UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane isn’t worried about Francis Ngannou’s game-changing power ahead of their unification bout.
Gane earned the interim heavyweight title over Derrick Lewis earlier this year at UFC 265, in a dominant performance that led to a TKO finish. He is undefeated in his still relatively young MMA career.
Ngannou earned the heavyweight belt over Stipe Miocic by a vicious knockout at UFC 260. While Gane knows the challenges that Ngannou presents, he isn’t scared about getting hit with a big strike on the feet.
“I think Francis did a lot these last years, and he proved he improved and he’s more intelligent,” Gane said in an interview with BT Sport. “And that’s great. He’s well-rounded now. And I think it’s gonna be more like that. Because he (knows) I can manage the power. I think he knows I can manage the power.”
Ciryl Gane And Francis Ngannou Trained Together At MMA Factory
Gane and Ngannou trained together briefly at MMA Factory in France before Ngannou had an alleged falling out with management and moved stateside. Ngannou now trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, NV where he most recently trained with Glory kickboxing champ Rico Verhoeven.
Gane has picked up plenty of eye-opening wins since signing with the UFC in 2019. After winning his UFC debut over Raphael Pessoa, he’s earned wins over the likes of top contenders Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Junior dos Santos and Alexander Volkov.
Gane’s kickboxing, in particular, has impressed, as he showcased in his finish over Lewis for the interim title.
Gane vs. Ngannou is expected to be a back-and-forth war at UFC 270 and could be a perfect way for the UFC to kick-off 2022. While there appears to be some mutual respect between the two heavyweights, former teammates will become sworn enemies inside the Octagon.
What is your prediction for Ciryl Gane vs. Francis Ngannou?
