We’ve had Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Patrick Vieira, but France may have found its new star footballer in the form of UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane.
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an over-exaggeration, but he’s not half-bad.
The match in question went down last week inside the Groupama Stadium in Lyon, France. The game, which was organized by UNICEF, was held in order to raise funds for the Ukrainian children affected by their country’s war with Russia. Thanks to the efforts of Gane and other notable names, €480,000 ($505,250) was raised.
As well as aiding a good cause, Gane, the current #1-ranked UFC heavyweight contender, was able to show his talents with the ball at his feet. Given his speed and agility in the cage, it’s perhaps no surprise that he was running rings around the opposition in midfield.
Check out one of Gane’s successful dribbles in the video below:
Representing Team UNICEF, Gane and his teammates faced off against the Lyon Legends in front of a 23,000-strong crowd. The former interim UFC champion ended up on the losing side after the game ended with a 1-0 scoreline.
As well as his dribbling skills, “Bon Gamin” also displayed the kind of elusiveness that caused Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou trouble on the feet inside the Octagon…
Gane had him flying
(via @ciryl_gane) pic.twitter.com/V0KzuStiBE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 13, 2022
Gane is expected to return to his favored sporting environment later this year when he looks to rebound from his unification title fight defeat to Ngannou. “Bon Gamin” is reportedly being lined up to headline the UFC’s French debut, slated for Paris on September 3.
If plans come to fruition, Gane will be looking to neutralize another heavyweight powerhouse when he next steps inside the Octagon, this time in the form of rising contender Tai Tuivasa.
He’ll be needing his famed footwork to evade the Australian’s brutal punches, so perhaps some time with the ball at his feet will play to his advantage come fight night…
What do you make of Ciryl Gane’s footballing abilities?
Continue Reading Watch: Ciryl Gane Shows Multi-Sport Talent In Charity Football Match at MMA News.