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MMA: Ares, the young French league that is rising (very) quickly

2022-04-15T16:18:33.128Z


This Saturday, the Dôme de Paris will host Ares 5, the third event in three months of the young French MMA league created by Fernand Lopez, the coach of Ciryl Gane.


This Saturday, the entire French MMA scene will meet in Paris.

Not yet for a UFC event but a new Ares party.

For the fifth time since its creation in 2019, the French league is organizing its big rout this Saturday, Ares 5, a little over a month after Ares 4, which already succeeded Ares 3 a month earlier, a sign of development fast.

"

I think it will continue to climb at full speed, even if the development is not as fast as we hoped

", however assures its creator and president Fernand Lopez.

Known as the successful trainer of Francis Ngannou and then especially Ciryl Gane, the former professional boxer added the creation of the young French league to his impressive pedigree in the world of mixed martial arts.

Read alsoMMA, ARES: Damien Lapilus wins against Brazilian Kruschewsky in Paris

Legalized in France since January 2020 by the competition of Roxana Maracineanu, MMA is growing quickly and Fernand Lopez has understood this well.

If he is now a figurehead, the interested party does not fail to thank the one who has made possible the progress of this discipline which has long remained confidential both in theaters and on screens in the territory.

Booed during her appearance in early February at Ares 3, the Minister Delegate for Sports was defended by the boss of the French league on social networks: "

In the name of mine and the MMA community, I say thank you to this woman

."

Stepping stone to the UFC

Fine politician and perfectly organized manager, the one who also incubates the "MMA Factory" talent pool aspires to grow the Ares Fighting Championship, which awarded its first belts in December 2020 in Dakar (Senegal), before landing in France. .

First at the Palais des Sports Marcel-Cerdan in Levallois-Perret last year then at the Dôme de Paris for the 2022 financial year. Before investing in a future enclosure that came out of the ground in 2023, to which Lopez and Ares contributed financially .

Another sign of the health of the French organization.

"

No one in the territory has an organization like ours

", welcomes Fernand Lopez, met in early April at the MMA Factory, near Rungis.

There, he welcomes and organizes dozens of fighters from all walks of life, as well as a certain Ciryl Gane.

Beaten at the end of January by Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight belt in the UFC, the Frenchman remains the locomotive of French MMA and brings a valuable contribution, both media and financial, to Ares.

Read alsoMMA: Ciryl Gane bows against Francis Ngannou in the clash of the titans of the UFC

And the new tenants of the MMA Factory hope to follow suit in the much more prestigious North American league.

Like the Argentinian Laureano Staropoli (9 career wins, 5 losses), relegated from the UFC.

To better go back?

Fernand made me understand that fighting at Ares was a good option to then return to the UFC

, confides the interested party, who will make his league debut this Saturday against Briton Carl Booth on the main card (from 9 p.m. ).

I think I need three fights in Ares to come back to the UFC because there are very good fighters in Ares.

»

Ares 5's "Fight Card", with Frenchman Damien Lapilus (bantamweight) headlining.

Ares

Hunt on Bellator lands

"

A lot of fighters left Ares to go to the UFC, we are starting to have a good reputation

", welcomes the successful trainer.

"

Ares is the mini UFC, everything is well organized there like in the United States, I think the league has a great future

", predicts Shakbulat Abuev (2 wins-1 loss), beaten at Ares 3, where he defended the colors of Chechnya.

Before wearing them one day in America, "

in two or three years

", or even in France, where Dana White, the charismatic boss of the UFC, repeats his desire to organize an event.

Read alsoMMA: Dana White “absolutely” wants a UFC event in France in 2022

Some athletes even turned down the UFC saying they were paid well in Ares

Fernand Lopez, president of Ares

Eldorado a dream time, the UFC does not however remain an end in itself.

Not even financially.

The Ares athletes are satisfied with the financial conditions, some have even refused the UFC saying that they are well paid

”, assures Fernand Lopez, who remains discreet about the scholarships allocated to his fighters.

On the other hand, he wants to "

salary half of (his) fighters by the end of the year, so that they can have pensions

".

More than 70 now fill the ranks of this young organization.

Still far from the overpowered UFC and Bellator, the other North American league, which confiscates to this day the role of antechamber of the UFC.

We stay below Bellator, they have been there for a very long time and have the CBS machine to watch over them

, agrees Fernand Lopez.

But we aspire to go much higher, we are already not far in terms of quality.

Proof that know-how is not limited to one side of the Atlantic.

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2022-04-15

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