Sola Stuns Ziam With Violent First-Round KO At UFC Paris

Axel Sola scored the biggest win of his career Saturday at UFC Paris, landing a devastating right hand that knocked Fares Ziam out cold in the opening round of their lightweight co-main event at Accor Arena.

Both Frenchmen came out swinging, according to MMA Mania. Ziam found success early with leg kicks from range, but Sola closed the distance and connected with a counter right as the two crashed together. Ziam had thrown an elbow in the exchange, but Sola's punch landed clean. Ziam dropped instantly and Sola followed with ground strikes before the referee waved it off at 1:40 of round one.

Sola's Path to the UFC Paris Knockout

Per BJPenn.com, Sola entered off a first-round submission of Ismael Bonfim this past July. The 12-1-1 prospect has now finished his last two opponents inside one round. Ziam fell to 18-5 and saw a long UFC run stumble — the veteran had competed in the Octagon for nearly six years and won six straight before losing a decision to Tom Nolan in June.

Oddsmakers leaned toward Ziam based on length and experience, MMA Mania reported, but Sola's ability to find angles and land clean shots proved decisive. The finish was the third first-round stoppage on Sola's UFC resume, following knockouts of Rhys McKee and the Bonfim submission.

Sola is now positioned for a step up in competition at 155 pounds. No opponent has been announced.

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — UFC Paris Highlights! Sola Stuns Ziam With Violent KO Punch | MMA Mania
• bjpenn.com — UFC Paris Results: Axel Sola KO's Fares Ziam (Video) | BJPenn.com