In some ways, Ziam’s understanding of the need to settle in Mexico mirrors the settling-in process most fighters go through when they first land in the UFC, as the intensification of competition can sometimes mimic the drastic impact of a competition of more than 7,000 fighters. feet above sea level.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old made his Octagon debut at UFC 242, coming in with a 10-2 record and a five-fight winning streak, only to land on the wrong side of the scoreboard during a fight with Don. Madge. In each of his next two outings, Ziam scored victories – the first by unanimous decision over Jamie Mullarkey and the second by majority decision over Luigi Vendramini – but seemed hesitant and cautious; he fought not to lose more than to win.
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His loss to Terrance McKinney at the end of February 2022 was the last fight on his contract, and initially the UFC chose not to renew his contract, which was a big blow for the French fighter.
“For me, my mind was very bad, my heart too,” admitted Ziam, who returned to the promotion ahead of his debut in Paris, where he scored a unanimous decision victory over newcomer Michal Figlak to shake things up . positive direction again. “The UFC is a dream for a lot of fighters, and I had the chance to fight there, but after that (I was ready to move on).
“Maybe a month later, my manager called me and said, ‘The UFC is going to re-sign you,’ and I was very happy.”