French MMA suffers its first disappointment at home with Mansour Barnaoui's defeat to Brent Primus

At the Accor Arena - Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy

The Bellator does not regret having returned to Paris and intends to perpetuate its rhythm of an annual event, in the words of its boss. After a very successful UFC Paris, this third edition of the Bellator proves that MMA has reached a certain maturity in France in record time, the discipline having been legalized only two years ago.

In the octagon (round) of Bercy, the French fighters have largely justified their presence on the map. In the preliminary card, Fabacary Diatta patiently wore out with his jabs a Scottish fighter, until winning the decision very logically. In a first Franco-French fight, Romain Debienne, much smaller than his opponent Bourama Camara, waited, while entry-exit, to overcome the difference in length, before placing a masterful sequence of English boxing that put his opponent out of action. A first fight at the Bellator that will have marked the spirits.

Kevin Petshi disposed of his opponent in submission, as did veteran Yves Landu, who announced in a press conference from the top of his thirty-six years, consider continuing to fight after the two fights he has left in his contract at the Bellator. In a second Franco-French fight, Asaël Adjoudj defeated Georges Sasu by decision.

In the main card, the public was frightened during the fight of the Norman Davy Gallon against an Englishman: the referee believed that he had lost consciousness in a choke, and stopped the fight when it was not. Later in the evening, the organization announced that it had turned this defeat into a "no contest". It happens: we prefer a fight where the referee stops too early, than a fight where the referee stops too late. Hoping that this opposition takes place again. Finally, Thibault Gouti won against an opponent, also English, who nevertheless dominated him very clearly, framing him relentlessly; with some composure, Gouti who was taking a rain of blows, placed an uppercut in the chin that knocked down his opponent before finishing him on the ground. The exact replica of the famous coup of Israel Adesanya on Alex Pereira. The big class.

Stéphane Chaufourier's Atch academy, Cyrille Diabaté's Snake team and Daniel Woirin's Bulgarian Top team, great French teams, can be proud of their fighters.

The public struggled for the entry of its champion Mansour Barnaoui, considered one of the best in his country in all weight categories. We rarely see supporters cracking smoke in Bercy. Las, the experienced Brent Primus got the better of the French hopes. This excellent fighter of more than 38 years, yet suffered in the first recovery, under a clinch work while pressure Barnaoui. Although he retaliated with his elbow, Barnaoui seemed to have too much strength and controlled him. Ruddy and intelligent, Primus then brought Barnaoui to the ground and began a work of undermining, using his bodyweight to tire Barnaoui who was wearing out by relentlessly defending with his back to the ground.

At the beginning of the second retake, Primus seemed exhausted, running out of juice. Under the encouragement of the public, and emboldened by the obvious physical weakness of his opponent, Barnaoui offered himself a boxing sequence, but the unthinkable happened. Barnaoui took at least as many blows from Primus, failing to defend, without dodging movements and keeping a low guard. His opponent then had a good game to bring him to the ground, kept him there with an impeccable "side control" that exhausted Barnaoui until the end of the fight. Barnaoui found the will to refuse to surrender, at the end of the pain, chained in a strangulation that clenched his jaw in the last recovery. Warrior. However, Usman Nurmagomedov, current holder of the lightweight belt, was probably not very afraid tonight of his future opponent. Brent Primus still had his face marked in a press conference. That he was not angry that he could leave to go back to rest. This fight was fierce. But leaves the taste of a strange defeat.