Ciryl Gane’s ascent through the UFC heavyweight rankings is, as the man himself admits, like something out of a video game. Six years ago he was selling furniture in Paris. This month, he will fight former teammate Francis Ngannou for the UFC heavyweight title. On The MMA Hour, he told Ariel Helwani that Ngannou is, in many ways, the “final boss” in his story.
“It’s different, but not because it’s Francis, but because he’s the champion right now. And the champion is a really great fighter, who has a lot of strength, and this is the final boss to my video game.
Gane: Ngannou “is the final boss to my video game”
But like every time, if I make a mistake, it’s going to be OK. If I lose, I’m really OK with that. Like every fight in my career went like that. But at this time, yes, I want to do the last step. That’s why it’s a little bit different.”
Gane had previously spoken out about what he saw as disrespectful behavior from Ngannou backstage at UFC 268. Gane, although he wants no part of the ongoing feud between Ngannou and MMA Factory head coach Fernand Lopez (under whom Gane trains), felt it necessary to speak up on behalf of his teammate Nassourdine Imavov. Imavov had, at one point, been a regular sparring partner for Ngannou, and Ngannou’s snub got under Gane’s skin.
“This is wrong. For me, it was wrong. That’s it. For me, I don’t know, it was just for Fernand Lopez. But it was a little bit [of] shame, because you have your future opponent, you have your former sparring partner, [and] also Nassourdine Imamov.
Nassourdine Imamov did a lot of sparring for Francis Ngannou, maybe the biggest sparring he had in his career. So that’s why we were a little bit ashamed. He just won his fight in Madison Square Garden. That why it was a little bit shame, that’s why it was a little bit wrong for me.”
Ciryl Gane will have the opportunity to right this wrong when he faces Francis Ngannou in the Octagon at UFC 270. Gane currently holds the UFC interim heavyweight championship, while Ngannou earned the heavyweight title in early 2021.
Cyril Gane’s highly technical kickboxing will be pitted against Francis Ngannou’s lethal punching power, and whichever way this fight goes will likely determine how the next generation of MMA heavyweights chooses to fight.
Do you want to see Ciryl Gane crowned undisputed heavyweight champ, or will Francis Ngannou unify the division? Let us know in the comments.
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