We all start with zero. On July 10th for its inaugural event, HEXAGONE MMA took over the prestigious Paris-La-Défense-Arena to organize an amazing show for its launching event.
And within the framework of this event, who better than a French figure of combat sports, Gaël Grimaud, at the head of the card. Born in the Reunion island, Grimaud has been under the radar for 4 years now and made his comeback in the cages against the Portuguese Falco Neto Lopes. The prize : the world middleweight belt (-84 kg).
First put in difficulty on his feet by the sequences of his opponent, Grimaud, and his very good ground game, succeeded to reverse the trend by taking the fight to the ground. A choice that paid off as the methodical Frenchman was able to progress gradually before finalizing a choke in the first round. “Always there! We will always be here,” he said after raising his arms, happy as a kid in spite of being 40 years old. This duel for the title – rather expeditious – closed in the best way with a spectacular show. Not only thanks to Gael Grimaud and its submission, but before that Aymard Guih had already heated up the room by inflicting a technical knockout on Jean Dutriaux, after several seconds of a wild ground and pound.
On the other hand, we had tension with the fight between Karl Amoussou and Vitold Jagelo. It even went to the point of excess. In the wake of a very committed first round, the Lithuanian was guilty of a kick to the face of the Frenchman between two rounds leading to a disqualification. We will also remember from this great beginning, the duel between the Tahitian Flore Hani and the Caledonian Stéphanie Ielö Page. A war in three rounds won by decision by the athlete from Papeete, and concluded with a beautiful image of fair play, each fighter wrapped in their regional flag.
