UFC Fight Night: Fares Ziam vs Tom Nolan Preview & Prediction
Two young, talented lightweights faceoff in the featured bout, Frenchman Fares Ziam tests the credentials of Australian Tom Nolan.
Fares Ziam vs Tom Nolan facts
What time are Fares Ziam and Tom Nolan expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim? Meta Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 278
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim main card
Belal Muhammad vs Gabriel Bonfim (Welterweight)
Brendan Allen vs Edmen Shahbazyan (Middleweight)
Fares Ziam vs Tom Nolan (Lightweight)
Bryce Mitchell vs Santiago Luna (Bantamweight)
Iwo Baraniewski vs Junior Tafa (Light Heavyweight)
UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs Bonfim prelims
Matt Schnell vs Alessandro Costa (Catchweight - 130 lb)
Marcus McGhee vs John Yannis (Bantamweight)
Bruno Gustavo da Silva vs Edgar Chairez (Flyweight)
Priscila Cachoeira vs Chelsea Chandler (Women’s Bantamweight)
Jordan Leavitt vs Joanderson Brito (Featherweight)
Jeisla Chaves vs Yuneisy Duben (Women’s Flyweight)
Ketlen Souza vs Ariane Carnelossi (Women’s Strawweight)
Fares Ziam: Surging well-rounded fighter enters on a six fight win streak
Fares Ziam (18-4) has quietly become one of the most reliable operators at 155, rattling off six straight wins capped by a statement second-round TKO over Nazim Sadykhov at UFC 323. Before that he outpointed Mike Davis and starched Matt Frevola with a knee to the head. “The Smile Killer” is a very well-rounded fighter – sharp boxing combinations with kicks mixed in, strong knees in the clinch, and fast transitions on the mat. He’s defensively sound and has historically used his tall frame to pick opponents up and dump them. Yet to face a ranked lightweight, but he’s beaten some established, experienced UFC names.
Tom Nolan: Towering Aussie prospect on the rise
Tom Nolan (10-1) is one of the largest lightweights on the roster at 6’2”, a rangy southpaw on a four fight win streak since dropping his debut to Nikolas Motta. The Australian recently bagged the first submission of his career, taking Charlie Campbell’s back for a rear naked choke and a Performance of the Night bonus. “Big Train” is an all-action striker with a varied arsenal and a very nasty body kick, happy to eat one to land two. His aggression leaves him defensively open, and he’s been stung by lesser opposition.
Fares Ziam vs Tom Nolan prediction
This isn’t really a step up in competition for Ziam since his last fight, you could argue that Sadykhov is a better win than Nolan would be, and the Frenchman has already passed the test of beating UFC-established names like Jai Herbert, Matt Frevola, and Mike Davis, which Nolan simply hasn’t done yet. Nolan is a genuine talent who I believe will be a fixture in this division for years to come, but this may just be a tad too early.
Ziam usually enjoys a size edge, and physically bullies his opponents. Here, Nolan is the bigger man, where Ziam is usually able to pick up and dump his opponents, this shouldn’t be really possible here. On the feet Nolan’s reach and the southpaw VS orthodox matchup will allow the body kick to be open, and Ziam won’t be as dominant at range as he is against smaller men, but Ziam’s defensive discipline kept a slick southpaw in Sadykhov from landing flush. Tom’s lead leg will be there to be chopped in this matchup as Ziam mixes leg kicks into his boxing. It won’t be completely one-sided on the mat either, as Ziam’s trickiest nights have come against good grapplers like Davis, and Nolan has shown decent grappling in his other bouts, but Nolan’s takedown got sprawled by lesser grapplers like Borshchev.
I expect this fight to be fair competitive early, but I see the more complete, battle-tested fighter take over and find the finish.
Prediction: Fares Ziam to win by KO/TKO or submission
