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It wasn’t that long ago that Ciryl Gane was the very obvious future of the Heavyweight division.
Back in 2021, a 31-year-old Gane went on a three-fight win streak over established top Heavyweights, including his UFC 310 opponent Alexander Volkov. Not only did the French up-and-comer win, he was absolutely dominating. He 50-45’d Volkov and Jairzinho Rozenstruik then brutally outclassed Derrick Lewis, and it was clear that future had arrived. Gane was the clear heir apparent to then-champion Francis Ngannou as well as the greatest threat to his title reign.
Since then, Gane has come up short opposite Ngannou and Jon Jones, a pair of fully understandable losses. What’s more concerning than the results on paper is that Gane has been stagnating on a technical level. Debatably, he’s getting worse, and a Volkov rematch three years later proved a perfect demonstration of his slide from grace.
Really, Volkov is an excellent foil for Gane, a fellow rangy kickboxer with roughly a fifth of the physical talent. “Drago” will never be as fast nor as powerful as “Bon Gamin.” Gane styled on him in just his ninth professional fight, whereas Volkov was over 40 bouts into his pro MMA career.
That’s the type of loss that shuts down dreams. How is an older fighter with more experience supposed to get better faster than his younger peer? It goes against all common sense, and the exceptions (like Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold) are memorable for their rarity.
In this case, it’s clear that Volkov has embraced the grind over the last three years and chased small improvements. His progression has been evident in his recent win streak, like the clinical win over former training partner and feared puncher Sergei Pavlovich. “Drago” is only getting sharper and more strategic, and he brought that intensity into this rematch.
Gane … not so much. In the first fight, his speed and counters almost immediately rendered Volkov defensive. When the Russian was more committed to pressing forward in this match up, Gane surrendered the middle and wasn’t able to dictate the exchanges. Immediately, the dynamic was different and worse for the French fighter.
On the feet, Gane feels stagnant. Most of his kick tricks remain unchanged, and his boxing is still based more in athleticism than form. He doesn’t throw in combination, but he does still have quality timing. It’s the same strategy we saw in his initial UFC win streak with perhaps a bit less confidence now that he’s been hurt on a few occasions.
As for the wrestling/grappling? Gane’s takedown defense was its usual level of decent, but his decision-making was abysmal. At some point in the fight, it appears that Gane suffered an injury, which could usually excuse some of his more lackluster moments. There’s not an injury in the book, however, that forces a fighter to repeatedly fall for guillotines, kimuras, and heel hooks in a close fight.
Gane falling back for a heel hook in the first round was a gobsmack moment. The same exact decision cost him round five — and thus the decision and thus the undisputed title — against Ngannou almost three years ago, and he does it again? For no reason and without fatigue as a factor? Good fighters don’t get heel hooked! It’s almost always a bad idea for everyone except absolute specialists to give up top position in pursuit of the leg lock, and even then it doesn’t work at the elite level.
That moment serves as baffling evidence of larger problems. I don’t know whether Gane’s focus remains an issue, or if he’s simply maximized his talents at the MMA Factory. Whatever the case, he was extremely lucky to walk away with the decision here in a fight he was massively favored, which does not bode well for his title aspirations.
Gane is still talented enough to right the ship, but something has to change.
For complete UFC 310 results and play-by-play, click HERE!