Firas Zahabi

{{Infobox martial artist

| name = Firas Zahabi

| image = Firas Zahabi.png

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| caption = Zahabi in 2021

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|2|5|df=y}}{{cite web |title=Firas Zahabi {{!}} BJJ Heroes |url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/firas-zahabi}}

| birth_place = Quebec, Canada

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| team = Tristar Gym

| rank = Black belt in BJJ under John Danaher

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| occupation = Owner and head trainer of Tristar Gym{{cite news |title=Stu Cowan: Montreal's Tristar Gym becomes MMA training mecca |url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/stu-cowan-montreals-tristar-gym-becomes-mma-training-mecca |website=montrealgazette |language=en-CA}}

| university = Concordia University

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| relatives = Aiemann Zahabi

| students =Georges St-Pierre

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Firas Zahabi (born 5 February 1980) is a Canadian martial artist who is the owner and head coach at Tristar Gym. Zahabi is known for his work with mixed martial artist Georges St-Pierre.{{Cite news|last=Gordon|first=Sean|date=15 March 2013|title=Meet the philosopher king behind Georges St. Pierre's UFC success|language=en-CA|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/meet-the-philosopher-king-behind-georges-st-pierres-ufc-success/article9849169/|access-date=17 February 2022}}

Early life

Zahabi was born on 5 February 1980, in Quebec, Canada. His parents are Lebanese Immigrants.

Growing up, Zahabi and his brothers were mainly interested in American football. Zahabi was not exposed to martial arts until 1998, when he was aged 18. Zahabi became interested in martial arts after watching UFC 2 where Royce Gracie defeated all his opponents using Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).

Zahabi attended Concordia University where he graduated with a degree in philosophy with a specialization in the Ancient Greeks.{{Cite web|title=The mastermind behind the legend|url=https://www.concordia.ca/content/shared/en/news/offices/vpaer/aar/2013/07/25/the-mastermind-behind-the-legend.html|access-date=17 February 2022|website=www.concordia.ca|language=en}}

Martial arts career

In 2000, Zahabi joined Tristar Gym where he trained in BJJ and Muay Thai. After just six months, Zahabi earned a Blue Belt in BJJ and became a part time coach at the gym.{{Cite web|last=Wray|first=David|date=29 April 2021|title=Firas Zahabi - MMA Coach Biography|url=https://www.lowkickmma.com/firas-zahabi/|access-date=17 February 2022|language=en-US}}

A few years later, Zahabi met John Danaher and would frequently make trips to Renzo Gracie Academy in New York City to train with him. In 2011, Zahabi received his Black Belt in BJJ from Danaher himself.

Because Zahabi was studying at University, he was not able to compete extensively. Nonetheless, he became a Canadian Amateur Muay Thai Champion and also won a few provincial-level grappling competitions. He also fought in some amateur unregulated mixed martial arts bouts. The organization where Zahabi became champion was called Full-Contact Jiu-Jitsu .{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=Jessy|title=Exclusive Interview With GSP Trainer Firas Zahabi|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/203805-exclusive-interview-with-gsp-trainer-firas-zahabi|access-date=17 February 2022|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}

Coaching career

In 2007, Conrad Pla the owner of Tristar Gym became too busy to run the gym so he handed it over to Zahabi to run. In 2008, the gym was sold to Zahabi and he became the new owner.

Zahabi has since then trained many different fighters under Tristar Gym. His coaching style is focused on technique in a very controlled manner. Fighters will not go all-out during training sessions as he considers it not an effective way to train as recovery is considered important.{{Cite web|title=Georges St-Pierre's training secret: Firas Zahabi and the TriStar gym|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufc/georges-st-pierres-training-secret-firas-zahabi-and-the-tristar-gym|access-date=17 February 2022|website=FOX Sports|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Bullmore|first=Harry|date=28 August 2018|title=How Hard Should You Be Going At The Gym?|url=http://www.menshealth.co.uk/fitness/a759442/how-hard-should-you-be-going-at-the-gym/|access-date=17 February 2022|website=Men's Health|language=en-GB}}

Zahabi's most notable student is Georges St-Pierre.The two of them met when they were amateur fighters. After becoming champion, Zahabi decided to become a coach to St-Pierre. After UFC 69 where St-Pierre lost the UFC Welterweight title to Matt Serra, Zahabi became St-Pierre's main coach for the rest of his career.

In April 2021, Zahabi was involved in an incident involving the Montreal Police. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the police would regularly visit Tristar Gym to verify it was conforming to public health regulations. After sixteen visits in the past year, on 9 April, Zahabi refused to allow the police to come in for the third time on that day. As a result, the police waited outside the gym for hours until the issue was eventually resolved between the two parties.{{Cite web|title=Montreal gym owner tired of police visits during pandemic|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/tristar-gym-owner-and-mma-coach-tired-of-police-visits-during-pandemic|access-date=17 February 2022|website=montrealgazette|language=en-CA}}

MMA commentary and television

Zahabi and UFC hall of famer Stephan Bonnar provided the commentary for all Titan FC events broadcast by CBS Sports in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/2/14/5412634/stephan-bonnar-to-serve-as-color-analyst-for-titan-fighting|title=Stephan Bonnar to serve as color analyst for Titan Fighting Championship|publisher=MMAfighting.com|access-date=16 September 2014|last=Helwani|first=Ariel|date=14 February 2014 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Titan-Fighting-Championship-Debuts-on-CBS-Sports-Network-on-Feb-28-with-TFC-27-62053|title=Titan Fighting Championship Debuts on CBS Sports Network on Feb. 28 with TFC 27|publisher=Sherdog.com|access-date=16 September 2014|last=Whitman|first=Mike}}

Zahabi was the MMA coach on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck, of the UFC‐produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter.{{Cite web|date=7 June 2010|title=The Ultimate Fighter 12 List Of Assistant Coaches For Kos And GSP|url=https://www.mmanews.com/2010/06/the-ultimate-fighter-12-list-of-assistant-coaches-for-kos-and-gsp/|access-date=18 February 2022|website=MMA News|language=en-US}}

Personal life

= Family =

Zahabi is the older brother of UFC bantamweight fighter Aiemann Zahabi.{{Cite web |date=18 February 2017 |title=For Aiemann Zahabi, a family name brings big expectations in UFC debut |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2017/02/for-aiemann-zahabi-a-family-name-brings-big-expectations-in-ufc-debut |access-date=22 March 2023 |website=MMA Junkie |language=en-US}}

Zahabi is married to Melissa Gendron who he met during university.{{Cite web|date=9 December 2020|title=Firas Zahabi Bio, Family, Career, Wife, Net Worth, Measurements|url=https://biographicsworld.com/firas-zahabi-bio-family-career-wife-net-worth-measurements/|access-date=17 February 2022|website=Biographics World|language=en-US}} They have three children which include two sons and one daughter.

= Religion =

Zahabi is a Muslim and has talked on podcasts about Islamic philosophy and polemics.{{Cite web |date=2 November 2020 |title=Mohammed Hijab - Firas Zahabi Talks Religion, Consciousness and Meaning of Life |url=https://muslimcentral.com/mohammed-hijab-firas-zahabi-talks-religion-consciousness-and-meaning-of-life/ |access-date=24 September 2022 |website=Muslim Central |language=en-US}}

Controversy

Zahabi has been criticised for the fact that he refuses to train with women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for religious reasons.{{Cite web |last=Burne |first=Kathrine |date=5 November 2022 |title=Firas Zahabi Comes Under Fire For His Comments On Women In BJJ |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/firas-zahabi-comes-under-fire-for-his-comments-on-women-in-bjj/ |access-date=22 March 2023 |website=Jitsmagazine.com |language=en-us}}

Instructor lineage

Kano Jigoro → Tomita Tsunejiro → Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Carlos Gracie, Jr. → Renzo Gracie → John Danaher → Firas Zahabi

Notable fighters trained

Georges St-Pierre - Former UFC Middleweight Champion, Former UFC Welterweight Champion, UFC Hall of Fame{{Cite web|last=DNA|first=MMA|date=10 May 2020|title=Georges St-Pierre komt in de UFC Hall of Fame|url=https://mmadna.nl/georges-st-pierre-komt-in-de-ufc-hall-of-fame/|access-date=18 February 2022|website=MMA DNA|language=en-US}}
Robert Whittaker - Former UFC Middleweight Champion{{Cite web|last=Carlson|first=Ollie|date=3 October 2019|title=The team behind Robert Whittaker's rise to middleweight greatness|url=https://thebodylockmma.com/ufc/the-team-behind-robert-whittakers-rise-to-middleweight-greatness/|access-date=17 February 2022|website=thebodylockmma.com|language=en-US}}
Vitor Belfort - Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion{{Cite web|date=8 May 2017|title=Vitor Belfort joins Montreal's Tristar Gym ahead of final octagon bout at UFC 212|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2017/05/vitor-belfort-joins-tristar-gym-montreal-ufc-212-final-fight|access-date=17 February 2022|website=MMA Junkie|language=en-US}}
Rory MacDonald - Former Bellator Welterweight champion, Former UFC Welterweight Title Challenger
Miguel Torres - Former WEC Bantamweight Champion{{Cite web|date=4 February 2011|title=Thanks to Firas Zahabi, UFC 126's Miguel Torres ditches "guts and glory" brawling|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2011/02/thanks-to-firas-zahabi-ufc-126s-miguel-torres-ditches-guts-and-glory-brawling|access-date=17 February 2022|website=MMA Junkie|language=en-US}}
Kenny Florian - Former UFC 2-Time Lightweight and Featherweight Title Challenger{{Cite web|last=Snowden|first=Jonathan|date=10 June 2011|title=Building A Better UFC Fighter: Firas Zahabi Guides Kenny Florian Towards Featherweight Gold|url=https://www.sbnation.com/mma/2011/6/10/2216770/ufc-131-kenny-florian-firas-zahabi|access-date=17 February 2022|website=SBNation.com|language=en}}
David Loiseau - Former UFC Middleweight Title Contender
Denis Kang - 2006 Pride Welterweight Grand Prix Runner-up{{Cite web|date=13 January 2009|title=Davidson: Reinvigorated Kang ready for UFC debut|url=https://www.espn.com/extra/mma/news/story?id=3824321|access-date=17 February 2022|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}
Arnold Allen - (UFC)
Aiemann Zahabi - (UFC)
Nasrat Haqparast - (UFC)