FEVER LA FRANCE

Paris pushes claims to be combat capital

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UFC PARIS stood taller than the Eiffel Tower on an in-Seine night of action in the French capital that saw home fighters sweep the board.

A red-hot crowd of 15,724, a record for the Accor Arena, which generated a gate of $4.3m, were given plenty to cheer as a new single-show high nine KOs/TKOs occurred, while French stars were more on-song than the cast of Les Mis as they went 5-0.

Oumar Sy got Les Bleus’ ball rolling with a first-round TKO of Brazil's Brendson Ribeiro at light-heavyweight, before featherweight William Gomis, debutant welterweight Axel Sola and Benoit Saint-Denis (below, right), dominating touted lightweight star Mauricio Ruffy, set up a grandstand finish for Nassourdine Imavov in the main event.