Axel Sola is one of three high-profile debuting fighters at this Saturday’s UFC Paris (and there would have been a fourth, had Losene Keita’s weight cut not gone sideways). He’s set to face Rhys McKee on a card headlined by Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.
Axel Sola
Standing at five-foot-eleven
Fighting at 155 lbs (lightweight)
27-years-old
Fighting out of Nice, France
Training out of Boxing Squad
A pro record of 10-0-1
5 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission
The UFC landed a strong signing for the France card with former ARES FC lightweight champion Axel Sola. His road here hasn’t been easy; he’s been dropped, taken down, and had his cardio tested deep into fights, but each time he’s shown composure and found answers. That ability to respond to adversity has been a key driver of his success.
Sola is a versatile fighter, but his clearest path to victory lies on the feet. A talented southpaw striker, he makes excellent use of his lead jab and punishes opponents with rear kicks to both levels. His hand fighting and foot positioning allow him to control range, set traps, and open striking lanes. Offensively and defensively, he’s sharp, with precise straight punches, smart lateral movement, and the ability to counter when caught. He’s also effective in the clinch, landing knees and elbows from the Thai plum, while grinding out control through underhooks and head positioning.
Defensively, Sola’s wrestling stands out. He fights hands well, uses underhooks and a strong whizzer, and when taken down, he’s quick to scramble back to his feet. Offensively, he mixes in clinch takedowns and chains them together, complementing his striking with steady ground-and-pound. While his grappling isn’t as polished as his striking, he’s a solid positional fighter and well-rounded overall.
The biggest question mark is his cardio. Though he’s gone the distance multiple times and fought into deep rounds in most of his career bouts, he does slow down later. Interestingly, fatigue often makes him press harder, sometimes leaving him hittable, but also creating finishing opportunities.
All things considered, Sola is a high-level addition to the lightweight roster. His technical depth, adaptability, and grit make him a prospect who could stick around the UFC for years to come.
His fight with Rhys McKee is a big test because he is a bigger, more durable physical striker. McKee is 1-4 in the UFC, and the only guy he’s beaten was an untested Daniel Frunza. Sola is the better technical and well-rounded fighter. He has good experience, but McKee even more so. I wouldn’t be surprised if McKee was able to drop Sola and win off damage. Sola mixing in takedowns would be ideal because McKee does struggle in that area. I line this fight as a pick-em but am picking Sola because he has more ways to win
