Axel Sola scored the biggest win of his career thus far earlier today (Sept. 5, 2026) at UFC Paris LIVE on Paramount+ from inside Accor Arena in Paris, France, as the rising lightweight prospect stunned fellow countryman Fares Ziam with a brutal first-round knockout (punches).
This 155-pound clash was one of the most intriguing matchups on Saturday’s card. Ziam is a true UFC veteran who has been competing under the bright lights of the Octagon for nearly six years. Sola, on the other hand, arrived on the scene just one year ago, but he already had memorable finishes over Rhys McKee and
Ismael Bonfim. Oddsmakers had it pretty close, but they seemed to favor Ziam based on his length and experience. That proved to be an oversight.
Ziam was able to do some good work early on with whipping leg kicks from the outside, but Sola has shown a really good ability to close distances and find angles to land clean shots. Sola was able to implement this again as the two French fighters crashed inside at the same time. Ziam actually landed a nasty elbow, but Sola’s counter right punch had already been launched. It caught Ziam clean and instantly put him out. Sola unloaded a few hard insurance shots before the referee stepped in.
Check out the video highlights below:
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