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The UFC's Cédric Doumbé experiment ended before it ever truly began.
While the Frenchman signed with the promotion back in 2022, he never actually fought under the UFC banner. Several unforeseen factors caused the plans for his promotional debut to go awry, and he subsequently found his way to the PFL.
Now, the kickboxing sensation-turned-mixed martial artist has set French MMA ablaze. He was the centerpiece of PFL Europe 3 last year, where the event was hosted in Paris and Doumbé's presence drew some of the world's biggest celebrities to the stands.
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Come March 7, he will headline PFL Europe 1, and tickets have already sold out. So the question remains. With an obvious superstar in the making, how, why, and where did Dana White and co. go wrong?
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How the UFC lost Cédric Doumbé to the PFL
Cédric Doumbé is a former two-time Glory kickboxing welterweight champion. There is no overhyping his striking skills, nor is there any overstating his seismic knockout power. Thus far, in his young MMA career, the Frenchman has knocked out all five of his opponents, with none of them escaping the second round.
He is a dazzling striker with the right combination of flash, power and technique. The UFC saw this in him and sought to capitalize by packaging him as part of their UFC Paris event back in 2022, which was headlined by his fellow Frenchman and former UFC interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane.
Doumbé was scheduled for the event and it was to be his promotional debut on the grandest stage in all of mixed martial arts; the UFC octagon. The opponent tasked with welcoming him into the realm of elite MMA was Darian Weeks.
Unfortunately, their bout never came to pass.
The French MMA Federation reportedly refused to sanction it on the grounds that a fighter with less than 10 professional MMA fights cannot have more than a four fight differential with their opponent. As this was the case with Doumbé, he lost his opportunity to debut in front of his French faithful.
Furthermore, shenanigans with an MRI scan that mistakenly indicated the presence of blood in his brain followed. According to Doumbé, this was the main reason behind his UFC debut falling through. He was released from the UFC shortly afterward, but attempts to re-sign him were still made.
Unfortunately, the UFC did to Doumbé what they do to everyone and lowballed him with an offer that the Frenchman found all too easy to turn down. After all, the PFL inched close to his ear to tempt him with an offer he couldn't refuse. Not afraid to break bank for potential stars, the PFL signed him to a lucrative two-year deal.
Just like that, the UFC's plans for Doumbé went up in flames. Their only hope thereafter was that the Frenchman would be a box office flop at the cost of their rival's pockets.
Only, he wasn't.
Cédric Doumbé is a superstar
When Cédric Doumbé made his PFL debut, it couldn't have gone any better.
Zénith Paris, the venue for the PFL Europe 3 card that he was headlining, was in the palm of his hand. He strode toward the SmartCage with a white mattress, and on it, 'Bonne Nuit Jordan' was written large in black ink.
In English, it translates to 'Good Night Jordan,' and was aimed at his opponent, Jordan Zébo, warning him of the knockout on the receiving end of which he would soon be. Theatrical? Maybe. But it was more truth than taunt, an outcome more predestined than predicted.
The Parisian crowd welcomed Doumbé with a roar of approval echoing from every corner, and it didn't take long for him to lead the crowd in a chant. He'd call out Zébo's name, and his supporters would shout that he was going to die, for he was a lamb led to a slaughterhouse. When they finally squared off, it was elementary.
Zébo threw a telegraphed high kick, which Doumbé caught. With his foe on one foot and in the worst position to absorb a punch, Doumbé stepped in and shattered his chin with a thunderous left hook. Zébo was unconscious before he ever even hit the mat, where he lay motionless. The entire fight lasted just nine seconds.
The crowd, which included global football stars like 2018 World Cup winner Kylian Mbappé, erupted in disbelief. While celebrity appearances are common in the UFC, it is the premier MMA promotion, synonymous with the sport. The PFL, on the other hand, is a complete unknown in mainstream media.
For Doumbé to draw the presence of one of the world's most famous celebrities and sportsmen in Mbappé, who likely knows next to nothing about MMA and has never turned up for a UFC Paris event, is indicative of his star power. But if his detractors need any more convincing, he is now set for PFL Europe 1.
Scheduled for March 7 at the Accor Arena in Paris, it is already sold out, with all tickets purchased within 20 minutes. Naturally, Doumbé is the headline act, and will take on fellow undefeated welterweight and Frenchman, Baissangour Chamsoudinov.
What the UFC could have had, it allowed to fall into the hands of a growing rival, who now owns the entire Bellator roster. With Doumbé as the possible face of the PFL, there is no telling what threat they could pose in the near future.
