Initially a Thai boxing fighter, Yanis Ghemmouri is a Franco-Algerian who converted to MMA. With success since his record of twelve victories for a defeat recently allowed him to enter the UFC, the most prestigious of the world organizations of MMA. The icing on the cake, his first appearance in the American League cage will be at UFC Paris on September 2, under the eyes of a packed Bercy.
4 mins
RFI: How do you approach the event, the fight week, the media coverage of the UFC?
Yanis Ghemmouri : The luck that I have is that I have already gone to UFC fight weeks several times with Farès Ziam (another Franco-Algerian UFC fighter with whom he trains in Lyon, editor’s note ), I have already experienced it. I know what to expect. The only difference is that I will have to make the weight and the interviews will be for me this time!
The UFC is an end or a stage?
It’s the beginning. Entering the UFC is complicated, but in the path of a career, it is not the most complicated. It’s like my career is starting over. I have to perform in the UFC, stay there, work my way up to the top 15, stay there, aim for the top 5, top 3, the belt. There are many steps if you have ambition.
There was a before / after signing to the UFC?
There are a lot of media who have contacted me on social networks. But I have to be careful not to lose too much energy, to do several interviews a week, to stay focused on my weight loss and my fight. On Instagram, subscribers have also gone up, it takes you to another dimension.
The Franco-Algerian Yanis Ghemmouri signs with the UFC and will be present on the card of the#UFCParis September 2nd ! 🇫🇷🇩🇿
A longtime friend and training partner of Fares Ziam, the Lyonnais holds a career record of 12-1-0.
[via bulgarian top team] pic.twitter.com/CjY2AtFXso
— La Sueur (@LaSueur_off) July 20, 2023
As a fighter, you enter the cage under the colors of France, but will you take out the Algerian flag as usual ?
The UFC will make me represent France, as it is in Paris. If I represent France, at the UFC, I will not have the right to take out an Algerian flag, unfortunately.
For you, is it important to represent both countries?
Yes frankly, it is important! I even have my little thing, I don’t take out the flag before going into the cage, because I tell myself that if I lose, I will have failed in my mission. If you look at my fights, I only take it out once I’ve won, done honor.
If I could have been a footballer, I would have been a footballer, but I didn’t have the qualities.
You haven’t fought in France since 2020, does it feel good to fight at home again?
I know that I won’t have to catch planes, I will have the public with me… there are only advantages, it’s great fun. It’s going to be good !
Fighting in Algeria one day, would you like it?
I would very much like. A UFC Algiers in a few years would be a dream. MMA is developing there, during my last fights at BRAVE (an international MMA organization based in Bahrain), I met Algerian fighters. Now, we follow each other on the networks and I see that there are rooms that are developing, there is starting to be a craze. You should take advantage.
In the absence of Farès Ziam, you will be the representative of Lyon!
I wish he was there with me on the fight map. It was a dream to fight on the same UFC card as him. But the Franco-Algerian community will be behind me as it was behind him. And then Farès will be in my corner for the fight.
Why the nickname “Desert Warrior”?
The nickname of the Algerian players when they won the CAN in 2019 was the “Warriors of the desert”. SO Desert Warrior, in English. And since I’m Algerian and MMA sounds more warlike than football, it made sense.
Are you a football fan?
I’m a big football fan! I like it too much! If I could have been a footballer, I would have been a footballer, but I didn’t have the qualities (laughs). I’m not bad…but here goes. I love this sport too much. I’m a fan of Real Madrid and OL, because I’m from Lyon, even if it’s been really difficult for a few years, they no longer deserve my nervous breakdowns (laughs).