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Ciryl Gane Is Ready For His Next Great Test
Surging UFC Heavyweight Ciryl Gane Is Ready For A Challenge Against Alexander Volkov At UFC Fight Night: Gane vs Volkov
When Ciryl Gane picked up mixed martial arts three years ago, he had no idea that he would find himself climbing the UFC’s heavyweight rankings this soon. Equipped with an exceptional Muay Thai background and strong submission skills, the easy-going Frenchman has truly grown up in the UFC.
At just 3-0, “Bon Gamin” was called up to the UFC in 2019 with much to prove and plenty to learn. He responded by finishing his first two opponents by submission, one of which marked only the third time a UFC heavyweight was able to earn a victory via heel hook. He then faced a series of tough matchups in Tanner Boser and Junior Dos Santos.
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Gane passed both those tests with flying colors, defeating Boser by unanimous decision before overpowering Dos Santos. Those victories set the 31-year-old up with his first main event spot against Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Gane controlled the pace and outperformed Rozenstruik to earn a dominant unanimous decision win.
Rise Of Ciryl Gane
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Rise Of Ciryl Gane
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While he was happy with his performance, he’s looking to make a bigger splash by displaying his talents against Alexander Volkov this weekend.
“Some people say ‘Bon Gamin’ didn’t finish the fight or something like that,” Gane told UFC.com. “Sometimes the opponents are really dangerous, and one hundred percent Jairzinho likes to come to you, so you have to be careful. But every time I try to finish the fight. You should look at my other fights - I finished my first fight, my second fight and against Junior Dos Santos. I try. So, I’m going to try against Volkov.”
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Finishing Volkov isn’t an easy task. As a matter of fact, since Volkov joined the UFC in 2016 he’s only been finished by Derrick Lewis. That’s a challenge that excites Gane and motivated him during his preparation for his second UFC main event. Gane sought out training partners similar to the 6’7” build of Volkov and believes that his coaches have helped him come up with the right game plan to defeat “Drago”.
“Volkov, for me, is one of the best in the division. It’s a big test,” Gane said. “I just want to make a show. I like that, and I like when people say that ‘Bon Gamin’ looks good when he dances, when he has his footwork and things like that. I want to make a beautiful show and I want to prove something, and I want to bring a new version of myself.”
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Truthfully, with just eight professional MMA fights, each time Gane steps into the Octagon, fight fans are seeing a new version of the French phenom. The version that fans will see make the walk inside the UFC APEX this weekend knows that beating Volkov could launch him into title contention. That’s why “Bon Gamin” is coming with his “A” game.
Ciryl Gane's Undefeated Streak | UFC Fight Night: Gane vs Volkov
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Ciryl Gane's Undefeated Streak | UFC Fight Night: Gane vs Volkov
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“It’s like a semifinal. That’s why it’s a really important fight for me,” Gane said. “It’s strange because I’m a young guy and I have a young career and now I’m the headliner. It’s awesome, I’m really happy and I’m really proud.
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“This Saturday, if I win, if after that the UFC proposes to me a title shot, I will ask to do that in France. That’s a good present for all my fans, my family and my friends.”
Don’t miss the heavyweight clash between Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov, which will air live on ESPN+ at a special start time of 4pm ET / 1pm PT. Prelims begin at 1pm ET / 10am PT.
