For Morgan Charriere, Competing at UFC Paris Feels 'Like a Movie'

Fighting in France for the first time in a while holds a deep significance for Morgan Charriere, encapsulating a journey that stretches beyond the Octagon.

Returning to France as an Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete symbolizes the triumph of resilience for Charriere (18-9-1). The roaring anticipation of the Parisian crowd, a chorus of familiar cheers mixed with newfound admiration, fuels the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder's spirit. The French supporters, who have witnessed the evolution of “The Last Pirate” from afar, now have the chance to see his prowess live as he takes on Italy’s Manolo Zecchini at UFC Fight Night 226, also known as “UFC Paris,” on Sept. 2. In what will be Charriere’s first contest in France since 2017, the atmosphere that echoes his journey's chapters promises to be electrifying.

“It's like a perfect story, you know? It's like a movie story because I fought in France in my early stage in MMA, so I was really young. Then, MMA was not legal when I was fighting in France. I've spent most of my career in other countries fighting guys outside of my country. I became popular like this, not by fighting in France, but by fighting outside of the country. There's a lot of people who follow me who have never seen me fighting. When I come back, I come back with the biggest organization in the world in one of the biggest stadiums in France. In Paris, the Accor Arena is a really popular stadium, and people like it. I come back in this one, the show is sold out, and everyone is buzzing that I got my UFC call. I'm really happy. It really feels like the hard work has paid off. I know the supporters will be there for my UFC debut because they know the road was tough to get here. That's a beautiful story.”

(00:00) Intro
(00:35) His last days of training camp
(01:16) Defeating Silva
(02:22) Receiving the call to compete in the UFC
(04:18) Competing in France for the first time in a while
(06:18) Commenting on Zecchini
(07:30) Whether he feels the France vs. Italy rivalry
(08:37) Outro