Just days ahead of UFC Paris, star withdraws from event after family member's death

UFC Paris fighter announces his withdrawal from scheduled bout. [Image courtesy: @ufc on X]
UFC Paris fighter announces his withdrawal from scheduled bout. [Image courtesy: @ufc on X]

UFC Paris has a cancellation of a bout. Fares Ziam, who was set to compete in one of the undercard fights of UFC Fight 258, has withdrawn due to personal reasons.

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'Smile Killer' was scheduled to face Kaue Fernandes in a lightweight bout at UFC Paris on Sept. 6. While the promotion has yet to confirm the cancellation officially, Ziam announced just a few hours ago that he will not be participating in his scheduled bout.

In an Instagram post, the Frenchman wrote:

"Following the sudden death of my grandmother, her funeral arrangements in France and abroad. I regret to cancel my participation in UFC Paris on September 6. Family is my priority."
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Check out Fares Ziam's post below:

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A look into Fares Ziam's journey to the UFC

Fares Ziam was born and raised in a Franco-Algerian family. From a very early age, he began honing his skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. Ziam initially started as a kickboxer, but after a brief stint in that sport, he transitioned into Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

'Smile Killer' began his professional MMA career in 2014, competing in regional circuits. After about five years on the European circuit, he was signed by the UFC. The Frenchman's first fight in the promotion was against Don Madge at UFC 242, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss.

Following the setback, Ziam went on a two-fight win streak until he faced Terence McKinney in February 2022, marking the second loss of his UFC career. Since that bout, Ziam has been on a positive run, boasting a five-fight win streak. His most recent fight was against Mike Davis earlier this year at UFC Saudi Arabia.

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Edited by Nilaav Gogoi
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