UFC Fight Night Paris: Picks & predictions for Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho

The UFC returns to Paris, France on Saturday (September 6) for another UFC Fight Night event, and MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré is here to provide predictions for all 13 fights on the card.

The event is headlined by a potential middleweight title eliminator between France's Nassourdine Imavov and Brazil’s Caio Borralho. Imavov has won four-straight fights and is coming off a stoppage-win over two-time UFC middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya, while Borralho most recently defeated Jared Cannonier and is unbeaten since joining the UFC.

The night’s co-main event will see Borralho’s “Fighting Nerds” teammate Mauricio Ruffy take on Benoit Saint-Denis, who hopes to score a big win in his home country after he was stopped by Renato Moicano in last year’s UFC Paris main event.

UFC Fight Night Paris Main Card Predictions

Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho

Paul Craig (red gloves) fights Caio Borralho (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

This is a fantastic matchup between two high-level fighters that are both in the prime of their careers. I won’t be at all surprised if Imavov is able to grind out a decision on the feet, but Borralho should be able to hold his own in the striking and also has an underutilized ground game to fall back on.

(Pick: Borralho)

Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Mauricio Ruffy (red gloves) fights James Llontop (blue gloves) in the catchweight bout during UFC 309. — Mauricio Ruffy (red gloves) fights James Llontop (blue gloves) in the catchweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

I’ll be very interested to see how this fight plays out if Ruffy finds that he can’t just flatten Saint-Denis with one clean shot. “God of War” has shown some incredible durability since joining the UFC, but I still think Ruffy will have enough big moments to get the nod if things do make it to the judges’ scorecards.

(Pick: Ruffy)

Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig

Paul Craig (red gloves) fights Rodolfo Bellato (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Craig is very much in danger of being bounced from the UFC with another loss here. I don’t have much faith in his ability to bring Bukauskas to the mat, but I’d love to see the 37-year-old pull off one of the wild submissions that helped make him a fan favorite after he joined the UFC.

(Pick: Craig)

Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones

Jeremy Stephens (red gloves) fights with Mason Jones (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Wells Fargo Arena. | Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s tough to read too much into Jones’ win over Jeremy Stephens given Stephens’ age and the fact that he was returning to the UFC for a one-off fight above his usual division. I am glad to see “The Dragon” back in the UFC though, and I’ll pick him to get the better of Oki in what should be an entertaining scrap.

(Pick: Jones)

Axel Sola vs. Rhys McKee

Former ARES FC lightweight champion Alex Sola debuts at UFC Paris. | (ARES FC)

I have some concerns about the fact that Sola is moving back up to welterweight for this fight, but I do think he should be able to handle McKee and add to his unbeaten record in the 27-year-old’s UFC debut.

(Pick: Sola)

William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala

The UFC matchmakers have done Ruchala no favors with this debut matchup against Gomis, but I’ll side with the former KSW champion to take advantage of the spotlight and pull off the upset.

(Pick: Ruchala)

UFC Fight Night Paris Preliminary Card Predictions

Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija

Marcin Tybura (red gloves) fights against Mick Parkin (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. | Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

Delija is an interesting addition to the UFC heavyweight division, but even an aging Tybura presents a frustrating matchup for most fighters that aren’t able to just get him out of there early with some sort of a big shot.

(Pick: Tybura)

Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro

Alonzo Menifield (red gloves) talks with Oumar Sy (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Coming into this UFC Paris matchup following the first loss of his career, I expect Sy will try to regain some momentum by scoring a stoppage-win at the expense of Ribeiro.

(Pick: Sy)

Harry Hardwick vs. Kauê Fernandes

Harry Hardwick steps in to make his debut on short notice at UFC Paris. | (Cage Warriors)

I wish Hardwick wasn’t making his debut up a weight class and on extremely short notice, but I’m still going to pick “Houdini” to score a big win in his first UFC outing.

(Pick: Hardwick)

Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters

Sam Patterson (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Yohan Lainesse (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

This may well be the lankiest matchup that the UFC lightweight division has ever seen. Waters could score the minor upset if he’s able to catch Patterson with something clean, but I think “The Future” will look to bring things to the mat and win the fight there.

(Pick: Patterson)

Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek

Brad Tavares (red gloves) and Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) fight in a bout during UFC 276 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

A debut loss to Ihor Poteiria has not aged well for Bryczek, and even with Tavares now at the tail end of his career I still think the American should be able to get his hand raised here.

(Pick: Tavares)

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Andreas Gustafsson

Rinat Fakhretdinov (red gloves) prepares to fight Elizea Zaleski Dos Santos (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Arena. | Jason da Silva-Imagn Images

Gustafsson scored a minor upset in his UFC debut against Khaos William in June, but I’m pretty surprised to see the Swede lined as a small favorite over a significantly more UFC-tested fighter in Fakhretdinov.

(Pick: Fakhretdinov)

Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes

Jaqueline Amorim (red gloves) fights Sam Hughes (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. | Rich Storry-Imagn Images

Hughes has been consistently underrated during most of her time with the UFC, and nothing about Bannon’s wins over Alice Ardelean and Puja Tomar really convinced me that she’s prepared for a matchup that’s closer to the level of her UFC debut against Bruna Brasil.

(Pick: Hughes)

MMA KO will be providing comprehensive coverage for UFC Fight Night Paris all throughout fight week, and be sure to check back on our homepage tomorrow for live results and highlights on fight night.

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