'I never put on a boring fight': Noah Gugnon opens up ahead of his second UFC fight
Noah Gugnon details his ambitions and mindset ahead of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.
- Show : Aldric & Herbi of Jab Life, aired on October 23, 2026, 21:07.
- People discussed : Noah Gugnon, Milos Janicic, Fares Ziam, Ilia Topuria, Axel Sola, Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, Benoît Saint-Denis, Guillaume Peltier.
- Topics : UFC, French MMA, lightweight, grappling, fight week.
- Source : transcript of the show, 14 039 views on YouTube.
What is said in the show
Noah Gugnon, French MMA fighter, speaks via video call before his second UFC fight, scheduled for October 24 at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi against American Kody Steele. He looks back on how the fight came together: a first opponent, Mateusz Rebecchi, had refused to face him before Kody Steele was offered two and a half weeks before the event. Gugnon explains that he already knew Steele through grappling and expects the fight to inevitably go to the ground. He recalls his UFC debut in Belgrade against Milos Janicic, the underdog role he played in front of a hostile crowd, and discovering how the organization works. He addresses the proposal refused by his team to face Fares Ziam in Paris, his wish to compete four times in twelve months, and his dream fight against Ilia Topuria. He promises an offensive and spectacular performance in Abu Dhabi.
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 1:25His upcoming fight against Kody Steele
- 8:10His victory over Milos Janicic and his discovery of the UFC
- 13:10Staying active and putting on a show
- 15:00The proposal to fight Ziam in Paris
- 18:30His dream fight
- 19:05His promise for the fight against Kody Steele
Key moments
« I walked into the arena and they started booing me, jeering at me, insulting me. I've been training for almost 10 years for that moment, and today I'm here. »
Noah Gugnon · at 0:00
« When people see my name on a card, they really need to say to themselves: Noah Gugnon is on the card, I can't miss that fight. »
Noah Gugnon · at 0:26
« It wasn't me who said no - I was immediately fired up to take that fight. On the other hand, it was Guillaume Peltier and my coach who made the decision not to take that fight. »
Noah Gugnon · at 15:27
« The dream fight with a challenge that would be enormous would be a fight against Ilia Topuria, because I love his all-pressure style - I draw some inspiration from his style as well. »
Noah Gugnon · at 18:45
« I have never fought going backwards, and UFC 333 will not be the fight where I do that, I can assure you of that. It's going to be a fireworks show. »
Noah Gugnon · at 19:23
