Will the real heavyweight contender please stand up?
No, seriously, stand up and strike because Alexander Volkov does not want Ciryl Gane to wrestle when they go to war for a spot in the 265-pound title chase atop the UFC Vegas 30 MMA event this Sat. night (June 26, 2021) inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“This fight, I think it will be one of the best this year because it’s two big, really high-level striking fighters, and it’s going to be a really interesting fight,” Volkov told MMA Junkie. “I’m more excited with it because I look at him, he’s a really good striker, and one time I feel like I (will) meet him anyway. I think it’s a good time for both of us. I want to fight with anybody who uses their striking skills, but not their wrestling or something. That’s why it’s a good fight for me. I hope he will not go to wrestling after some punches hit him, and we will continue this fight in the standup.”
Volkov is probably still sour that Curtis Blaydes took him down 14 times across their three-round affair at UFC on ESPN 11 back in June 2020, which marked the last time “Drago” has been defeated. Since then, the former Bellator champ is 2-0, both by way of knockout.
Sounds like Gane is up for the challenge.
“This is a big opportunity, because for me, I think it’s the biggest challenge I have of my career,” Gane told MMA Junkie. “Volkov, for me, is one of the best of the division. (The) more the challenge is big, the more I’m excited about that. Because I’m new to MMA. I want to prove because I really don’t know myself. I want a challenge, and maybe this fight is going to prove a new version of myself, and maybe I’m going to show something new.”
Gane has already shown a few things not typically found at heavyweight, like a heel hook submission. “Bon Gamin” is a perfect 8-0 in his pro MMA career with wins over Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Junior dos Santos, just to name a few. But he’s now facing an elite striker in his prime who is likely to provide his toughest test to date.
We’ll find out if Gane passes (or fails) on Saturday night.
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