He had to react. To offer revenge to his fans. Mocked after his last fight for losing due to a splinter stuck in his foot in the third round, which caused his defeat against Baysangur “Baki” Chamsoudinov, Cédric Doumbè set the record straight this Friday evening by defeating the American Jaleel Willis in an incandescent Accor Arena, and under the eyes of Victor Wembanyama.
As soon as “The Best” entered the Accor Arena, the audience went wild, proof if any were needed that his defeat did not tarnish his aura among French fans. The whole room was standing, phones ready to film, to watch his usual show. This Thursday evening, during the ceremonial weigh-in, he joked about his latest defeat by saying “we vacuum the cage and do the work”. So he came with a vacuum cleaner, as promised, before showing up in the octagon.
And he did the job! Offensive, in his usual style, bent forward, Cédric Doumbè put pressure on Jaleel Willis and placed some sharp attacks. Despite a fall and a slight scare, “The Best” managed this fight perfectly, and accelerated at the right time to win after less than four minutes of confrontation. A terrible knockout which gives him the opportunity to face Anthony Pettis, the former UFC lightweight champion, in the coming months.
REDEMPTION IN PARIS FOR “THE BEST” 🔥
Cédric Doumbé stops Jaleel Willis in the first round and sets up a matchup with Anthony Pettis! 👀#BellatorParis | LIVE NOW
🇺🇸 Live on MAX
🇫🇷 Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/Frqh8tbnO1— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 17, 2024
Before Cédric Doumbè, five other French people fought in the Accor Arena cage. Asaël Adjoudj opened the ball with a great victory by knockout in the second round against Bruno Fontes, before Mansour Barnaoui won by submission in the first round against the Japanese Yusuke Yachi. At the opening of the main card, Thibault Gouti lost by unanimous decision. Yves Landu then won his fight against Jonas Bilharinho by split decision, before Grégory Babene was submitted by Costello van Steenis.
