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UFC Fight Night Paris is set to get going this weekend from Accor Arena in Paris, France on Saturday, September 3 at 3 p.m. ET. There is a six-bout main card highlighted by a heavyweight title eliminator fight between No. 1 contender Cyril Gane and No. 3 contender Tai Tuivasa. ESPN+ will have the broadcast, starting with the preliminary card at noon.
Gane (10-1) returns to the octagon for the first time since losing a unanimous decision in January to heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. That match exposed Gane’s inability to defend wrestling and jiu-jitsu, but the heavy-striking Tuivasa appears to be a better matchup. Tuivasa (14-3) is a pure knockout artist. 13 of his 14 wins are by knockout and recent wins over Derrick Lewis, Stefan Struve and Greg Hardy have put “Bam Bam” on the cusp of a title shot.
How to watch Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa
Date: Saturday, September 3
Fight time: Main card starts at 3 p.m.
Live stream: ESPN+ PPV
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds/Predictions
Gane: -520
Tuivasas: +410
Splits: 56% of handle, 67% of bets on Fighter
Gane will likely go back to the game plan he used to beat Derrick Lewis for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 265. He tried the same style against Ngannou, but the heavyweight champion surprised him with wrestling and completely took Gane off his game. Tuivasa is a much more dangerous striker than Lewis. His one-strike knockout power can come from a punch, elbow or a head kick. Gane says he’s going to “touch and not get touched”, but can he stick and move for five rounds? If Tuivasa gets him up against the fence, Gane won’t survive. I believe Gane will avoid danger and be energized by his home crowd, winning by unanimous decision.
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