There’s no UFC pay-per-view event for fans to sink their teeth into this month, but the first installment in a fascinating run of Fight Nights takes place this Saturday, as the Accor Arena in Paris hosts a stacked card.
UFC Fight Night 258 will be headlined by a pivotal No. 1 contender matchup in the middleweight division, as hometown favorite Nassourdine Imavov (16-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) squares off against surging Brazilian prospect Caio Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC).
Let’s break down all of Saturday’s main card action.
Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho (Middleweight)
The stakes are high heading into this fight, with Khamzat Chimaev’s recent title victory reverberating throughout the middleweight division. With a new king on the throne, the race to be next in line for a shot at the belt is heating up fast.
The upcoming bout between Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez will also factor into the title picture, but the consensus is that Saturday’s headliner is likely to determine the next middleweight title challenger.
Imavov enters the weekend in the form of his life, with his stoppage win over former champion Israel Adesanya in February still fresh in the minds of the passionate French fanbase. “The Sniper” faces a stiff test in Borralho, who’s on an impressive upward trajectory of his own. The Brazilian last fought in August of last year, when he dominated former title challenger Jared Cannonier over five rounds.
Co-Main Event: Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy (Lightweight)
It’s France vs. Brazil in the co-main event as Benoit Saint-Denis (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) looks to recapture the momentum he had built before suffering back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano in 2024. “God of War” did notch a submission win over Kyle Prepolec—a late replacement for the injured Joel Alvarez—at UFC 315 in May, getting back in the win column. On his day, he remains one of the most dangerous 155-pound fighters on the planet.
All 14 of Saint-Denis’s professional victories have come inside the distance, while his opponent this weekend, Mauricio Ruffy (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), has finished 11 of his 12 wins before the final bell. That makes Saturday’s co-main event must-watch TV.
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig (Light Heavyweight)
Two fighters at very different stages of their respective careers meet in an intriguing matchup to crown the unofficial “best light heavyweight in the UK.” Scottish veteran Paul Craig (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC)—owner of the most triangle choke wins in UFC history—looks to get back on track after his June return to 205 pounds ended anticlimactically. A wayward upkick to a downed Rodolfo Bellato led to a no contest, a frustrating outcome for Craig, who had been coming off a three-fight skid at 185 pounds.
UK-based Lithuanian Modestas Bukauskas (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has been impressive in his second UFC stint, winning five of his six fights since returning in 2023.
Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones (Lightweight)
Like Bukauskas, Mason Jones (16-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is another former Cage Warriors champion making a successful return to the UFC. “The Dragon” outpointed Jeremy Stephens at UFC Des Moines in May after nearly three years away from the Octagon. This Saturday, he faces Dana White’s Contender Series alum Bolaji Oki (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC). The Belgian earned a decision win over Michael Aswell at the UFC Apex in May in his most recent outing.
Axel Sola vs. Rhys McKee (Welterweight)
Former Ares FC lightweight champion Axel Sola (10-0-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his Octagon debut on Saturday in a welterweight clash with exciting Irish standout Rhys McKee (14-6-1 MMA, 1-4 UFC). The unbeaten Sola enters with a strong reputation, and his placement on the main card suggests the UFC has high expectations for the 27-year-old.
He won’t have an easy introduction, though. “Skeletor” looked sensational in his most recent outing against Daniel Frunza in April, earning a Performance of the Night bonus and a brand-new multi-fight deal with the UFC.
Patricio Freire vs. Losene Keita (Featherweight)
One of the most exciting additions to the UFC roster in recent years, Losene Keita (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has the chance to crash the UFC featherweight rankings when he takes on No. 11–ranked Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (37-8 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main card opener.
Keita’s only career loss came during his run in OKTAGON—where he captured titles in two different weight classes—when he broke his leg in the opening round of a featherweight title fight against Mate Sanikidze in 2023. Aside from that freak injury, the “Black Panther” has yet to be beaten as a professional.
This weekend, however, marks a massive step up in competition. Freire is one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history and holds the records for most fights (30), wins (24), and stoppages (15) in Bellator history.
PRELIMINARY CARD
- William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala (Featherweight)
- Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro (Light Heavyweight)
- Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija (Heavyweight)
- Kaue Fernandes vs. Harry Hardwick (Lightweight)
- Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters (Welterweight)
- Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek (Middleweight)
- Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Andreas Gustafsson (Welterweight)
- Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes (Strawweight)
