With UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou stuck in purgatory, the promotion will ask top-ranked contenders Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane to battle for the substitute strap at the upcoming UFC 265 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Sat., Aug. 7, 2021, inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Check out their “Countdown” video embedded above.
The hard-hitting Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) is the winner of four straight, including last February’s destruction of fellow contender Curtis Blaydes. As for Gane (9-0), he’s fresh off his unanimous decision victory over Top 10 heavyweight Alexander Volkov, his sixth straight win under the UFC banner.
The winner is expected to unify the titles against “The Predator” at the end of the year.
UFC 265 was originally co-headlined by the women’s bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena; however, “Lioness” was felled by coronavirus and forced to withdraw. Expect to see that 135-pound showdown rebooked in the very near future.
To see who else is fighting at UFC 265 click here.