LONDON – Jai Herbert was on Fares Ziam’s radar prior to their booking.
Ziam (13-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on Herbert (12-4-1 MMA, 2-3-1 UFC) in a lightweight bout on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 224 main card at The O2. The event streams on ESPN+.
Both long and rangy for the weight class, Ziam expects to have the advantage standing up.
“I saw his first fight in the UFC a long time ago,” Ziam told MMA Junkie. “I think it was in 2020 live, and I said I’m sure one day the UFC will give me this fight. I am OK with him. He has good striking, but I think my striking is better.
“He’s a good striker, but he doesn’t like the pressure. He has good movement, good head kicks. He has good head movement, he moves a lot. He has good cardio, but my striking is more basic and more efficient.”
During media day, Herbert said he expects Ziam to shoot. “The Smile Killer” didn’t mention who would grapple first, but he sees part of their fight panning out on the ground.
“I think first round maybe it’ll play on the feet, striking a lot,” Ziam said. “But when two strikers fight, normally you have a wrestling matchup.”
If Ziam can get past Herbert, he has a particular name in mind that could help catapult him into the rankings.
“I think after Jai, maybe I can fight top 15, top 20,” Ziam said. “I’m OK with that. … Matt Frevola interests me. I think me and him can give a big fight. He’s a good striker but not a technical striker. He has a good left hook, but that’s it. He doesn’t have anything more in striking.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 224.
