On Saturday night, undefeated French mixed martial artist Ciryl Gane (10-0) beat Derrick Lewis (25-8, 1 NC) to claim the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. Gane’s win at UFC 265 was France’s first-ever UFC championship. Ngannou is next.
“Bon Gamin” (as he is known) put forth a world-class performance, dominating the fight–and outclassing Lewis–from start to finish. Gane displayed a powerful jab, crisp technique, and surprising strength, outmuscling Lewis in every grappling exchange. And Gane’s superior footwork and game plan kept Lewis at bay, stifling any response, before landing the TKO finish in Round 3.
The victory sets up a future title unification bout with the current heavyweight champ and the “Baddest Man on the Planet,” Francis “The Predator” Ngannou (16-3). Interesting enough, Ngannou and Gane are former training partners.
Gane vs. Ngannou is already a highly anticipated matchup. UFC President Dana White hopes to schedule the fight on a card in France. Ngannou also trains in Paris.
What should fans expect to see? For starters, Gane has the footwork and technique to outlast Ngannou. But it will be lights out if he makes even one mistake. That’s because Ngannou has devastating power, including the ability to execute a one-punch knockout.
A battle between giants is coming! Who will reign supreme? The answer will be known soon.
