Surging UFC fighter puts win streak on the line with dangerous Paris matchup

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 3:09 PM ET

(Zuffa LLC)

UFC Paris has added a banger of a lightweight matchup that unfortunately feels like a step back for one of the fighters involved.

The UFC returns to the Accor Arena in Paris, France on September 6, and in the card’s main event Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho will square off with a potential shot at the UFC middleweight title on the line.

This year’s edition of UFC Paris has slowly been taking shape in recent weeks, and after a light heavyweight bout between Modestas Bukauskas and Paul Craig was confirmed in the last few days the promotion has officially added another intriguing bout to the card.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Fares Ziam vs. Kauê Fernandes Booked For UFC Paris

With a number of French fighters already scheduled to compete at UFC Paris, Fares Ziam will get another chance to thrill the fans in his home country when he meets Kauê Fernandes.

Un duel de plus entre la France et le Brésil pour l'#UFCParis

Fares Ziam affrontera Kaue Fernandes le 6 septembre à l'Accor Arena pic.twitter.com/7iMpMJAFiD
— UFC France (@UFCFRA) July 10, 2025

Following a 2-2 start to his career with the UFC, a win over Michal Figlak in 2022 kicked off what has turned into an impressive five-fight win streak for the 28-year-old Ziam.

“Smile Killer” earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus at last year’s UFC Paris when he knocked out Matt Frevola in the third round, and earlier this year Ziam picked up arguably the biggest win of his career thus far when he ended Mike Davis’ four-fight win streak.

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No Ranked Opponent For Fares Ziam

Many fans expected that Ziam would get a crack at the UFC lightweight rankings following his win over Davis, but instead the Frenchman gets a dangerous matchup in the unranked Fernandes.

A veteran of the LFA and Shooto Brasil, Fernandes dropped a split decision to Marc Diakiese in his UFC debut in 2023 but rebounded with a first-round finish against Mohammad Yahya the following year.

Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images

The 30-year-old scored a sizeable upset earlier this year when he took a unanimous decision over Guram Kutateladze, and Fernandes will try to steal Ziam’s momentum when the pair meet on a UFC Paris card that currently looks like this:

• Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho

• Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija

• Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig

• Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones

• Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Andreas Gustafsson

• Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro

• Shaunna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes

• Yuneisy Duben vs. Kennedy Freeman

• William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchala

• Fares Ziam vs. Kauê Fernandes