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Join 411’s Live UFC on ESPN+ 116 Coverage

September 6, 2025 | Posted by Robert Winfree
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MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
#2 Nassourdine Imavov (185 lbs.) vs. #7 Caio Borralho (185 lbs.)
#13 Benoit Saint Denis (155 lbs.) vs. #15 Mauricio Ruffy (156 lbs.)
Modestas Bukauskas (205 lbs.) vs. Paul Craig (205 lbs.)
Mason Jones (156 lbs.) vs. Bolaji Oki (156 lbs.)
Rhys McKee (170 lbs.) vs. Axel Sola (170 lbs.)
William Gomis (145 lbs.) vs. Robert Ruchala (146 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, noon ET)
Brendson Ribeiro (206 lbs.) vs. Oumar Sy (206 lbs.)
Ante Delija (239 lbs.) vs. #7 Marcin Tybura (256 lbs.)
Kaue Fernandes (155 lbs.) vs. Harry Hardwick (156 lbs.)
Sam Patterson (170 lbs.) vs. Trey Waters (171 lbs.)
Robert Bryczek (186 lbs.) vs. Brad Tavares (186 lbs.)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (170 lbs.) vs. Andreas Gustafsson (171 lbs.)
Shauna Bannon (116 lbs.) vs. Sam Hughes (116 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 116, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. The UFC is in Paris for this one, I mean the French ponied up enough money for a WWE PLE last week so I imagine part of the site fee went towards pulling another UFC event to the country. The main event is a very good middleweight fight as Nassourdine Imavov takes on Caio Borralho, with a win and a standout performance either of them could wind up next in line for a title shot. The co-main event sees Benoit Saint Denis take on the rising Mauricio Ruffy in what should be a good fight. Things get a little slim beyond that, we were supposed to get Patricio Pitbull taking on Losene Keita but Keita missed weight and Pitbull isn’t at the point in his career where he’ll play around with that so that fight is off. Robert Ruchala is making his UFC debut against William Gomis, Oumar Sy is trying to bounce back against Brendson Ribeiro, Ante Delija debuts for the UFC against top 10 heavyweight Marcin Tybura too if you care about heavyweight. We did lose Fares Ziam from this card, in his place is Harry Hardwick to take on Kaue Fernandes. For an ESPN+ card it’s not too bad, so let’s hope the action delivers.

UFC on ESPN+ 116 comes to the world from the Accor Arena in Paris, France. John Gooden will be the leading man on the mic with Michael Bisping and Paul Felder rounding out the booth while Heidi Androl will serve as the roving reporter. Keep in mind we’re in the usual 30 foot cage and the newer rules should be in play here but I’ll update this if that’s an incorrect assumption.

Shauna Bannon has gone 2-1 in the UFC but she’s on a two fight winning streak and could finally be finding her footing with a third consecutive win. Sam Hughes has gone 5-5 in the UFC but she’s on a two fight winning streak and a win here would mean she’s above the .500 mark for the first time in the UFC. The odds like Hughes at -280 to Bannon’s +225.

Strawweight Bout: Shauna Bannon (7-1, 116 lbs.) vs. Sam Hughes (10-6, 116 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Bannon has an inch of reach advantage. Bannon looks for some lead leg kicks early. Both women land a few lefts as they move around. Hughes is looking to press forward most of the time. Bannon shows some body jabs. They clinch up and Hughes gets a takedown into full guard. Not much going on here, Bannon is looking to stall from bottom. A few short punches land for Hughes. Bannon looks to work her guard higher but again neither is doing much. Hughes finally postures a bit and drops some punches. Hughes passes to side control as Bannon tries to grab at an arm. Mounted crucifix now for Hughes and she drops elbows to the head. Bannon is able to catch half guard and get out of the crucifix. Hughes moves towards full mount but can’t finish the pass. Back to side control for Hughes and she moves to the ride when Bannon goes to turtle. Choke attack from Hughes but Bannon defends so Hughes lands strikes as they stand into a clinch. The round will end in the clinch with Hughes landing an elbow.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hughes

ROUND TWO: Bannon shows some kicks early and lands a bit of a high kick. Hughes lands a right hand, she’s back on just moving forward and trips up Bannon then gets on top in full guard and lands punches. A few more short punches and elbows from Hughes then she passes to side control. Bannon gives up the back, Hughes gets the choke with both hooks in and forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sam Hughes via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:58 of Round 2

Mic time for Hughes, she thanks her team for their work then sucks up to the UFC brass and is overall happy. She talks us through the finish then again puts over her team.

Rinat Fakhretdinov has an impressive 11 fight winning streak going including being 5-0-1 in the UFC with his last loss coming over a decade ago in 2014. He has been out of action since October of last year but if he can get back into the public consciousness with an impressive win here he should be about due a step up towards ranked opposition. Andreas Gustafsson is on a four fight winning streak including his UFC debut back in June, he’s looking for his biggest win to date here and to prove he’s the rising prospect in the division. Close one here, Gustafsson closed at -125 to +105 for Fakhretdinov.

Welterweight Bout: Rinat Fakhretdinov (24-2-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Andreas Gustafsson (12-2, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gustafsson is an inch taller while Fakhretdinov has half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Both men swing punches early, Gustafsson is pressing forward. They tie up and Fakhretdinov lands some uppercuts before they break. Left hook from Fakhretdinov, he’s actually the more technical striker which is a miracle. Left hand from Fakhretdinov then a couple of body shots. High kick from Fakhretdinov as he’s got Gustafsson against the fence then he unloads with punches until Gustafsson wilts against the fence and the ref jumps in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rinat Fakhretdinov via TKO, punches, at :54 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Fakhretdinov for his work. Fakhretdinov gets an interview after that quick win, they have to bring over a Russian translator so we’ve got a daisy chain going on here as there’s a French translator for the crowd, he knew the first round would be wild but was ready to go later if necessary after Gustafsson tired himself out. To close he thanks the fans.

Brad Tavares has been with the UFC since 2010 and while he’s not ever going to make a push to the top of the division he could pass Michael Bisping for most UFC middleweight wins which would be a decent little milestone to hit. Robert Bryczek dropped his UFC debut to Ihor Potieria in February of last year, now he’s finally back in action and looking for that all important first UFC win. The odds are with Tavares at -220 while Bryczek’s comeback sits at +180.

Middleweight Bout: Robert Bryczek (17-6, 186 lbs.) vs. Brad Tavares (21-10, 186 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tavares is an inch taller while Bryczek has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Some circling and jabbing from Tavares. Bryczek with a left to the body in close. They clash on leg kicks then Bryczek digs the body a couple more times. Jab from Tavares then a front kick. Right hand from Tavares. Tavares with a calf kick. Right to the body from Bryczek. Bryczek with a right hand then a left hook that drops Tavares. Tavares fights up into a clinch but Bryczek is still on him firing body shots before things settle into the clinch. They break without incident. Calf kick from Tavares then Bryczek avoids a few punches. A couple more body blows from Bryczek, he’s firing in combination and hurts Tavares again but Tavares stays upright. Bryczek gets to the back standing and rides Tavares down to a knee against the fence. Tavares fights upright again but Bryczek keeps punching at him, though Tavares fires back then hits a double leg into full guard to finally stifle the offense from Bryczek. Half guard now for Tavares. Not much going on here, and they’ll just see out the round without much happening.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Bryczek but a marginal one

ROUND TWO: Bryczek gets back on forward pressure to start the round. Tavares is trying to keep his back off the fence and lands a calf kick then a bit of a one two. Bryczek showing a few stance switches now as they move. Tavares tries a double leg but Bryczek sprawls and defends. Left hand from Bryczek. Tavares lands a calf kick, he’s circling a lot because he can’t fight in the pocket with Bryczek. Right to the body from Bryczek. Both men land punches in close, Bryczek is getting Tavares towards the fence now and that’s where a lot of his offense comes to life. Left to the body from Bryczek. Bryczek avoids a few punches. Tavares lands a calf kick. Another right to the body from Bryczek but his offense has slowed, frankly I can’t blame him after the output of the first round. Bit of a high kick from Tavares. Left hand from Bryczek. Tavares with another calf kick. Both men miss rights to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tavares, 19-18 Bryczek overall

ROUND THREE: Bryczek gets back to pressure and they trade rights. Calf kick from Tavares. Left body kick from Tavares then a calf kick bdhind it. Bryczek avoids a takedown. Both men land punches in close again. Bryczek with a right to the body. A few body jabs from Bryczek as he’s getting Tavares towards the fence more reliably. Right hand from Bryczek then he follows up and Tavares crumbles against the fence, this time Bryczek pours on enough offense to get the ref to step in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Robert Bryczek via TKO, punches, at 1:43 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bryczek for his work. Tavares wasn’t pleased with the stoppage but I think it was understandable. Mic time for Bryczek, he jokes that he’s not surprised and promises not to give up on himself. He wanted to prove his first UFC fight was just an accident and that he’s good.

Sam Patterson has gone 3-1 in the UFC but he’s on a three fight winning streak and could establish himself as a prospect of note with another win here. Trey Waters has gone 2-0 in the UFC and is likewise trying to establish himself as the next big prospect for the weight class with a win. Patterson closed as the -190 favorite to a +160 comeback for Waters.

Welterweight Bout: Sam Patterson (13-2-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Trey Waters (9-1, 171 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Waters is two inches taller at a whopping 6’5 overall while Patterson has an inch of reach advantage. A lot of range finding early, both men are probing with kicks and jabs. Patterson is looking to get his jab going, Waters is keeping his hands a bit low. Jab then inside leg kick from Waters. Waters jabs the body. Both men have landed a fair amount of probing jabs and their eyes are coloring up. Calf kick from Waters. Waters checks a calf kick then lands a right hand to counter a jab. Jab from Waters, then another one. Patterson wobbles Waters with a right hand, he looks to follow up against the fence. A couple more rights from Patterson prompt the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sam Patterson via TKO, punches, at 3:01 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Patterson for his work. Mic time for Patterson, he says he works hard every day and that’s why he’s successful. He mentions having to figure out how to fight a taller guy when he’s used to being the taller man but he figured it out. Asked about the future he wants a step up in class and mentions Neil Magny in particular.

Kaue Fernandes has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak and is looking to really find his footing with a third consecutive win. Harry Hardwick took this fight on very short notice and up from his normal featherweight division but brings an eight fight winning streak into his UFC debut, and now he’s got the chance to make a great first impression on the UFC audience. All that being the case it’s not surprising to see Fernandes as the -205 favorite to Hardwick’s +170.

Lightweight Bout: Kaue Fernandes (10-2, 155 lbs.) vs. Harry Hardwick (13-3-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fernandes is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Hardwick and he moves forward early. Fernandes probes with a few low kicks and plays with some stance switches. Both men are playing around with stances now, and Fernandes lands a combination of punches. Calf kick from Fernandes then a jab. Fernandes with a body kick out of a clinch then lands a calf kick. Right hand then a left hook from Fernandes then a calf kick. Fernandes is happy to kick either leg of Hardwick depending on his stance and both of Hardwick’s legs are getting torn up. Jab from Fernandes. A calf kick from Fernandes gets Hardwick limping, then one to the other leg for good measure. Glancing high kick from Fernandes then a calf kick. Hardwick is trying to fire punches but his base is shot from those calf kicks. Left hand from Hardwick. Fernandes with a spinning back fist and Hardwick drops but Fernandes makes him stand back up. Left uppercut from Fernandes then a calf kick drops Hardwick, Hardwick can’t stand and the ref has to wave it off.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kaue Fernandes via TKO, leg kicks, at 3:21 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Fernandes for his work. Mic time for Fernandes and a translator, Hardwick had to leave the cage in a wheelchair as his legs were too battered. The crowd boo Fernandes, he feels he’s the best kicker in the division and puts over his team for their work. Asked about the future he says he’ll do whatever the UFC wants. He closes with some Portuguese for Brazil to thank everyone back home.

Marcin Tybura has been with the UFC since 2016 and has gone 14-8 with them, he’s currently 3-2 in his last five fights and is looking to defend his top 10 ranking. Ante Delija had a pretty decent run in PFL including winning their 2022 season, now he’s made it to the UFC and has a chance to make a big statement if he can best perennial top end gatekeeper Tybura. This one closed at a -110 pick ’em.

Heavyweight Bout: Ante Delija (25-6, 239 lbs.) vs. #7 Marcin Tybura (27-9, 256 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Delija is half an inch taller but the reach is identical. Quick flurry of punches from Delija, Tybura doesn’t like that and ties up in a clinch to slow things down. A few knees go back and forth before Delija spins free. Tybura tries southpaw but that just leads to Delija dropping him with an uppercut and getting the stoppage against the fence.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Ante Delija via KO, punches, at 2:03 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Delija for his work. Mic time for Delija, he talks about how long he’s worked for this moment and being in the UFC has been his dream and thanks the French and everyone in the crowd. He thanks his team, including Tom Aspinall who he trains with, then thanks his family especially his wife. He talks us through the finish, the French are vociferously booing every mention of Aspinall or when he’s shown as he’s in attendance, they’re invested in Ciryl Gane it seems. To close he again puts over everyone who’s worked with him over the last years to get him to this point.

Oumar Sy is coming off of his first professional loss when he got very little going against Alonzo Menifield back in June, he’s now trying to avoid his first losing streak while also proving he’s still got a high ceiling in a division always in need of bodies. Brendson Ribeiro has gone 2-3 in the UFC and most recently got stopped by Azamat Murzakanov, he’s trying to avoid another losing streak. Sy is the biggest favorite on the card at -650 to +470 for Ribeiro.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Brendson Ribeiro (17-8 1 NC, 206 lbs.) vs. Oumar Sy (11-1, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sy is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Some forward stalking from Sy, the crowd is loud and behind Sy. Both men probe with some lead leg kicks. Calf kick from Sy. Jab from Sy bothers Ribeiro, then he tries a takedown and gets it into side control. Ribeiro is holding the head, so Sy could try a Von Flue choke but Sy doesn’t even try for it and just gets his head out. Sy moves to leg drag briefly but Ribeiro gets full guard. The crowd sing a bit of the French national anthem, kind of a tradition for them at this point. Sy passes to half guard and drops a few elbows. Ribeiro tries for a kimura, he gets the grip and sweeps but they wind up scrambling back to their feet and at distance. Both men miss rights. Calf kick from Sy then he eats a knee but does get a takedown against the fence. Sy moves to side control and lands a few more strikes. Ribeiro moves to turtle and Sy gets to the back with one hook in. Punches and elbows from Sy, Ribeiro is not able to defend himself and the ref intervenes.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Oumar Sy via TKO, punches and elbows, at 4:46 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Sy for his work. Mic time for Sy and the translator, he feels great fighting in Paris and plays with the crowd a bit. He admits he was disappointed in his last performance but feels this is a better show of his skills. Asked about the future he says he’d like another crack at the top 15 in some capacity. To close he plays with the crowd a bit.

William Gomis has gone 4-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a split decision loss and now tries to avoid his first losing streak. Robert Ruchala brings a two fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he had a very commendable run through KSW and only lost to Salahdine Parnasse, now he’s trying to enter the UFC with the kind of exciting fight and finish that he became known for in more hardcore circles. The odds are with Gomis at -250 to a +205 comeback for Ruchala.

Featherweight Bout: William Gomis (14-3, 145 lbs.) vs. Robert Ruchala (11-1, 146 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Gomis is four inches taller with an inch of reach advantage, that man is all leg it seems. Southpaw for Gomis and he opens with some kicks. Ruchala probes with some punches but can’t find the target yet. Front kick from Ruchala. Gomis keeps up pressure and side kicks the leg. A few calf kicks go back and forth. Bit of a right hand from Ruchala. Gomis lands a body kick. Bit of a spinning back kick from Ruchala. They tie up, Ruchala hits an outside trip to get on top in side control. Gomis works to wrestle up, he gets to a clinch and they hit the fence. They trade a few blows in the clinch while jockeying for position before Gomis slips free. Body kick from Gomis, Ruchala didn’t like that one. Leg kick from Ruchala. Inside leg kick from Gomis. They clash on kicks then Ruchala pushes into a clinch. Gomis spins free and lands an elbow then a body kick that again Ruchala didn’t like, but that will close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gomis

ROUND TWO: Ruchala shows kicks and pushes forward into a clinch. Gomis with a few knees then he spins free. Both men land punches in close. Ruchala with a body kick. Gomis responds with a left hand that off balances Ruchala. Jab from Gomis. Ruchala tries a takedown but Gomis defends and they trade knees in the clinch. Ruchala gets to a close clinch and gets a takedown into half guard. Gomis works to sit up but Ruchala gets him back down and starts attacking an arm triangle position. Gomis is hip to that though and gets his arm out of danger. Ruchala moves briefly to mount but Gomis is wall walking so Ruchala moves to the ride instead. They fight up into a clinch. Gomis is able to slip free with 15 seconds left then lands a body kick. Front kick from Ruchala. Gomis misses a high kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ruchala but could go either way

ROUND THREE: Both men open with kicks again. That body kick from Gomis is still able to do work but he’s not throwing it much. Both men swing punches, and Ruchala got poked in the eye so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the poke, Gomis opened his fist at the end of his punch and poked Ruchala in the eye. The doctor is in to check on Ruchala, apparently he can continue and of course no penalty for Gomis. They touch gloves on the restart. Inside leg kick from Gomis, he’s looking to up the pace now. Both men show spinning attacks but nothing lands. Ruchala catches a front kick and tries a clinch, Gomis with knees to the body then he misses punches on the break. Front kick from Gomis. Gomis avoids a spinning back kick and lands a glancing left hand. Ruchala lands a body kick. Gomis avoids a few punches then Ruchala clinches up. They jockey for position along the fence then break. Jab from Gomis then a left hand behind it. Body kick from Gomis. Ruchala lands a front kick. Bit of a left from Gomis after he avoided a takedown attempt. Stiff jab from Gomis. Ruchala with a body kick then a bit of a right hand. Head kick from Ruchala seems to wobble Gomis, he looks to keep up the pressure. Gomis is able to throw back but his legs are a little unsteady. A couple of lefts from Gomis stun Ruchala, then Gomis avoids a punch and hits a mat return from behind. Gomis moves to the ride, Ruchala wall walks but Gomis takes him back down into half guard. Some punches from Gomis, he gets the ride again and tries a no hook choke but nothing comes of it before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gomis, 29-28 Gomis overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – William Gomis via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Well the parade of finishes had to end at some point. Despite spoiling that run of fun Gomis gets an interview, but some technical issues interrupt it to start. Turns out we miss that whole interview with those issues.

Axel Sola is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, and getting to make his UFC debut in his native France which could lead to a very special moment if he’s victorious. It’s worth nothing Sola usually fights at lightweight. Rhys McKee has gone just 1-4 in the UFC across two stints with the promotion but he did win his last time out and now looks for his first UFC winning streak. Close one here, -135 on Sola to +115 for McKee.

Welterweight Bout: Rhys McKee (14-6-1, 170 lbs.) vs. Axel Sola (10-0-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but McKee has four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Sola. Some range finding jabs from both men early. Bit of a head kick from Sola. Left hand from Sola. Solid left hand from Sola, he’s moving and sniping well. They trade power hand punches. McKee is starting to look to flurry instead of pot shot with Sola. Another left hand from Sola. They tie up and trade in close before breaking. McKee misses a right hand. Double leg from Sola, McKee quickly wall walks but Sola moves to his back. A few knees to the leg from Sola but nothing serious. Sola tries a few trips from the back, mixed results and he can’t get McKee down fully. McKee fights off some mat returns so Sola goes back to landing knees to the leg. McKee spins chest to chest then blocks a double leg and they break. Sola misses a left hand. Both men miss punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sola

ROUND TWO: Both men get back to long range punching. Sola lands a left hand. Body kick from Sola. McKee is pushing forward and lands a left hook. They tie up and trade punches in close before breaking. Left to the body from Sola. Another couple of lefts to the body from Sola. McKee blocks a couple of punches then fires a right hand. They trade rights. Right hook from Sola. McKee just wont stop walking Sola down. Another left from Sola. They clinch and trade knees then Sola looks for a takedown against the fence but he wont find it. A few up elbows from Sola land then he lands an elbow and separates. Both men land punches in close. Left to the body from Sola then McKee fires a few uppercuts. They tie up and Sola tries an arm triangle takedown but can’t finish it and they wind up on the fence again. That’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sola but a close one, 20-18 Sola overall

ROUND THREE: Both men get back to what they were doing. McKee gets close and fires hooks. Sola is circling and lands a few jabs. Both men land uppercuts. Left hand from McKee. Sola with a left to the body and they trade in the pocket again. One two from Sola. Head kick from Sola partially connects. McKee with a right hand in close. Both men miss elbows in close. Left to the body from Sola then a body kick behind it. A left to the body from Sola folds McKee up, Sola gets to the ride and fires punches then gets a relatively early stoppage win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Axel Sola via TKO, body shot and punches, at 2:02 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Sola for his work. Mic time for Sola and he’s really happy to make his UFC debut in Paris like this. He puts over McKee’s toughness then talks us through the finish while noting that he used the body blows to deter the forward motion of McKee in the third round.

Bolaji Oki has gone 2-1 in the UFC but is coming off of a win and now looks for his first UFC winning streak. Mason Jones started his second UFC stint earlier this year with a win over veteran Jeremy Stephens, he’s looking to get his first UFC winning streak here and extend an overall five fight winning streak. Another fairly close one, -135 on Jones to +115 for Oki.

Lightweight Bout: Mason Jones (16-2 1 NC, 156 lbs.) vs. Bolaji Oki (10-2, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Jones has an inch of reach advantage. Oki jabs the body early. Bit of a right from Oki. Head kick from Jones partially lands. Oki catches a side kick then drops Jones with a right hand. Jones fights up but gets dropped again. Oki gets on top and looks for strikes, then he stands free and they swing punches in close. Jones avoids a few punches. Oki with a glancing right hand. Front kick from Jones. Both men land rights in close. Jones with a couple of punches, he keeps showing a side kick to close distance but Oki seems hip to that technique. A left from Jones hurts Oki, Oki’s down and Jones gets on top in half guard and drops elbows. Oki wall walks but eats a knee and an elbow. Foot sweep from Jones and he’s back on top in half guard. Jones back to throwing elbows, I am so happy those 12-6 elbows are legal. Now Jones passes to north-south, he’s looking to attack an arm and gets a kimura then wrenches on it but Oki is able to straighten his arm and avoid being tapped. A few body shots from Jones now as he’s working out of north-south still, then he attacks the kimura again but can’t get it so he settles for landing strikes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Oki but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Jones shows the head kick again as the round starts. Oki with a left to the body, he’s starting to show southpaw a bit. Both men land some jabs then Jones resumes moving forward. Jabs go back and forth again. Jab from Jones. Front kick from Jones. Oki with an inside leg kick. A few jabs from Jones land. Oki with a right hand but he misses a spinning back elbow, so Jones fires one of his own that partially lands. Jones fights off a takedown attempt and then punches into a clinch. Outside trip and throw from Jones to land on top in side control again. Elbows from Jones then he looks for a mount and is able to get it. Oki is fighting to keep control of Jones’ posture, Jones lands a flurry of elbows in response. More punches and elbows from Jones, Oki is trying to move but he’s unable to address the position and the offensive onslaught just continues until the ref has to step in.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mason Jones via TKO, punches and elbows, at 3:18 of Round 2

Heck of a comeback from Jones, he was on the verge of being stopped in the first round early. Jones gets an interview, he jokes about not being hurt and knows he gets marked up easily but he doesn’t slow down and Oki did. He talks about his history with Judo, a popular sport in France, to get a little good will and the crowd appreciate that. He talks us through the finish and says the wrestling was plan B, he just likes to do damage and once Oki started wrestling in the second he was happy to keep that going. To close he wants to fight in November 22 as he feels he’ll be ready.

Modestas Bukauskas is on a three fight winning streak and if he can extend that success here he might be able to earn a shot at some ranked opponents given the dire talent situation at light heavyweight. Paul Craig hasn’t won since 2023 and is on a four fight winless streak though most recently he fought to a No Contest, he’s back at light heavyweight for the first time since 2023 and could notch his first win in the division since 2022 here. Bukauskas is a pretty sizeable favorite at -310 to +250 for Craig.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Modestas Bukauskas (18-6, 205 lbs.) vs. Paul Craig (17-9-1 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Craig is half an inch taller but the reach is identical. Craig shows kicks early, Bukauskas is showing stance switches and trying out some range finding kicks of his own. A lot of southpaw work from Bukauskas, and both men show side kicks. Blitz from Bukauskas into a clinch on the fence. They both fire some knees then Bukauskas pulls out of the clinch. Calf kick from Bukauskas, he’s mostly orthodox now. Another calf kick from Bukauskas. Right hand from Bukauskas lands cleanly. Spinning back kick from Craig. Bukauskas blocks a high kick. Another blitz from Bukauskas, they wind up clinched and Craig winds up putting him on the fence. Craig is looking for a takedown but can’t quite finish any of them yet. Bukauskas spins Craig into the fence and knees go back and forth for a bit. Craig jumps for guard but Bukauskas slings him off and starts landing punches standing over him. The round is about to end and Bukauskas drops a massive elbow that SLEEPS Craig but no one realizes it until right after the round ends.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Modestas Bukauskas via KO, elbow, at 5:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Bukauskas for his work. Mic time for Bukauskas, he knew he had hurt Craig near the end of the round and mentions going for the final elbow to finish things. Asked about the future he wants to fight someone in the top 15 and feels four wins in a row has earned him that, I wouldn’t mind him fighting a ranked opponent next personally.

They give Paul Craig a quick interview as he’s laying down the gloves and retiring. The crowd appreciate him and he thanks the fans for the memories, he thanks the fans for the memories again and just admits he’s become old in the sport.

Benoit Saint-Denis has gone 6-3 in the UFC, he was looking pretty good before getting stopped in back to back fights against Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano, he did rebound in his last fight but still seems to have issues that he needs to fix. Saint-Denis is trying to get another winning streak going here and also to demonstrate some skill development that would give us some cause for optimism about him going forward. Maruicio Ruffy is on a seven fight winning streak including three UFC wins, most recently he knocked out King Green with a wheel kick and if he can get by Saint-Denis here he’ll move up the rankings and solidify himself as a rising talent in the division. The odds are pretty close here, -150 on Ruffy to +125 for Saint-Denis.

Lightweight Bout: #13 Benoit Saint-Denis (14-3 1 NC, 155 lbs.) vs. #15 Mauricio Ruffy (12-1, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Ruffy has two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Saint-Denis. Ruffy with a right hand to avoid a takedown attempt early. Saint-Denis fires a head kick, partially successful. Jab from Ruffy then he defends a takedown but they hit the fence and Saint-Denis is able to spin things down from a clinch. Saint-Denis moves to full mount pretty quickly and starts lining up an arm triangle attack. Ruffy is able to avoid the choke then moves to turtle, Saint-Denis grabs a body triangle to avoid losing position but Ruffy keeps moving and slings Saint-Denis over the top then makes him reset on the feet. Knee from Ruffy but Saint-Denis gets a takedown against the fence. Saint-Denis moves to mount and Ruffy is sitting on the fence. Ruffy gives up the back then tries to wall walk again but Saint-Denis is attacking an arm triangle from full mount. Saint-Denis loses the arm but keeps full mount. Ruffy is able to wall walk with Saint-Denis in the clinch, then they jockey for position on the fence. There’s some confusion as Ruffy took a knee a little low so we’ve got a time out. That was somewhat poorly handled but replay does show a knee went low. Ruffy takes a little less than a minute then we’re back to fighting. Saint-Denis avoids an uppercut. Ruffy avoids a clinch. Body kick from Saint-Denis. They just feint away the final seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Saint-Denis, might be a 10-8 argument in there

ROUND TWO: Ruffy lands a jab to start the round. Bit of a right from Ruffy. Knee and right hand from Ruffy. Saint-Denis pushes forward, Ruffy lands an elbow but Saint-Denis gets a clinch. Ruffy tries to counter a takedown and winds up on top in full guard. Ruffy stands free then misses a right hand. Body kick from Saint-Denis. Saint-Denis tries for a takedown on the fence and settles for a clinch. Takedown from Saint-Denis and he gets to the back with both hooks in. Body triangle now for Saint-Denis. Ruffy looks to walk, Saint-Denis is after the choke but the angle isn’t quite right, he has to adjust it a bit but gets the tap eventually.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Benoit Saint-Denis via Submission, rear naked choke, at 2:56 of Round 2

Mic time for Saint-Denis, he sends love to his wife then talks about how hard he worked to get this result. He talks us through the finish then says he’d like to fight someone in the top 10 on short notice if possible. To close he plays with the crowd.

Nassourdine Imavov is riding a five fight unbeaten streak and most recently stopped former champion Israel Adesanya, he’s auditioning for the next title shot as an impressive win would certainly move him into that discussion. Caio Borralho has gone 7-0 in the UFC and hasn’t lost since his second professional fight back in 2015, he’s likewise trying to make his case for a title shot with an impressive win, though both men are also having to wait to see how the upcoming fight between Reiner de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez goes before any kind of clarity will be gained about who’s next in line for the champion. Very close main event this time, -130 on Borralho to +110 for Imavov.

Middleweight Bout: #2 Nassourdine Imavov (16-4 1 NC, 185 lbs.) vs. #7 Caio Borralho (17-1 1 NC, 185 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Imavov is an inch and a half taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get things going, Borralho fighting southpaw. Both men show side kicks at the knee early. Imavov blocks a high kick. Both men block a few strikes. Bit of a front kick from Imavov. Some stance switching from Borralho now but he’s still mostly southpaw. Imavov fights off a takedown, they wind up clinched and Borralho with a few knees as they jockey in space before separating. Imavov gets back to forward pressure. Calf kick from Borralho. Borralho blocks a left hook. Body kick from Borralho, Imavov didn’t like that very much. Imavov blocks a body kick. Uppercut then a left hook from Imavov. Borralho pushes forward, he lands a couple of body blows before they clinch up on the fence. A few knees to the leg from Borralho and the round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov but could go either way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Borralho keeps probing with kicks. Imavov with a bit of a right hand. Another glancing right from Imavov. Bit of a body kick from Borralho. Front kick from Imavov, he’s been throwing that off the lead leg a lot. Short left hook from Imavov. Right hand from Borralho. Right to the body from Imavov, he’s got really fast hands so far. Imavov keeps up the pressure and Borralho blocks a few punches. Spinning back fist from Imavov to counter a body kick, and it partially lands. Borralho tries a single leg but Imavov defends. Left hook from Imavov mostly lands. Right hand from Imavov, he’s got a read now it seems. They wind up just circling away the final bit of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov, 20-18 Imavov overall

ROUND THREE: Knee from Borralho but Imavov cracks him with a counter right hand. A few more rights from Imavov. Borralho swings back and lands a knee in a brief clinch. They punch into a clinch and we get a break as there was a knee that went into the groin. Replay confirms the low blow to Imavov. Imavov takes about a minute then we’re back to fighting. Calf kick from Borralho. Imavov avoids an elbow. Bit of a body kick from Borralho. Counter right from Imavov but Borralho then lands a solid left hand that staggers Imavov for a second. Another calf kick from Borralho. Bit of a right hand from Imavov in close. Glancing one two from Borralho but he got poked in the eye so we’ve got another time out. Borralho only takes 30 seconds then we’re back to fighting. Jab from Borralho. Imavov with a counter right. Imavov avoids a takedown but gets clinched and pressed into the fence. Borralho fires some knees to the body and leg. Imavov is able to push free and reset. A couple of body shots from Imavov land, that’ll be the last relevant blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Borralho but another close one, 29-28 Imavov overall

ROUND FOUR: Both men land punches in close then Borralho lands a body kick. Calf kick from Borralho. Imavov misses a couple of rights then lands a front kick. Inside leg kick from Imavov strays into the groin but Borralho kind of just waves it off. Elbow from Imavov lands, he’s starting to use that as they’re getting close enough to hand fight. Right to the body from Imavov, then a right hand as Borralho tried to rush him. Right to the body then a left hook from Imavov. Borralho with a calf kick. Both men land power hand punches then they clinch up. Foot sweep from Borralho but Imavov bounces up and lands a one two. Both men land punches again but Imavov’s hand speed and accuracy are carrying the exchanges. One two from Imavov. Borralho with a left hand then a right hook. Jab from Borralho. Imavov with a right hand then they trade jabs. Tomahawk elbow from Borralho partially lands then they clinch and Imavov pushes things into the fence. Left hook from Imavov on the break. Bit of a high kick from Borralho and that’ll basically close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov, 39-37 Imavov overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves for the final round. Imavov gets back on pressure. Bit of a left from Borralho, then another one. Borralho with a front kick. Right hand from Imavov. Calf kick from Borralho. Bit of a one two from Imavov, but Borralho fires back with a left hand. Elbow from Imavov but Borralho lands a left hand then a right hook. Elbow from Borralho in close. They trade power hand punches. A few jabs from Imavov land then a right hand behind one of them. Right hook from Borralho in close. Borralho with a left hand, then he gets poked in the eye again so we’ve got another time out. The doctor is in to check as we get replay confirmation of the poke. Borralho wants to continue and the doctor says he can. The ref gives Imavov a hard warning, the next foul will result in a point deduction, then we’re back to fighting after about 90 seconds. Borralho starts swinging punches pretty quickly but isn’t landing much. Imavov with a right hand. Calf kick from Borralho. Imavov with another right hand then a body shot. Left hook from Imavov. Jab from Borralho and they clinch up then break without incident. Right hand from Imavov again. One two from Imavov. Borralho with a jab then a few body shots and they clinch up. They hit the fence then break. 10 seconds left and we get some exchanges from both men to close out the fight.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Imavov, 49-46 Imavov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nassourdine Imavov via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46 x2)

Solid overall win for Imavov, we’ll have to wait and see if it was enough to get the title shot depending on how Anthony Hernandez vs. Reiner de Ridder goes. Mic time for Imavov, he says he suffered some kind of foot injury and it hampered his ability to get a finish. Asked about how this might have positioned him for a title shot he says he should be next and just beat a guy who was 10 years unbeaten. To close he asks the crowd to be nice to Borralho.

Borralho does get an interview as well, he thanks France for being a good host and puts over the crowd as being wild. He gets the crowd to help him wish his son a happy birthday. He feels Imavov was just the better man today, he wanted to have an entertaining fight and feels it led to a good fight but he needs to find his adrenaline going forward. Just me talking here, but cutting to championship weight two weeks ago might have contributed to that. To close he says the fighting nerds will make a comeback after this.

Well on that note UFC on ESPN+ 116 comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast tomorrow, plus looking ahead to UFC Noche 3 next week when Jean Silva meets Diego Lopes in the main event. I’ll be back for that event and I hope you will as well. Until then thank you for reading, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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