Will Ciryl Gane get back to his winning ways? Can Marvin Vettori take out another top middleweight? The predictions from the MMA Empire team, along with our guest picker, can be found below for the six-fight main card.
Our guest picker for this event is Canadian flyweight prospect James Clarke (7-3). Fresh off a decision win over Aaron La Farge at CFFC 112, Clarke now boasts one of the longest active winning streaks in Canadian MMA at six wins. Although nothing is scheduled yet, look for Clarke to be back in action later this year to continue his push to the big show.
The UFC's first event in Paris was a landmark card — France had only recently legalized MMA, and the promotion rewarded the new market with a heavyweight main event featuring the country's biggest star in Ciryl Gane, plus a co-main event between two top middleweights in Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori. The Accor Arena crowd gave the show an atmosphere more typical of a pay-per-view than a Fight Night.
2022 standings thru UFC 278
1. Jason Hagholm (99-55) N/A in 2021
2. Joe McDonagh (98-56) 122-99-3 in 2021
3. Kylan Knowler (97-57) 128-93-3 in 2021
T4. Joel Griffith (95-59) 135-86-3 in 2021
T4. Cole Shelton (95-59) 138-83-3 in 2021 *Champion
6. Cooper Riehl (94-60) 136-85-3 in 2021
7. Cody Rempel (93-61) 134-87-3 in 2021
8. Dylan Bowker (89-65) 113-108-3 in 2021
9. Guest picker (83-71) 115-106-3 in 2021
Gane's bout with Tai Tuivasa was a textbook stylistic showcase: the former interim champion's fluid, technical striking against the Australian fan favourite's raw, fight-ending power. Tuivasa had climbed the rankings on a run of knockouts and brought genuine danger, but Gane — fighting in front of a home crowd in a bout with title-shot implications — was expected to show why his movement-heavy style had carried him to the top of the division.
Ciryl Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa
Jason Hagholm: Ciryl Gane via TKO.
Joe McDonagh: Tai Tuivasa via knockout.
Kylan Knowler: Ciryl Gane via decision.
Joel Griffith: Ciryl Gane via TKO.
Cole Shelton: Ciryl Gane via TKO.
Cooper Riehl: Ciryl Gane via TKO.
Cody Rempel: Ciryl Gane via TKO.
Dylan Bowker: Ciryl Gane via decision.
James Clarke: Ciryl Gane via decision.
Picks – Ciryl Gane: 8, Tai Tuivasa: 1
Robert Whittaker vs. Marvin Vettori
Jason Hagholm: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Joe McDonagh: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Kylan Knowler: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Joel Griffith: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Cole Shelton: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Cooper Riehl: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Cody Rempel: Robert Whittaker via decision.
Dylan Bowker: Robert Whittaker via decision.
James Clarke: Robert Whittaker via TKO.
Picks – Robert Whittaker: 9, Marvin Vettori: 0
Alessio Di Chirico vs. Roman Kopylov
Jason Hagholm: Roman Kopylov via submission.
Joe McDonagh: Roman Kopylov via decision.
Kylan Knowler: Alessio Di Chirico via decision.
Joel Griffith: Roman Kopylov via decision.
Cole Shelton: Alessio Di Chirico via decision.
Cooper Riehl: Roman Kopylov via decision.
Cody Rempel: Alessio Di Chirico via decision.
Dylan Bowker: Roman Kopylov via decision.
James Clarke: Alessio Di Chirico via decision.
Picks – Alessio Di Chirico: 4, Roman Kopylov: 5
William Gomis vs. Jarno Errens
Jason Hagholm: William Gomis via decision.
Joe McDonagh: William Gomis via decision.
Kylan Knowler: William Gomis via TKO.
Joel Griffith: William Gomis via TKO.
Cole Shelton: William Gomis via TKO.
Cooper Riehl: William Gomis via TKO.
Cody Rempel: William Gomis via TKO.
Dylan Bowker: Jarno Errens via decision.
James Clarke: Jarno Errens via decision.
Picks – William Gomis: 7, Jarno Errens: 2
The co-main event quietly carried just as much weight at 185 pounds. Whittaker, the former champion who had lost only to Israel Adesanya in the division for years, faced Vettori, whose suffocating wrestling and durability had taken him to a title shot the year before. With the champion's next challenger unsettled, the winner had a credible case for another crack at the belt.
Charles Jourdain vs. Nathaniel Wood
Jason Hagholm: Charles Jourdain via TKO.
Joe McDonagh: Charles Jourdain via decision.
Kylan Knowler: Charles Jourdain via decision.
Joel Griffith: Nathaniel Wood via decision.
Cole Shelton: Charles Jourdain via decision.
Cooper Riehl: Charles Jourdain via decision.
Cody Rempel: Charles Jourdain via TKO.
Dylan Bowker: Charles Jourdain via TKO.
James Clarke: Charles Jourdain via TKO.
