UFC Paris is down a main card fight after Fares Ziam was forced out of his fight with Kaue Fernandes after losing his grandmother.
Saturday night’s show at the Accor Arena is one of the biggest events on the European MMA calendar every year. It’s headlined by a middleweight title decider between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho with a host of other European talents filling out the card.
However, Ziam has announced that he won’t be able to pursue a sixth UFC win in a row after suffering a bereavement in his family. It is unclear what this will mean for Fernandes who has been on a two-fight run of his own.
UFC Paris main card loses a major lightweight fight
Saturday night’s main card opener for UFC Paris was due to see rising lightweight contenders Fares Ziam and Kaue Fernandes square off. However, Ziam has taken to social media to share a message declaring that he is no longer competing at the event.
“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,” Ziam wrote in the caption to his latest Instagram post. “Family is my priority.”
His post also featured the message in French: “We belong to Allah and it is to Him that we will return.” In Arabic he added: “Thank you mum”.