wins have come in round one and he’s always pursuing a finish.

Morgan Charrière vs. Gabriel Miranda

*Morgan Charrière blasts Manolo Zecchini with a body kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

Morgan Charrière: 19-10-1, 11 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Gabriel Miranda: 17-6-0, 1 KO/TKO, 16 Sub.

Charrière has won four of his last five outings and has a UFC victory over Manolo Zecchini (11-4-0). A bit of an internet celebrity in France, he has accumulated a solid following and is a former Cage Warriors Featherweight champion. Training with Team Chapa Quente, he’s a technical striker with substantial power in his hands and brutal leg kicks. Charrière has excellent footwork and is very defensively sound, never taking much damage and always keeping his head off the centerline. He will remain calm and technical throughout and won’t get pulled into dogfights, typically forcing his opponents to the outside and picking them apart. On the ground, he has great top control and heavy ground and pound, particularly elbows. Charrière has gone five rounds multiple times in his career and has great cardio, often increasing his pace as the fight continues.

*Gabriel Miranda viciously chokes out Shane Young. Credit: ESPN.*

Miranda has won four of his last five fights and has a UFC victory over Shane Young (13-8-0). He’s a tenacious grappler who’s constantly looking to take it to the mat and find a submission. He uses his striking to set up his grappling, often blitzing into the pocket with combinations before pursuing takedowns. Miranda has excellent top pressure and is always working on the ground, constantly advancing position and attempting submissions. Training at MMA Masters, he won’t force anything in top position, transitioning between submissions while throwing ground and pound to create openings. He moves very quickly on the mat, often taking his opponent’s back with impressive speed. Ten of Miranda’s sixteen submissions have come via choke, and he’ll constantly hunt for his opponent’s neck.

Kevin Jousset vs. Bryan Battle

*Kevin Jousset submits Kiefer Crosbie with a rear naked choke. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Welterweight Bout

Kevin Jousset: 10-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Bryan Battle: 11-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Jousset is on a five-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Song Kenan (22-8-0) and Kiefer Crosbie (10-5-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a background in Judo. He has an excellent jab and always fights behind it, regularly using it to set up kicks and combinations. Jousset supplies constant leg kicks and pushes a consistent pace throughout, never brawling or getting wild. He varies his shots well and is always dangerous, able to do significant damage at range and inside the pocket. He is a very proficient grappler, holding a 2nd dan black belt in Judo and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Jousset is at his best at kickboxing range, controlling the pace and distance of the fight.

*Bryan Battle cracks Gabe Green with a damaging right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Battle has won three of his last five bouts with one no-contest and has UFC wins over Gabe Green (11-5-0), Takashi Sato (16-7-0), and AJ Fletcher (10-3-0). He is a diverse striker who’s constantly throwing and looking for openings to land tight straight shots. Training at Gladiators Academy, he has an excellent variety of kicks and often mixes them into combinations, throwing everything with purpose and accuracy. Battle has great head movement, footwork, and a solid chin, with him regularly marching through punches to get off his offense. Although he’s a fast starter, he tends to heat up as the fight continues, with six of his nine career finishes coming in the second round. He is willing to grapple and occasionally pursues takedowns but seems content doing most of his work on the feet despite having more submissions than knockouts. Battle has produced two brutal first-round knockouts in his last five outings, and he always looks to keep the judges out of it.

William Gomis vs. Joanderson Brito

*William Gomis lands a beautiful spinning kick to the body of Yanis Ghemmouri. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

William Gomis: 13-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Joanderson Brito: 17-3-1, 8 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Gomis is on an eleven-fight win streak since 2018 and has UFC victories over Jarno Errens (14-6-1), Francis Marshall (8-2-0), 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, instead using accuracy and power to land damage. Training at 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, but he has good pressure and is hard to shake off. Gomis is defensively sound everywhere, having defended 75% of the significant strikes and 81% of the takedowns attempted on him in the UFC.

*Joanderson Brito forces Jonathan Pearce to submit to a ninja choke. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Brito is on a five-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Jack Shore (17-2-0), Andre Fili (24-11-0), and Jonathan Pearce (14-6-0). He uses a brutal, highly aggressive Muay Thai style, constantly throwing long and devastating combos in pursuit of a knockout. He throws every shot with knockout intentions, regularly unloading hooks and overhands while mixing in kicks. Training at Chute Boxe JE, Brito is highly explosive and constantly coming forward, always willing to eat a shot to land one. He is a dangerous grappler, possessing an excellent submission game and brutal ground and pound. He can and will take the fight anywhere and doesn’t seem uncomfortable in any position, whether on the feet or the ground. In 21 professional fights, Brito has only been to the judges four times and always pushes a heavy pace.

#4 Nassourdine Imavov vs. #8 Brendan Allen

*Nassourdine Imavov lands flush on Joaquin Buckley with a head kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Middleweight Bout

Nassourdine Imavov: 14-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Brendan Allen: 24-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.

Imavov has won three of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (17-8-0), #10 ranked Middleweight Roman Dolidze (13-3-0), and Joaquin Buckley (19-6-0). He utilizes a fluid kickboxing style on the feet, fighting behind his jab and throwing every shot with power. He constantly comes forward and has excellent distance management, and although he favors power to volume, he won’t telegraph shots or get wild. Imavov has excellent takedown defense and averages just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. He advances position exceptionally 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.

*Brendan Allen fires a Superman punch at Andre Muniz. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Allen is on a seven-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #15 ranked Chris Curtis (31-11-0), Paul Craig (17-8-1), and Andre Muniz (24-6-0). He’s an excellent grappler with a lethal submission game and solid power in his hands. He’s always dangerous, whether on top or his back, constantly attempting submissions and looking to finish the fight. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he’ll throw heavy ground and pound in top position to open submission opportunities, typically pursuing chokes. He has solid striking to back up his grappling and has decent hands and kicks, using more of a boxing style when he’s on the feet. Although he pushes a heavy pace, he has solid cardio and can comfortably go five rounds. Allen has produced four wins via rear naked choke in his last five appearances and is deadly if he can find his opponent’s neck.

#11 Renato Moicano vs. #12 Benoît Saint Denis

*Renato Moicano unloads brutal ground and pound onto Jalin Turner. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Lightweight Bout

Renato Moicano: 19-5-1, 1 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Benoît Saint Denis: 13-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Moicano has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Featherweight Calvin Kattar (23-8-0), #14 ranked Lightweight Jalin Turner (14-8-0), and Drew Dober (27-14-0). He is a grappling ace with an excellent submission game but is more than willing to throw down on the feet. With only five of his sixteen bouts in the promotion going the distance, he fights with a “kill or be killed” mentality. Moicano is dangerous in top position, especially if he takes his opponent’s back, with all his career submissions coming via rear-naked choke. He’s aggressive on the ground, always trying to improve to a better position, but is also intelligent and rarely puts himself in danger. On the feet, he has solid speed and power in his hands and loves to throw uppercuts and elbows when in close. Training at American Top Team, he often stays patient and picks his shots, waiting for openings to land combinations or attempt a takedown.

*Benoît Saint Denis rains down ground and pound onto Thiago Moisés. MMA Junkie.*

Saint-Denis has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Ismael Bonfim (20-4-0), Thiago Moisés (18-8-0), and Matt Frevola (11-4-1). A well-rounded scrapper, he’s constantly pressuring forward with heavy kicks and throwing bombs. He throws everything with fight-ending intentions and uses his striking to get inside and pursue takedowns. Saint-Denis is an excellent grappler, holding a black belt in Judo, a brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a great variety of submissions 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. Whether on the feet or the mat, he’s always trying to end the fight and remains dangerous throughout. A decorated veteran and former Special Forces paratrooper, Saint-Denis is incredibly tough and capable of enduring impressive damage.

Best Bets

Bryan Battle Moneyline: A fantastic matchup of two highly skilled fighters, this could be one of the best fights on the entire card. Both are well-rounded but favor striking, with Jousset being a slower, technical kickboxer while Battle is constantly pushing the pace and walking through punches. Although Jousset likely has a grappling advantage, he hasn’t pursued takedowns with much urgency in his last two fights and seems content to strike. This tendency is definitely to the benefit of Battle: not only does he push the heavier pace, but he gets better the longer the fight continues. Jousset is tough and won’t be drawn into a brawl easily, but I expect Battle to keep coming forward and disrupt his timing, ultimately earning a victory.

Nassourdine Imavov by Decision: This is by far one of the toughest matchups on the card to predict. Both fighters have similar styles, sizes, reach, and statistics. Both are well-rounded and willing to mix it up, although Imavov favors striking while Allen favors grappling. Overall, I believe the biggest difference-maker is Imavov’s takedown defense; he’s proven very tough to get to the mat in previous appearances. While Allen is capable on the feet, he’s most comfortable on the mat, and Imavov is the more technical striker of the two. Cardio should be of no concern to either fighter, with both having gone five rounds recently, and both are very tough to finish. Ultimately, I expect Imavov to deny Allen’s takedowns and outpace him on the feet to earn a decision victory.

Renato Moicano Moneyline: A fantastic main event to top off this main card; I expect fireworks from this matchup. Both are well-rounded and dangerous everywhere, especially on the mat. Like Imavov and Allen, both are comfortable fighting anywhere, but Saint Denis favors striking while Moicano favors grappling. Unlike that matchup, though, I believe they’re evenly matched on the feet, and it’s the grappling that will be the difference in this fight. Although both are black belts in BJJ, Moicano is vastly more experienced and has fought a much higher level of talent than Saint Denis. I expect some early exchanges on the feet, but ultimately, I anticipate Moicano getting the fight to the mat and controlling his opponent. Saint Denis is incredibly durable and has never been submitted, so a finish may be hard to come by, but I expect an impressive victory for Moicano.

UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis Preview