Midnight Mania! UFC targeting Ciryl Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa main event in first-ever Paris event

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

In recent years, France has been one of the few countries in Western Europe where MMA remains illegal, in part due to the influence of its prominent Judo federation and a general lack of regulation. As of 2020, however, the sport became legal, and that transition couldn’t have come at a better time. There’s been a significant uptick of UFC fighters from France in recent years, most notably from Paris’ MMA Factory, which first helped Francis Ngannou rise up the ranks before he relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Now that the sport is actually allowed, UFC has been hinting at its first event in France for some time. Details are starting to emerge, and first reports indicate that UFC will be heading to Paris on September 3. The targeted main event? French kickboxer Ciryl Gane vs. Australian slugger Tai Tuivasa!

Gane last competed at UFC 270 in January, suffering his first professional loss to Ngannou and coughing up his interim title in the process. Prior to that defeat, Gane won ten in a row, defeating top names like Derrick Lewis and Alexander Volkov to establish himself as one of the best young Heavyweights alive.

Tuivasa has seen more ups-and-downs in his UFC career than “Bon Gamin,” but the Aussie is riding a major hot streak. “Bam Bam” has won five in a row, most recently knocking Derrick Lewis senseless to ascend into the Top Five. There are definite title implications surrounding this potential main event, which will likely be officially confirmed in the coming weeks.

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