LAS VEGAS – Fares Ziam finds himself matched up with an unranked lightweight yet again.
Ziam (18-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) faces Tom Nolan (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 278 (Paramount+) main card at the Meta APEX.
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Ziam debuted in the UFC’s lightweight rankings after amassing a six-fight win streak, most recently finishing Nazim Sadykhov by TKO at UFC 323. But instead of fighting up the rankings, he’s taking on a rising contender who’s looking to take his place.
“I think everything is about timing,” Ziam told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “Tom deserves to fight a ranked opponent, also, because he’s on a win streak. In this division, a lot of people have win streaks, deserve to be in the top. But my time is going to come. Saturday, I’m here to make my mark.”
The 29-year-old Algerian-French fighter is a sizable favorite over Nolan. While he’s not underestimating him, Ziam plans on showing why the oddsmakers have him heavily favored.
“He’s on a four-fight win streak, so he’s a good fighter,” Ziam said of Nolan. “To have a win streak in the UFC is very hard. So it’s good for him – but he doesn’t have my level.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Fares Ziam on drawing unranked Tom Nolan: ‘My time is going to come’
