Zarah Fairn's journey is marked by resilience, as she turned setbacks in dance and boxing into a path toward international MMA success. Guided by strong family values and perseverance, she continues to push forward while staying deeply connected to her Moroccan roots and ambitions. DR ‹ › Since an early age, Zarah Fairn has been drawn to sports, inspired by her older brother's professional basketball career and her father's deep passion for boxing. Born to a father from Ouarzazate and a mother from Salvador, in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia, she carries within her both worlds, shaped by values of resilience and dedication. Zarah has lived in France since the age of 10, where she built an early career in dance. Although she wanted to follow her father's passion for boxing, her mother preferred that she does gymnastics and dance. «I listened to my mother, I did dance and performed for quite a few well-known artists in France», Zarah told Yabiladi in a candid interview. Trained in modern jazz and hip-hop, she performed alongside major artists, including French rapper MC Solaar, singer Ophélie Winter, and pop star Matt Pokora. She also took part in musicals, including classics such as «Gone with the Wind». But the journey was not without challenges. As opportunities began to fade, she found herself getting «fewer and fewer dance contracts». «It became complicated and was a very difficult period in my life. I needed to let off steam, to release everything», she recalled. That was when boxing resurfaced. Answering the Call of Boxing Zarah decided to try a boxing class, and everything changed. «I felt something incredible. When I was hitting the bag, with a coach next to me telling me what to do, I felt supported, listened to», she said. Boxing became a turning point. She started at 14 and never looked back. With discipline and determination, she quickly made her mark. «In my first year, I became vice-champion of France after just one year of training», she recalled. She trained under Moroccan coach Saïd Ben Najem at Boxing Beat in Aubervilliers, near Paris, a club known for producing top athletes such as Sarah Ourahmoune and Lucie Bertaud. «It was the only club with so many high-level women. He's the one who got me into competition», she said. A New Fight in MMA Despite her rapid progress, challenges persisted. In boxing, she reached a point where «no one wanted to fight» her. Her final bout in the discipline ended in frustration. «I made weight and everything was ready, but the opponent and her coach refused to fight me when they saw me. They were afraid. That same evening, they replaced me with another fighter». That moment marked a decisive turning point. Drawing strength from her father's words: «When a challenge happens and I don't achieve what I set out to do, it means that other, much more important doors will open». And Zarah chose to move forward. «I told myself: Zahra don't give up, find another path. And I did, the path was MMA», she said. However, another obstacle stood in her way: MMA was not yet legal in France. «For major organizations, it didn't make sense to sign a French athlete who couldn't even fight in her own country», she explained. Determined to succeed, she moved to the United States, trained with top coaches, and fought internationally in Asia, Russia, and the U.S. One year after MMA was legalized in France, she received the long-awaited call from the UFC. «Zahra, we're going to sign you as the first French woman to join the UFC». She joined in 2019. «It's truly a story full of adventures», she said. Alongside her athletic career, Zarah pursued her education, earning a degree in political science. «It was important for me to take an interest in the development of sport and, at a political level, to introduce ideas that support the growth of women's sport». She later opened her own gym in France and is now working toward a new goal: launching a women's sports club in Morocco. «It would be a boxing and martial arts club, open to women, to give my culture and my country a place where women can come together, have a space of their own, express themselves, and release their energy», she said. A project she holds close to her heart. «Morocco is very important to me. It's my goal to return once my career is over», she added. In the meantime, Zarah continues to push forward in her career. «Now I want to fight in the PFL MENA organization, based in Saudi Arabia, the second-largest MMA organization in the world. This time, I will be representing Morocco».
