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Tag: Fares Ziam

  • UFC Paris: Promising Cage Warriors Champ Accepts Short Notice Call To Keep Fight Alive After Fares Ziam Pullout

    UFC Paris: Promising Cage Warriors Champ Accepts Short Notice Call To Keep Fight Alive After Fares Ziam Pullout

    UFC Paris keeps its full slate of matchups intact.

    On Monday, Fares Ziam revealed that he was forced to pull out from his scheduled lightweight clash with Kaue Fernandes on the upcoming Fight Night main card, citing the tragic passing of his grandmother. With “Smile Killer” out, Fernandes’ situation remained uncertain, with speculation on whether he would stay on the card or be rebooked later.

    However, per a recent report from Al Zullino, Fernandes will remain on the UFC Paris card after securing a new opponent, as Cage Warriors featherweight champion Harry Hardwick has stepped up on just five days’ notice to salvage the matchup.

    Hardwick last competed at Cage Warriors 186 this past March, where he successfully defended his 145-pound title with a technical decision victory over Javier Garcia. “Houdini” is riding a nine-fight unbeaten streak and boasts a professional record of 13-3-1, with seven of his victories coming by way of finish.

    Meanwhile, Fernandes was last in action at UFC London this past March, where he picked up a unanimous decision win over Guram Kutateladze, extending his momentum inside the promotion. The 30-year-old Brazilian first entered the Octagon at UFC São Paulo in November 2023, dropping a razor-close split decision to Marc Diakiese in his debut. He now carries a professional record of 10-2.

    Images: @kauefernandesmma/@harryhardwickmma/Instagram

    How Stacked Is The UFC Paris Card?

    UFC Paris takes place this Saturday, September 6, at the Accor Arena in France with a stacked lineup of 14 bouts, featuring French talent throughout the card. The Fight Night will be headlined by a high-stakes middleweight clash between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, a matchup that could carry major title implications.

    Meanwhile, the co-main event pits French favorite Benoît Saint Denis against surging lightweight prospect Mauricio Ruffy. Elsewhere on the card, seasoned featherweight Patricio Pitbull is set to welcome former two-division OKTAGON champion Losene Keita for his highly anticipated UFC debut.

    Here is the confirmed lineup for UFC Paris:

    • Middleweight bout: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
    • Lightweight bout: Benoit Saint Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy
    • Lightweight bout: Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
    • Light heavyweight bout: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig
    • Featherweight bout: Patricio Pitbull vs. Losene Keita
    • Lightweight bout: Kaue Fernandes vs. Harry Hardwick
    • Featherweight bout: William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala
    • Light heavyweight bout: Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro
    • Heavyweight bout: Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija
    • Welterweight bout: Rhys McKee vs. Axel Sola
    • Welterweight bout: Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters
    • Middleweight bout: Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek
    • Welterweight bout: Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
    • Strawweight bout: Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes
    Image: UFC.com
  • UFC Paris Bout Falls Apart After Fighter Steps Away Due To Family Tragedy

    UFC Paris Bout Falls Apart After Fighter Steps Away Due To Family Tragedy

    The UFC Paris card took a hit just days before the event..

    On Monday, Fares Ziam took to social media to announce he is withdrawing from his scheduled lightweight bout against Kaue Fernandes on the upcoming Fight Night event’s main card following the sudden passing of his grandmother.

    “Following the sudden death of my grandmother, and the organization of her funeral in France and abroad, I regret to cancel my participation in UFC Paris on September 6. Family is my priority,” Ziam wrote on Instagram.

    “Smile Killer” was last seen competing at UFC Saudi Arabia this past February, securing a unanimous decision victory over Mike Davis. Ziam is riding a five-fight winning streak, with his most recent defeat dating back to February 2022 at UFC Vegas 49, where he fell to a first-round submission at the hands of Terrance McKinney.

    The 28-year-old Frenchman boasts a professional MMA record of 17-4, including a 7-2 mark inside the UFC, with notable victories over competitors such as Matt Frevola and Jai Herbert.

    Image: @fares_ziam/Instagram

    As of now, it remains unclear whether a short-notice replacement will step in for Fernandes or if the bout with Ziam will be postponed and rescheduled for a later event.

    Fernandes last fought at UFC London in March, earning a unanimous decision victory over Guram Kutateladze to extend his winning streak in the promotion. The 30-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut at UFC São Paulo in November 2023, where he narrowly fell to Marc Diakiese via split decision. He currently holds a professional MMA record of 10-2.

    Who Will Headline The UFC Paris Card?

    The UFC Paris card is set for this Saturday, September 6, at the Accor Arena in France. The Fight Night event will be headlined by a crucial middleweight clash between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, a bout that could carry significant title implications. In the co-main event, Benoît Saint Denis will take on rising lightweight prospect Mauricio Ruffy.

    The upcoming event will also showcase a wealth of French talent, with former two-division OKTAGON champion Losene Keita standing out as the most anticipated name. Keita is set to face former Bellator titleholder Patricio Pitbull in a highly anticipated featherweight clash.

    Here is the confirmed lineup for UFC Paris:

    • Middleweight bout: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
    • Lightweight bout: Benoit Saint Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy
    • Lightweight bout: Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
    • Light heavyweight bout: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig
    • Featherweight bout: Patricio Pitbull vs. Losene Keita
    • Featherweight bout: William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala
    • Light heavyweight bout: Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro
    • Heavyweight bout: Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija
    • Welterweight bout: Rhys McKee vs. Axel Sola
    • Welterweight bout: Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters
    • Middleweight bout: Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek
    • Welterweight bout: Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
    • Strawweight bout: Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes
    UFC Octagon
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC