UFC Paris results & video: Magomedov swiftly shellacs Stoltzfus, Saint-Denis dazzles against Miranda

On the UFC Paris prelims, Abusupiyan Magomedov quickly stopped Dustin Stoltzfus in 19 seconds, and Benoit Saint-Denis stormed the castle of Gabriel Miranda.

The UFC Paris preliminary card started out with three finishes, followed by two decisions, and then closed out with a brilliant 19-second KO.

The card’s featured preliminary bout witnessed Abusupiyan Magomedov KO Dustin Stoltzfus with a filthy sequence of violence in a speedy 19 seconds. It was a hefty front kick to the face that stung Stoltzfus, and then an uppercut and a couple of rights sealed the deal. After having a successful run in the PFL organization, Magomedov just made an emphatic statement in his UFC debut. You might want to keep an eye on this guy!

Before that, Nasrat Haqparast picked up a tactical unanimous decision over his former teammate, John Makdessi. The first round was a bit lackluster, but the second stanza saw Haqparast take advantage of Makdessi missing a spinning backfist by flooring him with a left hand. Makdessi recovered quickly, and then pushed the pace in the third, but Haqparast managed the urgency to walk away with the decision. This victory for Haqparast snaps a two-fight losing skid.

Fares Ziam quite possible put on his best performance to date scoring a unanimous decision against Michal Figlak. Ziam was stinging with his strikes, spinning elbows and leg kicks alike, plus he was scoring the takedowns to get into dominant positions. Figlak was getting out-struck, out-grappled, and quite frankly outclassed. France’s own Ziam has now improved his MMA record to 13-4.

The first French fighter to compete on the UFC Paris card, Benoit Saint-Denis, put on an electric performance against Gabriel Miranda. Saint-Denis stung, and dropped, Miranda on a few occasions in the opening round, nearly finishing in the final 10 seconds. The second round began and Saint-Denis swarmed Miranda with fists of fury to drop him again, and then pounded him out to the crowd’s delight.

Making good on his UFC debut, Cristian Quinonez scored a quick first-round TKO on Khalid Taha. Quinonez was using his long punches to address the aggression of Taha, and then an overhand right dropped him. Ground and pound finished off the job, and “Problema” proved to be just that. Some might say this was a bit of an early stoppage, and although there could be some merit to that claim, there is enough evidence there to support the referee making the correct call.

Opening the very first UFC match in France, Stephanie Egger submitted Ailin Perez with a rear-naked choke with just seconds remaining in the second round. Egger was looking to utilize her Judo background right away, hitting her trips to get on top. The tap came with just six seconds left in the second round, and that’s when the UFC scored its first French finish.

Prelims:

Abusupiyan Magomedov def. Dustin Stoltzfus by TKO at :19 of round 1: Middleweight

Magomedov opened up the fight with a stellar front kick to the face! Stoltzfus was wobbled, and then magomedov pounced on him with a barrage of punches to drop him. A couple of ground strikes later and that was a wrap! WOW!

Nasrat Haqparast def. John Makdessi by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) : Lightweight

A bit of feeling out went on here to get this one going. There was a lot of feinting and measuring going on. Makdessi was probing with kicks, while Haqparast was looking to build off of his jab with his left hand. The action picked up a tiny bit towards the end of the round, with Makdessi increasing his kicking output, and Haqparast with his hands, but nothing really big happened for either guy.

Haqparast started to open up with his hands to begin the second act. He was attacking to both the head and the body. One of those punches actually opened up a cut around the left eye of Makdessi. Haqparast was really keying in on using his punches to counter the kicks of Makdessi. Then, just as Makdessi threw a spinning backfist, Haqparast clipped him with an swift left hand that dropped him. Makdessi quickly stood back up, and returned to launching a variety of kicks, but Haqparast was still counter punching.

The punch count continued to be owned by Haqparast in the third round. Although Makdessi was coming forward, he struggled to put his boxing combinations together. On the flip side, Haqparast was finding more success landing his hands and then moving out of harms way. The kick count was still in favor of Makdessi, but they didn’t appear to be that effective as Haqparast seemed to do a solid job of defending them. Haqparast used makdessi’s aggression against him by blasting a double leg, and although Makdessi stood up, another blast double took him back down.

Fares Ziam def. Michal Figlak by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28): Lightweight

Figlak was pushing the pace right away, backing up Ziam to the cage. Ziam responded by using his footwork to skirt out of harms way, and returning fire with some stinging leg kicks. Figlak clinched up, but it was Ziam who hit the takedown. The fight quickly returned to its feet and Figlak returned to the clinch. As Figlak went for another takedown attempt, Ziam again came up with the takedown.

Ziam came out int he second stanza and blasted another takedown. Figlak worked hard to stand back up, and kept entering into the clinch, but would stall out when he got there. Upon exiting the clinch, Ziam connected with a nasty spinning elbow that wobbled Figlak. A grappling exchange led to Ziam back on top, but he was unable to manifest a finish before the bell sounded.

The third round began with Ziam landing a brutal leg kick that caused Figlak to back up and switch his stance. It seemed like no matter where the fight went, Figlak just couldn’t find any success. His biggest moment came with 90-seconds left when Ziam dove on an ankle pick, and Figlak escaped and took full mount. Unfortunately for Figlak, Ziam quickly scrambled out and got right back on top.

Benoit Saint-Denis def. Gabriel Miranda by TKO at :16 of round 2: Lightweight

Saint-Denis went right at Miranda with a set of body kicks. Miranda immediately shot in for the takedown, but Saint-Denis stuffed it. The fight returned to its feet and the strikes started to fly. Miranda connected with clean trio of right hands, and Saint-Denis responded with a spinning elbow. Saint-Denis went back to the spinning elbow and connected better than the first time, and then scored himself a takedown. Saint-Denis let Miranda stand up, and then wobbled him with a stinging right hand before getting back on top. Some nasty elbows were dropped from side control before he stood back up. With seconds to go, Saint-Denis dropped Miranda with some more heavy leather, and dropped some vicious hammerfists to close out the electric round. MY WORD!

Saint-Denis went in for the kill as soon as the second round started. He walked down Miranda and delivered a flurry that dropped him, and then finished him off with ground strikes. The Paris crowd erupted!

Cristian Quinonez def. Khalid Taha by TKO at 3:15 of round 1: Bantamweight

Taha came out looking to land big blows, but Quinonez was prepared to pepper his opposition with straight punches. The jab was thwarting the aggression of Taha, but it was an overhand right from Quinonez that dropped him. A barrage of ground and pound came flying in next and the referee stepped in to stop it.

Stephanie Egger def. Ailin Perez by submission (RNC) at 4:54 of round 2: (W) Featherweight

Egger found top position within the first 30-seconds of this one. After being controlled for a bit, Perez was able to wrestle up to her feet. She landed a few knees in the clinch, but Egger tossed her again to get back on top. Egger wasn’t able to stay there again, and Perez stood to her feet and connected with a staggering spinning backfist.

Perez started the second round by letting her strikes go. She was connecting with punches to the face and kicks to the body, but Egger managed to clinch up. Egger went for a Kimura roll, but ended up on the bottom because of it. Nothing came of this dominant position, due to Egger rolling out. Egger then hit a trip from the clinch that resulted in her taking the back. After a bit of control, Egger locked up a rear-naked choke and was able to force the tap.