It is one of the MMA events of the year in France. This Friday, ARES, the main French organization of the discipline, is organizing its 22nd numbered event and is relocating from the Dôme de Paris to the Adidas Arena, the new showcase of Paris Basketball, capable of hosting 8,000 spectators. Created in 2018, the league, whose reputation is to offer sufficient exposure and a springboard for its fighters to aim for the UFC or the PFL, is presenting the best card in its history.
The highly anticipated main event of the evening will see Axel Sola (7 wins, 0 losses), current champion in the -70kg category, attempt to defend his belt against Daguir Imavov (15 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw). The latter will be supported by his little brother Nassourdine, winner on June 9 against Cannonier at UFC Fight Night in Louisville. In addition to the belt, the winner of the fight will probably be offered a chance to join the UFC, a few months before the return of the major organization of world MMA in Paris.
In the other categories, the Frenchman Aboubakar Younousov (3 wins, 0 losses) will be challenged by the Brazilian Fabricio Nunes (9 wins, 1 loss). The challenge: to keep his bantamweight belt (-61kg).
Finally, the winner of the clash between Abu Bakr Bathily and Sofiane Boukichou will obtain the same reward in the heavyweight category (+93kg), since the belt is currently vacant.
The main card of ARES 22 will begin this Friday June 14 at 8:30 p.m. and will be followed live on Canal + Sport 360.
