Firas Zahabi’s vision of MMA’s future is not a distant possibility—it’s already unfolding. Fighters like Ilia Topuria are living proof that the sport is changing before our eyes
Young, well-rounded, physically dominant, and technically sound athletes are emerging faster than ever, threatening to rewrite the timeline for greatness.
In this new era, there’s little room for one-trick ponies or late bloomers. The next champions are already in the gym—learning, evolving, and preparing to take over. And if Zahabi is right, we’re only seeing the beginning of MMA’s most exciting chapter yet.
Firas Zahabi’s analysis offers a refreshing reminder that fighting is as much mental as it is physical. Magomed Ankalaev didn’t just beat Alex Pereira with strikes or takedowns.
He beat him by planting doubt, disrupting rhythm, and staying one step ahead in the mental chess match that is elite-level MMA.
While Pereira will surely bounce back and learn from the experience, this fight may be remembered not for explosive moments, but for the quiet brilliance of a fighter who understood that sometimes the greatest knockout is the one that happens in your opponent’s mind.
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Firas Zahabi: From Specialists to Complete Fighters
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has seen a dramatic transformation since its early days, shifting from a battleground of style versus style to a modern arena where versatility reigns supreme.1
Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi, known for mentoring elite fighters like Georges St-Pierre, believes we’re now entering a new era—one defined by young, complete athletes who grow up training all aspects of MMA from an early age.
Appearing on a podcast hosted by former UFC fighter Jake Shields, Zahabi shared his insights on the future of MMA.
He believes the sport is becoming a “young man’s game,” where physical readiness, technical depth, and mental acuity are merging at younger ages than ever before.
Just posted a photo https://t.co/O7m8ETXc8L
— Firas Zahabi (@Firas_Zahabi) September 12, 2022
From One-Dimensional to Well-Rounded
In the early days of the UFC, fighters were often specialists—grapplers like Royce Gracie or strikers like Maurice Smith.
These athletes had to learn on the job, adapting their core disciplines to survive in a multidimensional combat sport.
But today, that’s changed.
“I think, you know, everybody is well-rounded now,” Zahabi said during the interview. “There’s less guys who are just specialized in one thing. And the kids are just getting better at a young age.”
New fighters don’t just dabble in different martial arts—they master them in tandem. Training environments have evolved, offering integrated curriculums where wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, and kickboxing are all taught under one roof.
This holistic approach is giving rise to fighters who enter the professional ranks with deep experience and little to no glaring weaknesses.
Firas Zahabi: Youth Movement
The Next Generation Is Here
Zahabi emphasized that modern MMA prospects are walking into gyms with an understanding of complex fighting systems already intact.2
Unlike fighters of the past who had to unlearn and re-learn, today’s young athletes are molded from scratch in MMA-centric environments.
“They come in, they’re really, really good. They already understand the grappling dynamics, the jiu-jitsu, the boxing. They’re easier to teach,” Zahabi explained.
Youth isn’t just an asset in terms of physical ability—it’s a developmental advantage. These fighters absorb techniques faster, adapt to high-level coaching more efficiently, and recover more quickly from intense training.
Combined with exposure to years of high-quality fight footage and technical breakdowns available online, the new generation is learning from the mistakes and successes of those who came before them.
The Prototype of the Future
For Zahabi, the best example of this new breed is Ilia Topuria, the undefeated UFC featherweight champion. At just 27 years old, Topuria is already considered one of the most complete fighters in the sport.
“Look at Topuria,” Zahabi said. “He’s such a great striker. He’s also a great wrestler. He’s also really good on the ground, impressive. He’s also in great physical shape. He’s also super young. Like, it’s like, wow, man. He went literally undefeated all the way to the world title.”
Topuria’s seamless rise through the ranks reflects the increasing importance of being “fight-ready” from day one.
His technical striking, coupled with high-level grappling and exceptional conditioning, makes him a nightmare matchup for any opponent. Unlike many champions of past eras who stumbled early and had to evolve, Topuria arrived on the scene already polished and dangerous.
Why Physical Conditioning Is Now Non-Negotiable
Another key point Zahabi touched on is the physical shape of today’s fighters. With better access to sports science, nutrition, and recovery methods, younger athletes are entering the fight game with professional-grade physiques and conditioning levels.
“They’re in really good shape,” Zahabi said. “And they watch the generations before them.”
Watching past fighters burn out or struggle due to poor conditioning, modern athletes are taking their fitness seriously. Many now train like Olympic athletes, incorporating strength and conditioning programs, mobility training, and performance tracking into their daily routines.
This emphasis on physical health isn’t just about aesthetics—it directly influences fight IQ, stamina, injury prevention, and overall career longevity.
The Rise of MMA Academies Over Traditional Dojos
Part of this evolution can be attributed to the rise of specialized MMA academies.
Where once fighters would jump from boxing gyms to wrestling clubs and BJJ schools, today’s prospects are raised in unified systems like Tristar, American Top Team, or City Kickboxing. These gyms are designed for MMA from the ground up.
This centralized training model allows coaches to create fully integrated game plans. It fosters consistency in technique and philosophy, helping young fighters develop seamless transitions between disciplines—one of the hallmarks of elite MMA today.
Fighters like Topuria are products of this shift, having trained in multiple disciplines from a young age within a singular, cohesive structure.
Firas Zahabi: Past Generations Laid the Blueprint
Zahabi was quick to acknowledge that today’s success stories wouldn’t be possible without the sacrifices and trial-and-error of past MMA generations.3
Legends like Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Jon Jones had to figure it out as they went, mixing styles often without prior examples to guide them.
“The kids today are learning from the generations before them,” Zahabi said. “They watched what worked and what didn’t.”
This generational progression mirrors what we’ve seen in other sports. Just as basketball evolved from set shots to three-point-heavy, fast-paced gameplay, MMA is transitioning from style clashes to complete, hybrid athletes.
Fighters now stand on the shoulders of those who paved the way—learning, adapting, and refining the craft faster than ever before.
What the Future Holds: Even Younger Champions?
If the trend continues, we may soon see champions emerge in their early 20s. As young prospects accumulate amateur experience, professional polish, and high-level training from their teens, they may reach title contention much faster than previous generations.
We’re already seeing glimpses of this. Fighters like Raul Rosas Jr. entered the UFC as teenagers, and while still developing, represent the direction MMA is heading. The sport may not just be a “young man’s game,” as Zahabi said—it may become a teen prodigy’s stage.
As these athletes combine youth, athleticism, and deep technical knowledge, the future of MMA promises to be faster, smarter, and more competitive than ever.
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Firas Zahabi Breaks Down Ankalaev’s Masterclass Over Pereira
At UFC 313, the light heavyweight division witnessed a significant shake-up as Magomed Ankalaev handed Alex Pereira his first loss in the division, claiming the championship via unanimous decision.
While many fans expected a fiery clash dominated by striking exchanges, what unfolded was a tactical battle — one that MMA coach Firas Zahabi believes Ankalaev won not just physically, but mentally.
In a detailed breakdown on his YouTube channel, Zahabi — head coach of Tristar Gym and one of the sport’s most respected minds — argued that Ankalaev’s biggest weapon wasn’t his fists or wrestling.
It was his ability to control Pereira’s mind and rhythm, leaving the former champion second-guessing every move.
The Importance of a Mental Edge in MMA
Before diving into the specifics of the fight, it’s worth emphasizing the role that psychology plays in mixed martial arts.
While physical preparation and skill development are crucial, what often separates champions from contenders is their ability to stay composed under pressure and make split-second decisions with clarity.
Zahabi, who has coached elite fighters like Georges St-Pierre, constantly highlights the “mental game” as the X-factor. Against someone like Pereira — a former kickboxing world champion known for his brutal knockout power — maintaining mental fortitude becomes even more vital.
“Pereira is incredibly dangerous,” Zahabi said. “But when you throw him off rhythm, when you make him second-guess himself, you start to dismantle the puzzle.”
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The Turning Point: A Stun in Round One
- According to Zahabi, the mental shift in Pereira’s approach began as early as Round 1. Ankalaev landed a clean strike that visibly stunned the Brazilian, setting the tone for the rest of the bout.
- “Pereira was hesitant. After Round 1, he was hesitant,” Zahabi explained. “He got stunned in Round 1 and ever since, he wasn’t the same.”
- That one moment, Zahabi believes, created a chain reaction in Pereira’s decision-making process.
- The immediate consequence was that Pereira stopped throwing combinations with his usual aggression, clearly worried about leaving himself open to counters or takedowns.
- In a fight where both men had the potential to finish the other, the psychological impact of one big shot can tilt the balance — and Zahabi believes that’s exactly what happened.
The Takedown Threat: Invisible Yet Powerful
Ankalaev is known for his grappling prowess, even if he often chooses to strike. Against Pereira, he didn’t need to complete takedowns — the threat of them was enough to alter Pereira’s rhythm.
Zahabi explained that this looming danger had Pereira caught in a trap of overthinking:
“He was worried about the takedown. He didn’t want to get taken down. It was on his mind when he got stunned. Now he’s worried about the striking and the takedowns. It was too much.”
This phenomenon, sometimes called “paralysis by analysis,” can be devastating in a high-speed sport like MMA.
When a fighter begins hesitating, trying to anticipate too much at once, their performance becomes choppy and reactive rather than instinctive and fluid.
Firas Zahabi: Unpredictability as a Strategy
Zahabi praised Ankalaev’s unpredictability as another key element that contributed to Pereira’s mental unraveling. While Pereira has a well-documented and refined striking arsenal, Ankalaev mixed up his attack patterns, blending feints, level changes, and varied strikes to keep Pereira guessing.
“He was trying to predict what Ankalaev was going to do,” Zahabi said. “Ankalaev was more unpredictable than Pereira.”
This ability to break rhythm and confuse opponents is a hallmark of great fight IQ. Ankalaev didn’t just react to Pereira — he manipulated the tempo and dictated the engagements on his own terms.
How Pereira’s Game Plan Fell Apart
Coming into the fight, Pereira’s strategy likely revolved around maintaining range, landing punishing leg kicks, and setting up his deadly left hook.
But after being stunned and with the constant threat of takedowns on his mind, Pereira’s offensive output became sporadic.
He threw fewer kicks, hesitant perhaps due to the risk of being taken down. He didn’t press forward with the same confidence seen in his previous bouts. And most importantly, he rarely got Ankalaev to backpedal or feel threatened.
Zahabi noted that this wasn’t simply a matter of Pereira being “off” — it was the result of Ankalaev’s layered game plan and mental warfare.
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