Tag: Fares Ziam

Broken hand forced Fares Ziam to shift game plan in UFC Saudi Arabia win over Mike Davis

Fares Ziam won for the fifth straight time and seventh time in eight fights when he outworked Mike Davis at UFC Fight Night 250.

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] beat Mike Davis with a unanimous decision Saturday to open up the main card at UFC Fight Night 250 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Take a look inside the fight with Ziam, who won for the fifth straight time and seventh time in eight fights.

Fares Ziam def. Mike Davis

Result: Fares Ziam def. Mike Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: Ziam (17-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC), Davis (11-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Key stats: Ziam stuffed seven of Davis’ eight takedown attempts and landed four of his own for more than 7 minutes of control time – and was 58 for 83 in his striking attempts before his broken hand.

Fares Ziam def. Mike Davis, UFC Fight Night 250 (via UFC)

Ziam on the fight’s key moment

“It was a good fight. Mike Davis is a tough guy. I broke my (left) hand in the first round, so I couldn’t strike. I thought he was afraid of my striking and he came to try to take me down, but I’m OK – I have good wrestling.”

Ziam on his broken hand changing his game plan

“My corner said, ‘Hey, why aren’t you striking?’ I didn’t say anything because I wanted my corner to stay calm, so I went to the wrestling. I know my jiu-jitsu is great, and my wrestling, too.”

https://x.com/UFCNews/status/1885763548535795987

To hear more from Ziam, check out his post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

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UFC Fight Night 250 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Israel Adesanya leads card

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out $31.5 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 250 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $137,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 250 took place at ANB Arena. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 250 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Vinicius Oliveira[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Said Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Muhammad Naimov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Kaan Ofli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Shamil Gaziev[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Thomas Petersen[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Terrance McKinney[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Damir Hadzovic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jasmine Jasudavicius[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Hamdy Abdelwahab[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jamal Pogues[/autotag]: $4,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2501 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2025 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $617,000
2024 total: $8,280,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $31,634,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 250

Fun lightweights on four-fight winning streaks open the UFC Fight Night 250 main card. Does Mike Davis or Fares Ziam have the edge?

[autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] meet Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 250 main card opener at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 6-5

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam UFC Fight Night 250 preview

Davis (11-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) enters his first fight of the year as a winner of four straight. Following a setback against former title challenger Gilbert Burns, “Beast Boy” has finished Tomas Gifford and Natan Levy, while adding decision wins over Mason Jones and Viacheslav Borshchev. … Ziam (16-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) also comes into this matchup as a winner of his last four. “Smile Killer” put frowns on the faces of Michal Figlak, Jai Herbert, and Claudio Puelles in decisions while adding a vicious knockout of Matt Frevola in his most recent outing.

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam UFC Fight Night 250 expert pick, prediction

Kicking off the main card the right way is a fun lightweight matchup between Davis and Ziam.

I don’t know if it’s Davis, his management or the UFC matchmakers, but the fact that we’ve barely been able to see “Beast Boy” compete in meaningful main card matchups feels like an outright crime.

Davis, who stepped onto the scene as a natural athlete with a solid striking pedigree, has rounded out his game with some underrated grappling chops since training with Fusion Xcel in South Florida. That said, Davis will be facing an active fighter in Ziam who has also been making improvements.

Even though the fight will likely come down do who can get the jump on the other in the grappling department, I do believe that Ziam’s striking style could provide some real issues for Davis.

Aside from the fact that Davis can sometimes square up his stance for center-mass shots, the American has also tends to put a decent amount of weight on his lead foot due to his boxing-centric attacks – something that has traditionally opened him up to leg kicks.

Not only does Ziam possess a kicking arsenal that can exploit these tendencies, but the French fighter also appears to have reliable answers in multiple phases of the fight.

This should be competitive either way, but I’ll side with the more active and improving party in Ziam.

The pick is Ziam by unanimous decision.

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam UFC Fight Night 250 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the American, listing Davis -144 and Ziam +122 via FanDuel.

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam UFC Fight Night 250 start time, how to watch

Davis and Ziam are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 12:10 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam booked for UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia

Rising lightweights Mike Davis and Fares Ziam will square off at UFC Fight Night 250.

Rising lightweights will square off at UFC Fight Night 250.

[autotag]Mike Davis[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] Feb. 1 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Davis publicly confirmed the matchup on social media, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie following an initial report from MMA Mania.

Winner of four straight, Davis (11-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) returned from 17-month layoff to submit Natan Levy at UFC Fight Night 239 in March. His lone octagon loss came to former title challenger Gilbert Burns in his short-notice UFC debut.

Meanwhile, Ziam (16-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is also riding momentum having won four fights in a row. The 27-year-old Algerian-French fighter is coming off his first octagon finish – a Performance of the Night knockout of Matt Frevola this past September at UFC Fight Night 243.

The current UFC Fight Night 250 lineup includes:

  • Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
  • Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page
  • Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz
  • Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira
  • Damir Hadzovic vs. Terrance McKinney
  • Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Jordan Leavitt
  • Lucas Alexander vs. Bogdan Grad
  • Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli
  • Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues
  • Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen
  • Mike Davis vs. Fares Ziam

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 250.

Fares Ziam reacts to first UFC knockout, says extra punches ‘not super necessary’

Fares Ziam was thrilled to record his first UFC finish, especially because it came on home soil.

It took [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] a little while, but he finally had his first finish under the UFC banner.

The 27-year-old Frenchman rocked the home crowd at Accor Arena in Paris with a vicious third-round knockout knee strike that landed on Matt Frevola. Commentary, pundits and many others watching along at home on social media immediately labeled the moment a Knockout of the Year contender.

Ziam (16-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) didn’t quite know how to handle his first knockout win since 2018, and borrowed a famous line from Jorge Masvidal in an apology to Frevola (11-5-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC).

“It’s my first finish in UFC, but before UFC I have a couple of finishes,” Ziam told UFC News. “Honestly, I threw the knee, he go down, and I say, ‘He’s finished.’ But, the referee don’t come. Maybe, so I strike.

“I’m sorry, Matt for the (extra punches). It’s not super necessary. So, I am sorry.”

After framing Frevola as he attempted to exit a clinch, Ziam connected with the right knee, knocking his opponent out cold. Ziam followed him to the ground for a few extra punches, but it was clear the fight was already over before that. But as fighters are told, he continued striking until the referee stepped in.

“I’m very, very happy,” Ziam said. “It was hard for me to not finish my fight before, and tonight, no pressure.”

Ziam’s coach spoke to him about the importance of having fun in the octagon, while trying to make the most of the moment of fighting in front of a home crowd in France, considering the promotion rarely travels to the country.

On the first fight of a new contract, Ziam extended his current winning streak to four. In his previous fight, he won a split decision against Claudio Puelles in February, which was frustrating, even though he came out victorious.

Now Ziam can sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor, which earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus that will come in handy for his new family.

“I got a baby like five months ago. I’m a new father,” Ziam said. “So, I do this for my wife, my son, my family, my coach. I’m happy.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.

UFC Fight Night 243 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Renato Moicano’s $16,000 among top earners

UFC Fight Night 243 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 243 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $173,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 243 took place at Accor Arena in Paris. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 243 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Benoit Saint Denis[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nassourdine Imavov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]William Gomis[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Jousset[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Morgan Charriere[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gabriel Miranda[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Ion Cutelaba[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Ivan Erslan[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Oumar Sy[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Da Woon Jung[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Roosevelt Roberts[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ailin Perez[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Darya Zheleznyakova[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Taylor Lapilus[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Vince Morales[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Daniel Barez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Victor Altamirano[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jacqueline Cavalcanti[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nora Cornolle[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Bolaji Oki[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2431 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,895,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $28,632,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.

UFC Fight Night 243 bonuses: KO of the Year contender a no-doubter for $50,000

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card in Paris, including a vicious KO of the Year contender by Fares Ziam.

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card in France, including a knockout that’s likely to be very high on everyone’s KO of the Year list.

After UFC Fight Night 243, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at Accor Arena in Paris. Check out the winners below.

Performance of the Night: Chris Duncan def. Bolaji Oki

Chris Duncan def. Bolaji Oki via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 3:34

Starting off the night in France with an impressive finish was [autotag]Chris Duncan[/autotag]. To his surprise, Duncan didn’t even realize he finished Bolaji Oki until he wasn’t responding. Duncan (12-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) locked up a guillotine choke from the bottom, and released the hold, looking to punch. However, Oki (9-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) was asleep. Duncan then motioned to the referee that his opponent was in la-la land, and the fight was over. Duncan earns the first bonus of his UFC career, one that quite literally fell in his lap.

Performance of the Night: Fares Ziam def. Matt Frevola

Fares Ziam def. Matt Frevola via knockout (knee) – Round 3, 2:59

The UFC might as well have just handed [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] his bonus check as he exited the octagon. His knockout of Matt Frevola is a sure-fire Knockout of the Year contender. Ziam (16-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was picking apart Frevola (11-5-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC) in the first two rounds of the fight, but in the third, he blasted Frevola with a vicious knee on the exit of a clinch. Frevola went unconscious on contact, and a couple of follow-up punches got there before the referee could rush in. Ziam’s first UFC bonus is certainly one to remember.

Performance of the Night: Morgan Charriere def. Gabriel Miranda

Morgan Charriere def. Gabriel Miranda via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 0:27

Keeping the French crowd hyped up with another vicious finish was [autotag]Moragn Charriere[/autotag]. Gabriel Miranda found himself attempting to escape a clinch from Charriere, but didn’t expect a crushing punch to meet him as he turned back into his opponent. Charriere’s left hand sent Miranda to the canvas, and the celebration was on.

That’s three consecutive fights for “The Last Pirate” earning a $50,000 bonus. Charriere is pure excitement.

Performance of the Night: Bryan Battle def. Kevin Jousset

Bryan Battle def. Kevin Jousset via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:47

While the French crowd was amped with back-to-back bonus-earning finishes before his fight, [autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag] flipped the cheers to boos. Battle spoiled the party for France’s Kevin Jousset, boxing him up for a nasty second-round TKO finish. He then got on the mic and delivered one of the most emphatic heel promos on the mic, urging the French crowd to keep booing him. Battle will fly back to the States with an extra $50,000, the second bonus of his UFC career.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.

UFC Fight Night 243 video: Fares Ziam’s knee flattens Matt Frevola for KO of the Year contender

Fares Ziam put Matt Frevola out cold for several minutes with one of the most brutal knees in recent history at UFC Paris.

[autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] scored his first UFC finish in emphatic fashion.

Ziam (16-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) knocked out Matt Frevola (11-5-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC) with a devastating knee at the 2:59 mark of Round 3 in their lightweight main card bout at UFC Fight Night 243 on Saturday at Accor Arena in Paris.

Ziam was in firm control throughout the fight, stunning Frevola on multiple occasions. He mixed up his attack with some takedowns, before landing a thunderous knee in the clinch which put Frevola out cold. Frevola was on his back for several minutes, but eventually left the cage on his feet with the help of medical officials.

Check out the replay of Ziam’s finish below (via X):

Ziam extended his winning streak to four. The 27-year-old Algerian-French fighter has now won six of his past seven. Frevola, meanwhile, has been knocked out in back-to-back fights.

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Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 243 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.

Matt Frevola vs. Fares Ziam prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 243

Matt Frevola and Fares Ziam meet in a fun lightweight bout that opens the UFC Paris main card at Accor Arena.

[autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag] and [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card opener of UFC Fight Night 243 at Accor Arena in Paris. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 79-68-3

Matt Frevola vs. Fares Ziam UFC Paris preview

Frevola (11-4-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) enters his first fight since headliner Benoit Saint Denis snapped his three-fight winning streak. Prior to the setback, Frevola stopped three straight opponents. Genaro Valdez, Ottman Azaitar and Drew Dober failed to make it out of the first round against “The Steamrolla.” … Ziam (15-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will look to keep his momentum going as a winner of three straight fights. The Frenchman picked up consecutive decision wins over Michal Figlak, Jai Herbert and Claudio Puelles.

Matt Frevola vs. Fares ZiamUFC Paris expert pick, prediction

Kicking off the main card is a proper action fight at 155 pounds between Ziam and Frevola.

For those familiar with my card formatting critiques, there’s nothing I love more than action-fighting lightweights to kick off the festivities on the main broadcast.

Although Ziam can be stereotyped as more of a ‘point-fighting’ competitor, I believe that Frevola’s aggression will bring out the best in the Frenchman. That said, I find myself leaning toward the American in this spot.

Unless Ziam can turn himself into a one-punch knockout artist, I suspect that Frevola will eventually be able to close in on the French fighter and take this fight to the floor (where the biggest on-paper disparity exists).

It’s hard to bet against Ray Longo fighters, so I’ll take “The Steamrolla” to snatch up a submission by Round 2.

Matt Frevola vs. Fares ZiamUFC Paris odds

Despite the oddsmakers opening the American as the favorite, public money has come in on the French fighter, listing Ziam -132 and Frevola +108 via FanDuel.

Matt Frevola vs. Fares ZiamUFC Paris start time, how to watch

Frevola and Ziam are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 3:05 p.m. ET (9:05 p.m. locally in Paris). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.

Matt Frevola eyes ‘dog fight’ with Fares Ziam at UFC Paris

Matt Frevola plans on luring Fares Ziam into a brawl at UFC Fight Night 243.

[autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag] plans on luring [autotag]Fares Ziam[/autotag] into a brawl.

Frevola (11-4-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) meets Ziam (15-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 243 (ESPN+) main card opener at Accor Arena in Paris. Ziam is yet to score a UFC finish but has been able to use his sharp striking technique to outpoint his opposition. Meanwhile, Frevola knocked out three straight opponents in the first round before running into Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 295.

“He’s gotten those wins,” Frevola told BJPenn.com of Ziam. “A lot of them were close, but he’s been able to get the W. He’s a smart, intelligent striker, and he uses his length, his high fight IQ to squeak out those wins. But that’s not how I fight.

“I go in there looking for finishes. If he thinks he’s going to be skating and landing his jab and moving and making it a boring fight, that is not how I fight. I’m going to be in his face, and he’s finally going to have an exciting fight, fighting me.”

Although Ziam said he’s changed his style up in training, Frevola expects him to play it safe – but he won’t let him do that.

“It’s going to be a fight,” Frevola added. “He’s going to come out there and try to land his shots, try to outpoint me, and I’m going to come in there and look to finish him. I’m well-rounded, I can wrestle, I can strike, I got good jiu-jitsu, and I plan on utilizing all my weapons against him. It’s not going to be a pretty kickboxing fight like he wants. It’s going to be a dog fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 243.