Paul Marconnie has always been an athlete. Before devoting himself to MMA, the Frenchman played in the professional world of rugby, where he was destined for a successful career as a fast, powerful winger. “I was one of the hopefuls of Aviron Bayonnais. Back then, I was a physical machine! But a serious injury forced me to stop, and I turned to combat sports. A competitor at heart, well-versed at the highest level, Paul Marconnie has never considered MMA as a hobby. Just one year after his debut in the cage, he did a series of wins on the pro circuit. “You don’t necessarily realize it, but rugby is a real combat sport, and that helped me a lot in my transition. Every weekend since I was six years old, I’ve got into the habit of waging war on the pitch, whatever the weather! It builds both physical and mental strength.

“In combat, I’m very rough”.

Now 36 years old, Paul Marconnie has lost none of his determination. With 100% wins by finish in his career, including just one after the first round, the Frenchman’s style is as spectacular as it is effective. “In sparring, I’m very rough, so it always ends in a K-O or a submission.” Over the years, Paul Marconnie has made ground fighting his main speciality. Crowned French grappling champion, he has competed with the best, and perfected his style all over the world. “For years, I traveled all over the world. Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Poland, Ireland… I was able to discover very different training methods, and meet many excellent fighters.” More recently, Paul Marconnie has been training alongside rising UFC star Benoît Saint-Denis. A valuable asset, which could well pay off.