Hexagone MMA brings its cage to the Zénith Paris La Villette on Saturday, October 24, 2026, for its 48th event. Samba Sima challenges Léopold Goi for the flyweight title at 125 pounds (57 kg), and Paul Dena steps back into the cage for the first time since his June loss in Lyon.
The first fights start at 7 p.m. Paris time (1 p.m. ET) and the main card at 9 p.m. (3 p.m. ET). RMC Sport carries the event live in France, and DAZN streams it in more than 150 countries.
Hexagone MMA, the League MMA Official Will Follow Closely
Hexagone MMA was founded in July 2021. Five years later, the promotion bills itself as the largest MMA organization in France and has already staged events in Belgium, the Netherlands and Hungary.
On June 12, 2026, its first show at the LDLC Arena in Lyon drew 12,076 fans, according to Lyon Capitale. The league then held events at the Zénith in Rouen on September 12 and the Zénith in Toulouse on September 25 before returning to Paris.
The Paris Zénith holds a special place in its history. Hexagone MMA staged its second event there, and the venue hosts its third show of the year on Saturday, after Hexagone MMA 37 on January 9 and Hexagone MMA 43 on April 11.
The league also sends fighters to the biggest promotions in the world. Former Hexagone MMA champion Adama Diop became the first Senegalese fighter signed by the UFC. Oualy Tandia, crowned Hexagone MMA champion in May, won his PFL debut in Chicago.
MMA Official was credentialed for this fight week and will now cover every Hexagone MMA event, both before the show and when the results come in.
Samba Sima vs. Léopold Goi for the Flyweight Title
Samba Sima is 23 years old. A member of the Fighting Beat club from Rueil-Malmaison, he is 4-0 as a professional. On June 12 in Lyon, he stopped Leonardo de Oliveira Barbosa by TKO in the first round in the co-main event of Hexagone MMA 45.
Hexagone MMA bills the bout as a world championship fight at 125 pounds (57 kg), scheduled for five rounds. According to the promotion, a win would make Samba Sima the youngest champion in league history. It is the first title fight of his career.
Léopold Goi, nicknamed Leonidas, is 28 years old and holds an 8-3 record. The fighter from Mantes-la-Ville is no stranger to the league’s big nights. In February in Aix-en-Provence, he lost in seven seconds to Romero Dos Reis in a fight for this same title.
At the weigh-ins, Hexagone MMA co-founder and sporting director Jérôme Pourrut held up the belt between the two men. Samba Sima smiled in his stance, while Léopold Goi stuck out his tongue with his arms crossed over his chest.
Paul Dena vs. Bilal Labid, the Comeback After Lyon
Paul Dena, whose real name is Paul Denis Navero, is 24 years old and comes from Rennes. He turned pro at Hexagone MMA 29 on May 24, 2025, at the Arkéa Arena in Bordeaux with a second-round TKO. On January 9, 2026, he beat Paulo Santos by second-round TKO in the main event of Hexagone MMA 37, also at the Paris Zénith.
On June 12, 2026, in the main event of Hexagone MMA 45 in Lyon, Anzor Baybatyrov knocked him out in the first round. The first loss of his pro career dropped his record to 3-1. Five days later, Paul Dena acknowledged his mistakes in a post on Instagram. At the Hexagone MMA 48 weigh-ins, he took the stage draped in the French flag.
His opponent, Morocco’s Bilal Labid, is a kickboxing specialist with the same 3-1 record. He makes his Hexagone MMA debut on Saturday. The fight takes place at bantamweight, 135 pounds (61 kg), with no title on the line.
Mauvais GG, Mahamade Demba Samba and the Other Debuts
Axel Jean-Alphonse, known as Mauvais GG and billed by the league as the masked fighter, makes his Hexagone MMA debut against Belgium’s Saber Cherifi at lightweight.
Mahamade Demba Samba, who rose to fame on the Netflix series L’Arène, makes his professional debut under the Hexagone MMA banner. He faces Dany Gbeassor at a catchweight of 150 pounds (68 kg).
The main card also features Arnaud Prigent (4-1) against Senegal’s Ibrahim Diallo (4-1) at featherweight, Pierre Manzo (2-0) against Alex Hue (1-1) at welterweight, and Rayan Balbali (2-0) against Switzerland’s Youssouf Ouattara (4-2) at bantamweight. Pierre Manzo is also making his league debut.
Turpal Younousov (5-1), who trains at MMA Factory Paris, was scheduled to debut against Mikail Bayram (8-3). On Saturday afternoon, the Tapology database listed the bout as canceled.
A Press Conference in Bagnolet on the Eve of the Event
The press conference took place on Friday, October 23, at 3 p.m. Paris time at the Novotel Paris Est in Bagnolet. Paul Dena, Bilal Labid, Samba Sima, Léopold Goi, Mahamade Demba Samba and Axel Jean-Alphonse took questions from the media alongside Jérôme Pourrut, followed by face-offs for every professional bout on the card.
Start Times, How to Watch and Tickets
The Zénith Paris La Villette is located at 211 avenue Jean Jaurès in Paris’s 19th arrondissement and seats 6,804. The first fight is set for 7 p.m. Paris time (1 p.m. ET) and the main card for 9 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), for an evening of about four hours. Security checks are mandatory at the entrance, and the organizer asks fans to arrive early.
RMC Sport holds exclusive rights in France, live and on replay. DAZN streams the event in more than 150 countries.
Tickets start at €39 on the Fever ticketing page for Hexagone MMA 48. On Saturday afternoon, the page no longer showed any tickets available.
Hexagone MMA heads to the Glaz Arena in Rennes on November 27, then returns to the Paris Zénith on January 8, 2027. MMA Official will publish the Hexagone MMA 48 results on Sunday.
