EXCLUSIVE - We watch Axel Sola's training camp ahead of his fight against Fares Ziam at UFC Paris
Aldric Cassata breaks down Axel Sola's sparring sessions in preparation for Fares Ziam at UFC Paris.
- Show : Aldric & Herbi of Jab Life, aired on October 13, 2026, 27:05.
- People discussed : Axel Sola, Fares Ziam, Jérôme Volerin, Charles Oliveira, Benoît Saint-Denis.
- Topics : sparring, fight preparation, boxing-wrestling mix, UFC Paris, MMA coaching.
- Source : transcript of the show, 26 510 views on YouTube.
What is said in the show
Aldric Cassata and Alexandre Herbinet present sparring footage filmed inside the Boxing Squad cage during Axel Sola's preparation for Fares Ziam. Three sessions are reviewed: August 10, August 13, and August 17. The main sparring partner is Kenji Conde, chosen to replicate Fares Ziam's style. The coach explains that the fight was confirmed about a month before UFC Paris, around August 5-6, and that preparation was built around two to three sparrings per week at a technical-tactical intensity. The through line of all the work is the boxing-wrestling mix: box to wrestle, wrestle to box, with the concept of the outside foot and various weapons such as the overhand and knees. Aldric Cassata also describes the use of a heart rate monitor worn by Axel Sola to measure workload. He emphasizes the importance of finishing every round strong and the principle that you fight the way you train. Full rounds are not released to avoid providing data to future opponents.
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 4:40Sparring footage from August 10
- 10:45Sparring footage from August 13
- 15:50Sparring footage from August 17
Key moments
« In the end, that old saying of you fight the way you train is true. It just takes time to show up. »
Aldric Cassata · at 2:08
« The goal was to mix things up, to box to wrestle, to wrestle to box, to have a varied message and be able to surprise him, because Fares is really hard to surprise on the feet. »
Aldric Cassata · at 6:37
« If we run this fight back 10 times, it doesn't go like that. Let's be honest, Fares is very, very strong. »
Aldric Cassata · at 15:06
« If you hide, if you go through the motions in training, the moment it gets hard on fight day, you won't be there. »
Aldric Cassata · at 22:09
« I was genuinely very satisfied with what we were able to do in the short amount of time we had, with Kenji's commitment, his availability, and the way Axel responded. »
Aldric Cassata · at 23:25
