The much-anticipated welterweight division confrontation between undefeated French fighters Cedric Doumbe and Baki at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Paris event was headlined by Dan Hardy, PFL’s head of fighter operations. Hardy, a former UFC fighter, heralded the match as a significant prospect battle in mixed martial arts, drawing parallels to fighting legends for Doumbe’s marketability and skill set. Despite the high expectations, an unexpected turn of events saw Doumbe facing defeat against Baysangur Chamsoudinov, after a piece of glass in his foot impeded his performance. The incident occurred during an event that attracted substantial attention, with tickets selling out quickly and footballer Kylian Mbappe among the spectators, highlighting MMA’s increasing popularity in France.

Doumbe, after enduring a challenging fight that was stopped in the third round by the referee, cited the injury as the reason for his defeat but faced it with frustration. Chamsoudinov acknowledged Doumbe’s prowess in kickboxing and suggested a potential rematch in a larger venue with a bigger purse. This event also featured other notable fights, including Britain’s Jack Grant’s split decision loss to France’s Abdoul Abdouraguimov and Connor Hughes’s victory over Anatolij Baal, which advances Hughes in the lightweight tournament towards a $100,000 prize. The PFL Europe event’s success and the spectacle of the Doumbe vs. Chamsoudinov fight have set a heightened anticipation for the next event scheduled in Newcastle in June.