May 10 marked a significant milestone for Montreal`s Aiemann Zahabi, who secured the most important victory of his professional career before a supportive home crowd.
Leading up to UFC 315, the pairing of Montreal`s Zahabi against Jose Aldo drew some criticism from fans who felt the legendary Brazilian should be competing against higher-ranked opponents.
The outcome of the fight, a controversial unanimous decision win for Zahabi after a competitive bout, amplified these discussions.
While their encounter in the Octagon at the Bell Centre this past weekend was their first official fight, it wasn`t the first instance the Canadian had dedicated time to studying and preparing for the former featherweight king.
Remarkably, 14 years prior, Zahabi was tasked with imitating Aldo as a sparring partner, helping a teammate prepare for a bout against the champion at UFC 136, a fight his teammate ultimately lost.
Kenny Florian Reacts to Aiemann Zahabi`s `Revenge` Comment on Defeating Jose Aldo
Upon the announcement of his fight against Jose Aldo, Aiemann Zahabi recalled the period 14 years earlier when he spent time specifically mimicking the featherweight champion to help a teammate prepare.
That teammate was Kenny Florian, who challenged Aldo for the 145-pound title at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, ultimately losing a five-round decision in what proved to be the final fight of Florian`s career.
Following his victory at UFC 315, Zahabi lightheartedly mentioned in his post-fight interview that he had finally avenged his former teammate`s loss.
“Kenny Florian, I got him, baby! Fourteen years later, we did it. Kenny, I got you.”
On a recent episode of The Anik & Florian Podcast, UFC commentator Jon Anik shared his reaction to hearing Zahabi`s comments for the first time.
“F*** yeah, Aiemann! Did you see that?! Was anyone gonna send me that as the president of Team Florian? I’m just seeing that for the first time. My notes here, I thought it was Firas [Zahabi]. Dude, that is f***ing amazing.”
Florian then spoke about his emotions watching his former training partner secure the victory, recalling Zahabi`s invaluable assistance during his own preparations for UFC 136.
“It’s pretty amazing. Full disclosure, I have a long history with Aiemann. So, to see him win this fight against a guy that we started preparing for 14 years ago, in Montreal, where Aiemann was one of my main sparring partners, he was acting as Aldo, I brought him to Boston for a week or two.
“He did every single workout that I did, he didn’t have to, he was just there for sparring and man, he was with me every single step of the way cuz that’s just the way he is. That’s how hard he worked in his early 20s.
“Just amazing to see him fight a living legend like Jose Aldo and to win in the manner he did was extremely inspirational. Not surprised though.”
What should be next for Aiemann Zahabi?
In the latest bantamweight rankings update following UFC 315, Aiemann Zahabi ascended four positions, reaching the #11 spot.
The Canadian fighter used his post-fight interview to call out Marlon Vera, a logical matchup, though `Chito` is currently scheduled to fight Mario Bautista next month.
While the outcome of the Vera-Bautista bout could provide a future opponent, other strong possibilities include potential matchups against fighters like Rob Font or Henry Cejudo.
Zahabi has quietly built an impressive six-fight winning streak, and despite the controversial nature of the judges` decision against Aldo, he delivered a commendable performance.
