It will be curiosity, the attraction of the UFC Paris, on September 6. While we thought the completed card with the presence in particular of Nassourdine Imavov, Benoît Saint Denis or Farès Ziam, Axel Sola came to add to the list of French fighters at the UFC.
Faced with North Irish Rhys McKee, the Niçois, European amateur champion and now ex-ARES champion (10 victories, 0 defeat, 1 draw), will have to prove that he has his place among the big ones. A challenge at its height.
Is this signature in the largest league in the world is a culmination in your career?
Axel sunbathing. No, not at all, it’s a step in my way in this sport. This is an opportunity for me to, perhaps, touch my dream finger, namely to perform at the highest level of this sport. This was not possible by not being at the UFC. Now I am there so the performance must follow.
When did you learn that you would be on the UFC Paris card in a few days?
I was told that it was heating up on Saturday, Aldric (Cassata, his trainer) told me that a contract should arrive. He did not arrive on Saturday, on Sunday either, Monday either … Monday evening, through an alternative media on Instagram which shared the photo of the contract that was going to be sent, I knew that it was going to be good. I did not sleep by night and, Tuesday morning, I spun at Boxing Squad (its training room) to sign.
Your preparation will be short and the fight in a category greater than yours, is it problematic?
You know, if someone acts on the street tomorrow, I’m not going to have time to warm up. You have to be ready for any eventuality. I trained all summer in the event that there was an injured one that I could have replaced so I did my training, my reflexes are sharpened. The weight category changes a little. In -70 kg, I have a physical advantage that I do not have in -77 kg. I will be able to use my physique less, but I have other strings to my bow.
Was it a child’s dream? Did you already think about it when you started MMA?
Of course ! When I started MMA, I watched the UFC on W9 at the time, and it already made me dream. I was 15 years old, I liked combat sports but I was doing some default karate. I was not very fulfilled in there. When I started MMA, I felt like I was in Disneyland so there were possibilities, ways to express themselves and fight. And I quickly put very high goals.
What prompted you to choose this discipline?
I also had hockey (on ice) in competition at that time, I was in a very good team. But when I finished my 3rd, I wanted to play a sport where success or failure depended only on my work. I liked the sambo because there were knee keys but I knew nothing about it. My uncle, who knew Aldric Cassata, brought me to the boxing squad who had just opened and I stayed there.
We feel in your interviews and fights that you intellectualize your practice a lot. Where does it come from?
I think it’s of the order of character, I need to understand things to do them. I find it difficult to settle for: It’s like that and not otherwise. It is not absolutely necessary to be in this perspective to do things well, but the goal is to reach as high level possible in a given period of time. And it’s not just about spending hours and hours on a tatami, it’s not a video game. The quality of the content must be adapted to the athlete and with me, it must be reflected and explained.
You hold a master’s degree in staps. What has it brought to you in your practice?
It allowed me to think about what performance, physical development, rehabilitation and, in general, how we bring a scientific look at a sport or body -related activity. I really liked it, I find that it is fine together. In MMA, there is more and more this scientific approach. The Fighting Nerds team for example, in Brazil, they have “data scientists”. This is something that we find a lot in football, they are scientists who break down the opponent to establish strategies. It develops a lot.
At home, what is this daily intellectualization?
What is difficult is that I am athlete, I am not a coach. If I was paid to manage someone’s training, work would be much better because my daily life would be dedicated to that. But we cannot be at the mill and the plow at the same time so I have to rush certain things. Recently, for example, weight management took up too much space in my head, it prevented me from focusing on the essentials. I found someone to help me manage this weight and it’s a great mental discharge.
You also play the piano and the guitar. How is it beneficial?
I need to have a cognitive stimulation that comes out of the fight. I really liked failures, I played a lot with my grandfather and I wanted to be efficient. Except that the problem is that it is a fight too, a confrontation. So I preferred to focus on music to get out of this duel logic. It calms me, it escapes me.
It is often said that you are an “intellectual MMA”, especially because of your way of speaking, do you like it?
What I like is that we have a good image of me because I have positive values to send back to people. But it is true that when the camera lights up, I speak as if I were making a presentation to the college. I am not doing it on purpose, but we made so many speaking in the context of our work that I put myself a little in this same mode when I speak in front of people. It is unconscious (laughs).
Axel Sola: Key Stats and Comparisons
To provide a clearer picture of Axel Sola’s journey, we’ve compiled a table highlighting key data points and comparisons, [[1]]. This information, derived from thorough research and analysis, aims to enhance your understanding of his career trajectory and the challenges he faces, perfectly completing this presentation.
| Metric | Value/Comparison | Notes |
| ———————— | ——————————————————— | ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| age | [Insert Age] | [Update this with Axel Sola’s current age. Ensure accuracy.] |
| Height | [Insert Height] | [Update this with Axel sola’s Height. Ensure accuracy.] |
| Weight Class | [insert Weight Class] | [Update this with axel Sola’s weight class. Consider referencing his current weight and category he fights in.] |
| Record (Pre-UFC) | 10-0-1 | European Amateur Champion; Ex-ARES Champion |
| Strengths | [Insert Identified Strengths] | [Based on interview quotes and known fighting style, highlight 2-3 of his key strengths. E.g., Intellectual approach, technical prowess, power] |
| Notable Opponents (Amateur/ARES) | [Insert Notable Opponents] | [List any past opponents who were notably challenging or are well-known fighters.] |
| Training Camp | Boxing Squad | Key element in his planning strategy. |
| Preparation Time for UFC Debut | Short | Faced a race against time when told of his upcoming UFC debut. |
Note: All fighter information must be reconfirmed for accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This SEO-friendly FAQ section aims to answer the most common questions regarding Axel Sola and his entry into the UFC, enhancing search visibility and reader engagement.
Q: Who is Axel Sola?
A: Axel Sola is a rising French MMA fighter.He has transitioned to the UFC after a complete ( [[1]]) and successful amateur and ARES championship career. He is known for his intellectual approach to the sport and analytical perspective.
Q: When did Axel Sola sign with the UFC?
A: He signed his contract just days before being added to the UFC Paris card. This indicates the meaning of the moment: complete entry into the big leagues ([[2]]).
Q: What are Axel Sola’s strengths?
A: Based on his approach, he emphasizes careful planning, strategic assessment, and meticulous execution as key elements to find a place in the largest league in this sport.
Q: What prompted Axel Sola to choose MMA?
A: He wanted a discipline where success or failure depended solely on his work. His love for combat sports and the opportunities they presented led him to transition from karate/hockey to MMA.
Q: How does Axel Sola’s educational background contribute to his fighting?
A: His Master’s in STAPS helps him think about performance, physical development, and scientific insights applied to sports, enabling a better approach to fighting.
Q: What does Axel Sola do to mentally prepare?
A: He reads books and listens to music and needs to have a cognitive stimulation that comes out of the fight.
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