Fares Ziam will have Trevor Wittman in his corner at UFC Fight Night 287.Ziam (18-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) takes on Axel Sola (12-1-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in Saturday's lightweight co-main event at Accor Arena in Paris.
Ziam has worked with Wittman before, and even served as a key training partner for UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje's UFC 324 fight against Paddy Pimblett. But now Ziam is looking to make a permanent move onto Wittman's team.
"My plan is to move with my family to the U.S. to be in Denver," Ziam told MMA Junkie. "Honestly, like I say, two to three years in Denver and forget, but yes, for me it's important to evolve in this game, to be focused. Before, I didn't have any head coach. I had a team around me, but at this level, we need a head coach,
a guy who thinks for you, a guy who works well for you, and Trevor is the best for me."
Ziam saw his six-fight winning streak snapped by Tom Nolan in June at UFC Fight Night 278. Not only was it his first setback in more than four years, he also lost his spot in the lightweight rankings.
"I don't underestimate anybody, but I was on a six-fight win streak," Ziam said. "It's true also, not a lot of hype on this fight, but a fight is a fight, so we need to go 100 percent on focus. In this fight, I lost my focus a little bit. I was too relaxed, but I think everyone knows I'm better than him. But that night, he won."
In Sola, Ziam faces a fellow Frenchman whom he has no issues with. Ziam is the far more experienced fighter, and he knows what to expect.
"I think he's going to come to wrestle me, to control me in the cage, to be a bad fight," Ziam said. "He's going to hug me, but he's also going to come to hurt me. I think he's good everywhere, but his big point is good wrestling, good striking, good grappling. I'm better everywhere, and I need to be only focused that night."
The 29-year-old has one main goal as he looks to rebound and restart his title run.
"I want to be myself," Ziam said. "I'm free to do anything in that fight and just respect my game plan."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Fares Ziam turns to famed coach to get back on track at UFC Paris – and beyond
