A sensation in Bordeaux! For its grand return to the Arkéa Arena, HEXAGONE MMA Winamax delivered the best event in its history this Friday, May 29th, in front of more than 5,000 spectators. While Oualy Tandia clinched the welterweight title after a thrilling main event, the two semi-finals of the €100,000 lightweight tournament saw Davy Gallon and Théo Ulrich emerge victorious, securing their spots in the grand final! A truly memorable evening.
Tandia’s supersonic knockout, crowned welterweight champion
It was a highly anticipated clash! Known for his talent in the cage and his provocative behavior outside of it, the phenomenon Oualy Tandia made his return this Friday against Romain Debienne, an experienced fighter who has competed in the world’s top organizations (Bellator, PFL, KSW). The duel ultimately went in favor of the younger generation! Fast and explosive, Tandia secured a superb knockout victory, claiming the HEXAGONE MMA Winamax welterweight title. Still undefeated in his career (5-0), the prodigy from Corbeil-Essonnes has reached a new level!
“I put on a magnificent performance. My team and I didn’t want to wrestle, we wanted to knock him out with boxing, and that’s exactly what happened. When we talk, we do!” exclaimed the new champion, once his belt was around his waist. “On the French circuit, there is no one with greater potential than me, I’m going to tear it up!”
Gallon-Ulrich, a clash of generations in the tournament final
But besides the main event, another event held the public’s attention this Friday in Bordeaux. Six months after its launch, the HEXAGONE MMA Winamax lightweight tournament (-70 kg) moved on to the semi-finals, featuring two highly anticipated all-French clashes. Having emerged victorious from their respective fights, Davy Gallon and Théo Ulrich secured their spots in the grand final and will face off soon, vying for the €100,000 prize! A huge fight is in store.
For Davy Gallon, it’s a real feat. Facing Wilson Varela, the tournament’s overwhelming favorite, the Norman fighter delivered a masterful performance this Friday, culminating in a unanimous decision victory. A highly experienced 37-year-old fighter, having competed in the world’s top organizations (Bellator, KSW), Gallon notched his third consecutive victory and will give his all to continue his winning streak in the grand final.
This highly anticipated fight will pit him against Théo Ulrich, the other big winner of the evening! Considered one of the best French talents in the division, the Parisian dominated the formidable Nicolae Bivol, winning by unanimous decision after a hard-fought three-round battle. Still undefeated in his career (8-0) at only 24 years old, Ulrich is now on the cusp of the elite and will try to secure his place there in the grand final!
Kobakhidze crowned champion after a memorable fight
But that’s not all! In Bordeaux, a second championship title was also on the line, this time in the featherweight division (-66 kg), between Nika Kobakhize and Magomed Abdulaev. The fiercely contested fight delivered an unforgettable spectacle, culminating in a masterful victory for Kobakhize by submission in round 4. Facing an elite wrestler, previously undefeated in MMA, Kobakhize showcased his full talent to claim the championship belt. Memorable.
Finally, other performances impressed the Bordeaux crowd this Friday. New recruit for HEXAGONE MMA Winamax, Czech fighter Veronika Zajicova, secured a rare submission in round 1 against Maria Rodriguez, while Magomed Umalov dominated Ibrahima Dosso by unanimous decision. Also worth noting: the impressive victories of Aline Gaye and Badr-Eddine Bouyahia, two local amateur talents, who delivered remarkable performances in front of their home crowd!
The official results of HEXAGONE MMA 44 :
