"The crowd will get to know me, I'll finish it in the first round." Tuesday, three days before his fight against Brent Primus, Mansour Barnaoui had announced the color. But the American decided otherwise. After 25 minutes of a fierce fight, where both wavered without falling, Brent Primus was declared the winner by all three judges, winning the right to face Bellator lightweight division champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
Despite this defeat, the Franco-Tunisian made Friday night shake the Accor Arena in Paris, which only asked for a spark to ignite. In his hometown, in which he was fighting for the first time in MMA, Mansour Barnaoui delivered a successful performance, but not enough to topple the experienced American, very comfortable on the ground. A setback that does not detract from the talent of the Ile-de-France, who, as always, was able to count on his team, which could almost be called his family. Because Mansour Barnaoui's adventure in MMA is the story of a clan, always united, which has managed to reach the top.
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Always with the same coach
Arriving two weeks from Tunisia, the Barnaoui family settled in Malakoff, a suburb of Paris. It is in this town of Hauts-de-Seine that Mansour, the eldest of four boys, will grow up and build his future career. Son of a black belt judoka, a sport with which he never hooked and whose lessons he "avoided", the one who will be nicknamed the Afro-Samurai is passionate about combat sports under the leadership of Aziz Mahi, practitioner of Luta Livre. "He was my next-door neighbour," says Mansour Barnaoui. He opened an association to make classes accessible, I signed up and never moved. »
🔥 Primus is exhausted by Mansour Barnoui!! The Frenchman is not far from finishing his opponent in this third recovery.
😍 What a performance by the star unknown to the French public. #BellatorParis #RMCMMA pic.twitter.com/UgwodSdGpn
— RMC Sport Combat (@RMCSportCombat) May 12, 2023
More than 15 years later, the pair has not changed. Neither does the place. As usual, Mansour and Aziz prepared this fight against Brent Primus at the Jacques Duclos Gymnasium in Malakoff. "Every time I prepare for a fight, I come here to train with my team," says the former Bamma, Road FC and M-1 champion, who has nevertheless exported several times to learn new techniques in other countries. "I went to the USA, Dubai, Thailand to take advice and progress but I never wanted to settle there. At home, it's in Malakoff," he insists.
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Smiling but discreet, almost shy, Mansour Barnaoui tells his love for his commune with a sweetness that contrasts with his confidence in the cage. Offensive, able to take blows, comfortable both standing and on the ground, the Frenchman is an extraordinary fighter. This Friday, determined to make his audience roar, he adopted a daring strategy, rushing on his opponent from the first seconds. Accustomed to submissions, it is standing that he tried this time to bend Brent Primus. "I'm going to stay up because I know my opponent is good on the ground and I don't want to take any chances. But if it goes into wrestling, I will be able to make the difference, "he said a few days before the fight. But the American has experience to spare and an extraordinary power, it has become impossible to overthrow.
An example for the young people of Malakoff
Despite everything, the Francilien fought a fantastic battle, refusing to give up despite extremely dangerous choke attempts. A state of mind of champion that pleased the spectators, who, for many, discovered the man. Because only connoisseurs of this sport saw in Mansour Barnaoui one of the world references of MMA. Certainly not the most bankable, as his media appearances are rare, but perhaps one of the most dangerous. This fight will make him enter a new dimension, which will not prevent him from remaining among his family, in Malakoff. "I need a base on which to regenerate, to regenerate myself, to be confident," says the fighter.
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His presence also allows the young people of the town to dream, to identify with a man of multiple successes, who keeps an extreme simplicity. "Mansour serves as an example, he gives kids a little motivation to try to accomplish great things like him. It is very important, but I do not have the impression that the city realizes what they have at home, "regrets Aziz Mahi, the coach of the Afro-Samurai, who would like to help even more the youth of his neighborhood.
Making young people dream is now done. Despite his defeat, Mansour Barnaoui has aroused the admiration and respect of this entire generation that discovers MMA in France. Legalized in January 2020, this discipline is still in its infancy in France. This is what forced Mansour Barnaoui to travel to fight, whether in Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, South Korea or even Russia. This first fight in France could lead to others. His future is now in the hands of Scott Coker, the president of the Bellator, who will decide the next fight of the Frenchman, the one that will allow him, no doubt, to bounce back.
Other French battles at Bellator 296 in Paris
Romain Debienne defeats his compatriot Bourama Camara by TKO in the second round.
Victory of Asael Adjoudj against his compatriot Georges Sasu by decision of the judges.
Fabacary Diatta defeats Scotland's Keir Harvie by decision of the judges.
Kevin Petshi lost to Sarvarjon Hamidov of Tajik by submission in the third round.
Victory of Yves Landu against the Polish Piotr Niedzielski by decision of the judges.
No winner between Davy Gallon and Englishman Saul Rogers following the premature termination of the fight by the referee.
Thibault Gouti defeats England's Kane Mousah by knockout in the second round.
