UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa
| Company type | Event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | September 3, 2022 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa, also identified as UFC Fight Night 209 and UFC on ESPN+ 67, was a mixed martial arts event organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 3, 2022, hosted at the Accor Arena in Paris, France.
Background
This occasion represented the UFC's inaugural event in France, following the legalization of MMA in 2020 under the governance of the French Boxing Federation.
The headline bout showcased a heavyweight confrontation between former interim Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa.
Additionally, the card included a middleweight encounter featuring former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker facing off against previous title contender Marvin Vettori. This matchup was initially slated for UFC 275, but Whittaker withdrew due to injury.
A women's flyweight contest between ex-contender Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot was intended for this event but was deferred to UFC 280 after several withdrawals, including that of former strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade.
In the lightweight division, Christos Giagos pulled out because of injury, leading to promotional newcomer Gabriel Miranda stepping in to compete against Benoît Saint Denis.
A scheduled welterweight fight between Darian Weeks and former two-time Glory Welterweight Champion Cédric Doumbé was canceled due to regulatory restrictions imposed by the French MMA Federation concerning disparities in fighting experience. Weeks was later rebooked for UFC 279, while Doumbé's future with the UFC remained unclear amid speculation of his release.
Further changes in the middleweight segment saw Makhmud Muradov withdraw because of injury, with Dustin Stoltzfus named as his replacement.
In the bantamweight category, Taylor Lapilus exited the card owing to a broken hand; promotional newcomer Cristian Quiñónez took his place against Khalid Taha.
The women's featherweight bout initially set between Zarah Fairn Dos Santos and Ailín Pérez underwent alteration as Fairn was replaced by Stephanie Egger.
A featherweight matchup involving Ricardo Ramos and Danny Henry was called off after both athletes sustained injuries.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were awarded as follows:
- Fight of the Night: Ciryl Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa
- Performance of the Night: Abusupiyan Magomedov and Benoît Saint Denis