Athletes
Farès Ziam | Growing Into A Serious Threat
French Lightweight Seeks Sixth Straight Win At UFC 323
Farès Ziam was 22 years old when he stepped into the Octagon for the first time; a tall, gangly kid with a 10-2 record and a ton of potential, but one lacking the foundational pieces to thrive on this level that only come with time, experience, and a little additional seasoning.
It showed through his first four fights, where wins over Jamie Mullarkey and Luigi Vendramini came in between a loss to Don Madge in that debut effort and a first-round submission finish at the hands of Terrance McKinney at the outset of his 2022 campaign. As often as you saw the flashes of upside, there were equal flickers of self-doubt and skill gaps that needed to be filled in.
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Since that loss to McKinney, Ziam has been on a steady climb, touching down in Las Vegas this week riding a five-fight winning streak as he heads into a critical pairing with fellow surging lightweight Nazim Sadykhov that kicks off the UFC 323 televised prelims.
“The confidence,” he said quickly when asked what has changed most to propel him on this current run of success that has him on the doorstep of the Top 15. “Before, I was not so confident, but now I am confident in my skills. I know I can do great because I am patient, disciplined, humble; I have everything to be great, so in the fights, my brain is off.”
While winning invariably builds confidence and Ziam has been doing nothing but over the last two-plus years, some of that genuine self-belief also comes with growing in other aspects as well. Getting older, starting a family, and navigating the ups and downs of life in general all contribute, and France’s “Smile Killer” has experienced all of those things during this current run of good form.
In 2024, Ziam and his wife welcomed a son, a joyous moment that shifted his motivations. Earlier this year, he withdrew from his matchup with Kaue Fernandes in Paris following the passing of his beloved grandmother, whose couscous he is forever going to miss.
“Yes, for sure,” he agreed when presented with the idea that sometimes, this stuff just takes time, and the experiences of life have as great an impact as anything else. “To be a father is maybe the best thing that has happened in my life.
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“For me, with this, I grew up a lot, mentally. Now I fight not only for me and my dreams, but now it’s for him.”
After missing out on the opportunity to compete in Paris in September, the 28-year-old didn’t anticipate getting to step into the Octagon again this year. He was hopeful, but was largely resigned to returning next year when he messaged his manager letting him know that if an opportunity arose, he was more than ready to step into the fray.
“Honestly, it’s good because I was surprised when the UFC gave me this offer,” Ziam said of fighting for the first time since February. “I was thinking about a fight in 2026, so I said to my manager, Ali Abdelaziz, ‘I trained very hard for September in Paris, so it’s gonna be great if I fight in October or November.’
“And UFC sent me a fight in December.”
It’s not just any fight, either.
Saturday’s matchup with Sadykhov is a sneaky-important matchup in the lightweight division; a clash of ascending talents looking to force their way into the rankings by adding to their extended unbeaten streaks, and a certified banger tabbed to kick off the televised prelims this weekend.
“For me, it’s a big card, but I don’t pay so much attention to this,” Ziam said of competing on the final number event of the year and opening the televised portion of the event. “I just wanna fight, win, keep winning, and go to the Top 15; that’s it.”
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Sounds simple enough, but in order to continue down that path, he needs to get through Sadykhov at UFC 323.
A member of Dana White’s Contender Series Class of ’22, the 31-year-old Sadykhov has hit the ground running since arriving in the UFC, posting a 4-0-1 mark with tandem wins on either side of a majority draw with fellow DWCS alum Viacheslav Borshchev two years ago in New York City. Last time out, “The Black Wolf” got the opportunity of a lifetime, venturing home to Baku, Azerbaijan, and registering a second-round stoppage win over Nikolas Motta in a contest where the duo took home Fight of the Night honors, and Sadykhov claimed a Performance of the Night bonus for the finish as well.
“It’s gonna be a technical fight because I know he loves pressure, loves to do good striking,” Ziam suggested of this weekend’s preliminary card opener with Sadykhov. “I’m gonna do my game and win.
“I see a finish, and if the finish don’t come, I don’t care,” he added with a smile. “Just victory and do a great fight; (that’s all that really matters).”
In a division as competitive and treacherous as the lightweight ranks, stacking wins and impressive showings really are the most important things. With champion Ilia Topuria taking a bit of a sabbatical, an interim championship being introduced on the January 24 debut on Paramount+, and matchups needing to be made up and down the rankings, a strong showing this weekend has the potential to carry Ziam into something significant.
While he’s not specifically thinking about next year yet — there is business to handle first — the streaking French hopeful does have a general sense of what he would like next, though.
“I don’t know,” he said regarding his 2026 wish list. “I’m so focused on Saturday because it’s such a big fight for me; I’m going for my six-fight streak. After that, I don’t know.
“I’m gonna say that I don’t want a Top 15 though,” he added. “I want a Top 10.”
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 6, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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