Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Cyril Gane put on a clinical display of striking to beat Serghei Spivak by technical knockout as the world's biggest mixed martial arts promotion returned to Paris's Accor Arena on Saturday.
In the co-main event, Manon Fiorot of France won a unanimous decision victory in her flyweight clash with American Rose Namajunas to put herself in the title picture after three tough rounds that saw both fighters sustain injuries.Almost a year to the day after Gane closed out the UFC's first show in France with a third-round knockout of Tai Tuivasa, the local favourite was back to top the bill again, this time against a dangerous grappler in Moldova's Spivak.
However, the Frenchman's fluid movement and slick striking enabled him to stay out of Spivak's clutches and he landed a heavy knee to his opponent's midsection midway through the first round.
The 32-year-old Gane, who lost a heavyweight title fight to Jon Jones in March, continued to work the body in the second round and Spivak crumbled, causing referee Marc Goddard to step in and stop the fight with 1:16 to go in the second round. "I was so glad to be back in here in front of all of you.