UFC Paris 3 saw Benoît Saint-Denis beaten after a medical leave, Nassourdine Imavov shine in his climb to the belt, but also Renato Moicano sparks heated controversy with virulent political remarks.
Benoît Saint-Denis stopped by medical arrest
Benoît Saint-Denis, one of the rising figures of French MMA, hoped to make a comeback after his defeat against Dustin Poirier at the start of the year. However, against the Brazilian Renato Moicano, the evening turned out to be more complicated than expected. From the first round, Moicano took the upper hand by bringing Saint-Denis to the ground, using his effective grappling to immobilize and exhaust him.
Saint-Denis, surnommé « The God of War »finished the first round with a swollen face, and despite an attempt to regain control, his physical condition continued to deteriorate. After the second round, the doctor ruled it unsafe for the fighter to continue due to reduced vision to his right eye. This defeat by medical leave is a hard blow for Saint-Denis, who remains one of the greatest hopes of French MMA.
Imavov moves closer to UFC belt fight
Conversely, Nassourdine Imavov delighted French supporters by winning a deserved victory against the American Brendan Allen. Ranked 4th in the world at middleweight (-84 kg), Imavov demonstrated once again that he is ready for a fight for the world belt. Dominating most of the exchanges, he was rewarded with a unanimous decision from the judges, confirming his status as favorite among French fighters. After this performance, Imavov did not hesitate to express his ambition to win the world belt.
Renato Moicano controversy: anti-democracy speech and attack against Macron
But the evening was not marked only by the sporting results. Renato Moicano, after his victory by medical leave against Saint-Denis, seized the opportunity to make an explosive political speech. Taking advantage of the global audience for UFC Paris 3, the Brazilian denounced democracy and insulted Emmanuel Macron : « Fuck Macron, fuck the globalists! “, he launched into the microphone, provoking strong reactions from the audience at the Accor Arena.
Far from being a simple bloodbath, this speech seemed thoughtful, directly targeting current politics in France and the world leaders whom he accuses of leading a ” corrupted diary “. Moicano went on to explain that democracy was a “ illusion » and spoke of the French Revolution of 1789who he believed had attempted to eliminate God from society.
This speech, applauded by part of the public, quickly made the rounds on social networks, triggering an avalanche of reactions, both support and criticism. In the current political context, with France marked by growing social and political tensions, this frontal attack against President Macron has taken on a particular resonance calling for the rejection of the political elites.
The results of other French people at UFC Paris 3
Besides Saint-Denis and Imavov, other French people marked the evening. Farès Ziam brilliantly opened the event with a spectacular knockout against Matt Frevola, while Morgan Charrière also signed a resounding victory with a decisive hook against Gabriel Miranda. William Gomis, meanwhile, won a close split decision victory against Joanderson Brito, marking a new step in his rise in the UFC.
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