Undefeated heavyweight prospect Slim Trabelsi was originally scheduled to make his Octagon debut at UFC 280 on October 22nd against Parker Porter.
Training alongside UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and former interim champion Ciryl Gane at the MMA Factory Paris, the Ares FC heavyweight champion was set to make his promotional debut in Abu Dhabi later this month, but it was reported that Slim Trabelsi had not been released from his previous contract. Since then, Slim Trabelsi’s manager Fernand Lopez has spoken out on the situation including threatening messages he received from famed MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz.
In an interview with BJPenn.com, Lopez decided to clear the air on the entire ugly situation between himself, Slim Trabelsi, and Abdelaziz, going back to the very beginning.
“Well, everything started four years ago. He became the French National champ and went from his second gym and shows up to my gym,” Lopez said. “He says he has been struggling as the other gyms are just using him for wrestling and they don’t help him with MMA as he wants to start a career in MMA. That’s how we start and I told him he didn’t need to pay me because he didn’t have money and I’ll take care of him. He then signed a management deal with us and we will go from there. So, after he started training, he was very talented in wrestling but needed help with striking.”
After years of development and getting a few fights under his belt, Lopez reached out to UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard. At that point, the UFC passed, asking Slim Trabelsi to get more experience inside the cage. Frustrated, Slim Trabelsi asked for his release from Lopez. His release was granted, but it wasn’t long before Trabelsi returned and the two signed a new agreement.
“We signed a contract on May 14, 2022. We started to work together and very quickly I had a fight for him and he did great and then I had a second fight for him,” Lopez said about the contract. “The UFC was then coming to Paris on September 10 and I told Mick when you come to Paris, I want you to attend the show to meet Slim.”
Here is Slim Trabelsi training with Gane and Ngannou. This was early in his transition to MMA.
Some power. Machin.pic.twitter.com/RyBsTJms7l
— Alan Murphy
(@AlanMurphyMMA) September 12, 2022
(@AlanMurphyMMA)
Slim Trabelsi Tells the UFC That Ali Abdelaziz Is His Manager Despite Contract With Fernand Lopez and Ares FC
Little did Fernand Lopez know, Slim Trabelsi had associated himself with Abdelaziz, a manager in the industry who holds the distinction of managing some of the biggest world champions in recent history including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Henry Cejudo, and Kamaru Usman. Abdelaziz also manages PFL star, Kayla Harrison.
“I attended the show and Mick asked me who my guy is? I told him Slim. He started to laugh and I said what’s wrong? He said he had Ali on the phone and he said he has this guy and I should sign him and I said no way, I have been working with this guy for four years and I just re-signed him four months ago and everything is going smooth. He was training in my gym, I’m the one who manages him and there is no chance he has another contract. Mick said Ali said this was his guy. I told Mick I will forward you the contract and you will find out very soon who has the rights and ask Ali to give you his contract.
“After that, I didn’t hear from Mick and I was talking to Mick about my other guys in the UFC and I saw on Twitter, Brett Okamoto reported that Slim would be fighting at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. I was like f*ck this is serious sh*t. I went back to Mick and he’s saying Slim listed Ali as his manager. I told Mick no, and he said I needed to talk to Slim. I said I’m not going to talk to Slim because as the Ares president before any guy moves from Ares he needs a release.”
As a result of the conflict, the UFC released Slim Trabelsi from his newly signed contract.
“Slim decided to just screw me and just never talked to me. I kept writing him after he won the belt, he didn’t answer me,” Lopez continued. “Mick is telling me I need to talk to Slim and Slim e-mailed Mick and told him my manager is Ali Abdelaziz which is not possible because I have the contract. Usually, when this happens the UFC won’t allow it and will go to the manager with the contract. At this point, Mick was very disappointed he called Ali and asked for the contract, Ali didn’t have one, he called me I sent him the contract and from there he told me he was releasing Slim Trabelsi.”
Fernand Lopez Says Ali Abdelaziz Made Threats Over Slim Trabelsi Situation
Unhappy with losing his latest meal ticket, Ali Abdelaziz reached out to Lopez and reportedly lobbed threats, demanding that Lopez release Slim Trabelsi from their contract.
“When Ali found out this was complicated that is the first time he called me. Hey Lopez can we talk let’s do this as gentlemen, why aren’t you letting the kid go? Let him go fight, I said what the f*ck are you talking about? He was telling me this was a good kid and don’t ruin this kid’s dream,” Lopez said. “Like what the f*ck are you talking about, I let this guy live in the gym, didn’t make him pay anything, gave him food. Ali was taking the best fighter I have, that I trained, promoted, and then he tried to take him right as he was about to get into the UFC. He doesn’t have any heavyweight prospects he can push which is why he wanted Slim. He then told me he will use every penny he has to hurt me.
“He then told me if I didn’t release him, I would hurt you… He then asked what I want to release him and I said two things, but one thing is priceless,” Fernand Lopez continued. “I want to send a message out there that anyone in my management that tries to screw me and not respect the contract won’t be tolerated anymore. I’ve lost too many fighters. The second thing is I wanted compensation and the compensation I thought was very fair is $90,000 over someone who would make millions over Slim’s entire career.
“Slim is someone I am pretty sure will become a champ in two or three years. After Ali didn’t agree to the $90,000 he then told me this is war and I’m from the streets and he will show me what that means,” Lopez continued. “We are now going to the court and I will prove to the court that I was right. I have also had other managers reach out to me and tell me not to let this fight go because Ali steals their fighters too. No one has the courage to speak up, I’m not scared so I stood up.”
Fernand Lopez provided screenshots of the text exchange and a video recording of his conversation with Abdelaziz which can be viewed and heard here.
According to Lopez, Slim Trabelsi has two fights left on his contract with Ares FC before he can pursue other avenues.