William Gomis Defends Home Turf with Decision Win Over Robert Ruchala
It was a big night in Paris, and the crowd had plenty to cheer for when local favorite William Gomis stepped into the Octagon. His opponent, Robert Ruchala, was making his UFC debut after a strong run in KSW, where he had already built a reputation as a rising featherweight talent. With the spotlight on them, the fight turned into a competitive three-round battle that showed off both men’s strengths, but ultimately, it was Gomis who walked away with the unanimous decision win.
The fight opened with Gomis coming out sharp and aggressive. He made good use of his kickboxing, targeting Ruchala’s body with heavy kicks while staying light on his feet. Ruchala, to his credit, didn’t shy away from the exchanges. He marched forward, throwing his own kicks and combinations, and managed to close the distance for a body-lock takedown. But Gomis wasn’t kept down for long—he scrambled up quickly, shook off the pressure, and landed another thudding kick to the body before the first round ended.
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As the second round began, the pace stayed high. Both fighters continued to trade kicks, with Gomis finding openings to dig into the body. Ruchala was persistent with his grappling, muscling Gomis against the cage and eventually landing another takedown. From top position, he pressed forward with short strikes and heavy control. Still, Gomis refused to stay grounded, working his way back up and even throwing a flashy spinning body kick late in the round that reminded everyone of his striking danger.
By the third round, the fight was still up for grabs. Gomis returned to his bread-and-butter—jabs, teeps, and leg kicks—using range to force Ruchala to eat shots before trying to close the distance. Ruchala stayed determined, landing a clean head kick midway through the round that briefly swung momentum his way. But the French fighter responded immediately, snapping Ruchala’s head back with a sharp left hand that clearly had an effect. Smelling opportunity, Gomis surprised everyone by shooting for a takedown of his own, flipping the script and sealing the round on top.
When the final horn sounded, both fighters had delivered a strong performance, but the scorecards made it official: William Gomis had earned the victory by unanimous decision, with judges scoring it 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
For Gomis, this was a much-needed rebound after suffering his first UFC loss earlier this year. Competing in front of his home crowd, he showed resilience, smart adjustments, and the ability to mix striking with grappling when needed. For Ruchala, the debut was a tough test against a seasoned UFC talent, and while he came up short, he left the impression that he belongs on this stage.
Paris got its win, Gomis got his hand raised, and the featherweight division gained another storyline to watch moving forward.
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