UFC lightweight contenders Fares Ziam and Mike Davis opened up the UFC Saudi Arabia main card on Saturday night in what turned out to be a brutal fight.
Coming into his fight against Mike Davis, ‘The Smile Killer’ was riding a four-fight win streak and was hoping to pick up another huge win to put himself close to the top 15.
Davis was also riding a four-fight win streak, however, recent inactivity has massively halted ‘Beast Boy’s’ momentum.
Fares Ziam went on to win the fight via decision after three extremely close and brutal rounds, which saw both fighters cut open badly in what turned out to be a bloodbath.
Sodiq Yusuff questions Mike Davis’ health coming into UFC Saudi Arabia
The UFC Saudi Arabia main card opener began with the Frenchman showcasing his fast sharpshooting striking and he was seemingly causing the American issues with his fast hands.
Davis then began to work himself back into the fight after securing a takedown and subsequently transitioning well and controlling Ziam on the ground.
In the second round, the 27-year-old did well to keep Davis off his legs and stuffed the majority of his takedown attempts. As well as that, Ziam opened up a cut on the side of ‘Beast Boys’ head which caused him issues throughout the rest of the fight.
Despite that, Davis complained in the interval between rounds two and three that he was caught with an eye poke which affected his vision for the rest of the fight.
After a dominant half of round three by Ziam, Davis turned the tide towards the end of the round and landed a huge elbow whilst controlling the Frenchman on the ground and opening up a huge cut above the 27-year-old’s eye.
With them now both leaking all over the Octagon, they were both too slippery for Davis to secure a submission and Ziam edged through to a decision win.
With Davis’ years of inactivity and injury struggles, featherweight star, Sodiq Yusuff questioned whether he came into the fight injured, stating that he didn’t look himself.
“I wonder if Davis came in hurt. He does not look himself,” Yusuff tweeted on X.
What’s next for Fares Ziam following UFC Saudi Arabia win?
Now riding a five-fight win streak, Ziam is on the verge of a top 15 ranking at 155lbs. The Frenchman is usually a shoo-in to take part on the UFC Paris cards in September, however, he will likely fight before then too.
Grant Dawson is currently sat in rank 15 and will likely defend his ranking again next despite being on a three-fight win streak.
Dawson would undoubtedly provide the toughest test for the 27-year-old thus far and it would determine whether Ziam could be a future title contender in stacked lightweight division.