Australia’s favorite heavyweight Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa will clash with Frenchman Ciryl Gane at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris this weekend. Ahead of the clash – which will see Tuivasa attempt to earn himself a title shot with a win over the former interim champion – former UFC middleweight champ Michael Bisping had some advice for Tai Tuivasa on his Believe You Me podcast.
In particular, he referenced Ciryl Gane’s lithe, fleet-footed movement, a rarity among 265-pounders. “He’s [Gane] so light on his feet, he’s so athletic, he’s like poetry in motion.
Bisping: Tuivasa Must “Brawl” With Gane To Have Any Chance of Winning
He’s so composed and skillful on his feet. The way he moves in and out, it causes everyone a lot of problems. That’s why Francis [Ngannou] turned into a wrestler, and I don’t think anyone saw that coming.
I think for Tai, if he’s gonna get a victory, he needs to turn it into a brawl. He needs to try and back him up against the fence, but he’s gonna struggle to do that, because Ciryl is really composed. He does have a great jab. He does have long front kicks, and he’s gonna try and keep him at bay.”
Cyril Gane once looked untouchable. During his rise through the heavyweight rankings, Gane cruised through his opponents, controlling distance. A notable stoppage victory over Derrick Lewis earned him the interim title. However, Michael Bisping pointed out that, despite his prodigious stand-up gae, when the time came to face the UFC heavyweight champ, Francis Ngannou was able to dominate the Frenchman. Ngannou exposed a “chink” in Gane’s armor, says Michael Bisping, which Tai Tuivasa could exploit.
“If Francis Ngannou can take him down and hold him down and essentially win like that, that sends a message to the rest of the heavyweight division. If you’re fighting this guy, you want to wrestle him. The problem is, Tai Tuivasa isn’t really a wrestler.
He’s not the best grappler, though, to be fair. Serghei Spivac highlighted that, but we’re all a work in progress. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Tai Tuivasa’s gonna be looking for some takedowns.”
Tai Tuivasa has yet to showcase much, if any, ground game during his UFC career. Tuivasa is better known for his brutal knockout victories and traditional post-fight celebration where he drinks beer from a shoe. If he can incorporate wrestling into his game, Tuivasa will be very dangerous to Ciryl Gane indeed.
What do you think of Michael Bisping’s UFC Paris prediction? Let us know in the comments.
