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Bisping Encourages Ngannou To Focus On Gane Rather Than Distractions

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has encouraged reigning heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou to keep his sights set on what matters right now, upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane.

It’s probably safe to say no other heavyweight fight in…

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has encouraged reigning heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou to keep his sights set on what matters right now, upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane.

It’s probably safe to say no other heavyweight fight in UFC history has had so many different narratives at play leading into it as the UFC 270 main event. On January 22, Ngannou and interim champion Gane will collide in a blockbuster unification title fight to open the promotion’s pay-per-view account for 2022.

On the face of it, the clash pitches two former teammates, one who left his long-time coach Fernand Lopez to pursue fresh pastures and achieve success elsewhere, and one who has grown into the new face of Paris’ MMA Factory gym. With their awkward backstage encounter at UFC 268 and the words aired in interviews since, that story is providing a nice build ahead of the fight.

Next, we’ve got the stylistic story. A heavyweight behemoth with the hardest punching power on the globe comes up against the new breed of heavyweight: a fast, technical, and evasive Frenchman who has become an expert in hitting and not being hit.

But below those intriguing layers lies the real story: the heavyweight champion’s ongoing feud and contractual dispute with the promotion. The cherry on top is Ngannou’s clear intention to eventually lace the boxing gloves, something he says must be possible in any new UFC deal.

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Bisping Suggests Boxing Ambitions & Contract Dispute Will Distract Ngannou

In recent weeks, the feud between Ngannou and Lopez and the actual clash between “The Predator” and “Bon Gamin” has been somewhat lost amidst a unique situation between the UFC and one of its titleholders.

Ngannou’s manager recently spoke out about his client’s treatment and revealed two things the promotion must offer the Cameroonian in order for him to re-sign. Currently, a defeat for Ngannou could see him depart the UFC for another organization, which is a truly remarkable prospect considering his position as champion.

Alongside that, Ngannou has continued to shout his boxing ambitions to the world. He recently revealed his hopes to test his skills in the ring against top heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

One man who knows a lot about holding UFC gold and pre-fight prep is former 185-pound king Michael Bisping. During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, “The Count” warned Ngannou about becoming too invested in scenarios and situations away from his primary goal: a victory over Gane at UFC 270.

“It’s already a tough enough fight. But now, I think Francis is kind of muddying the waters a little bit because there’s all his contract talk. If you google Francis Ngannou’s name, there’s a lot of talk about contract disputes, and he wants more money and things… There’s also a lot of talk about him going to the boxing world.

“I just think that all this could be a distraction. Ciryl Gane is a very, very tough opponent for any man… I hope for Francis and everybody involved that (a crossover to boxing) does happen. But you’ve just gotta be careful because he’s got Ciryl Gane, and it’s kind of a distraction to be thinking about these things… Ciryl Gane is probably in the gym, in training camp, right now, just thinking about Francis Ngannou, formulating a game plan. Then when you google Francis Ngannou, it’s talk about contracts, it’s talk about money, and it’s talk about boxing. You’ve gotta be careful in this day and age.”

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What Ngannou’s status in the UFC will be come fight night is anyone’s guess. While Dana White recently claimed he’d had a “positive talk” with the champ while out for dinner, we’ve yet to hear any similar updates out of the Cameroonian’s camp.

One thing we know is that if Ngannou wins, he’ll be sticking around for at least another defense, meaning the contract debacle could be far from being sorted.

Do you agree with Michael Bisping? Will Francis Ngannou’s contractual dispute and boxing ambitions distract him ahead of UFC 270?

Continue Reading Bisping Encourages Ngannou To Focus On Gane Rather Than Distractions at MMA News.

Lopez Threatens To Release Sparring Footage Of Gane Dropping Ngannou

The beef between Francis Ngannou and former coach Fernand Lopez continues to grow.

The UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a date set to defend his title against his old training partner Ciryl Gane. The matchup is arguably one of the most …

The beef between Francis Ngannou and former coach Fernand Lopez continues to grow.

The UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a date set to defend his title against his old training partner Ciryl Gane. The matchup is arguably one of the most anticipated heavyweight title fights in a long time. Now, the growing animosity between Ngannou and Gane’s head coach Fernand Lopez is adding even more drama to this bout.

Recently, Lopez set forth some heavy claims that accused Ngannou of trying to keep Gane out of the UFC. Ngannou was also the target of some released footage that showed Ngannou and Gane training together.

The Cameroonian was unhappy with the clip that was released and called it misleading. According to Lopez, however, Ngannou could have been made to look much worse. And now, he is willing to release the entire length of training footage.

“That footage didn’t tell the whole story of what happened in training,” Lopez told Low Kick MMA. “There were so many opportunities where they got the better of each other in sparring, so we couldn’t have manipulated the footage. He didn’t want me to release the whole footage because, in that specific training, Francis Ngannou ate a knee shot to the liver and got dropped. Stopped the whole training. These are facts. Francis was on his backside. If he’s saying this isn’t true, I’ll release the whole footage. But, my content manager didn’t want to release it because we have privacy in the gym. When guys train in your gym, they expect things to stay in the gym.”

Ngannou and Gane trained together at MMA Factory in France before Ngannou left. Lopez, now the head coach of Gane, has expressed his problems with Nagnnou in a public capacity. In return, Ngannou publically ignored them while both were backstage at UFC 268 in New York.

Everything will soon enough be settled inside the Octagon. The real fight will be taking place on Jan. 22 at UFC 270. At that time, all sparring footage will become obsolete and the truly better man and fighter will be crowned as the UFC heavyweight champion.

Do you think Francis Ngannou has what it takes to defeat Ciryl Gane at UFC 270?

Continue Reading Lopez Threatens To Release Sparring Footage Of Gane Dropping Ngannou at MMA News.

EXCLUSIVE | Fernand Lopez Rips ‘F*cking Liar’ Francis Ngannou

MMA Factory head coach Fernand Lopez isn’t happy with his former protege, Francis Ngannou, calling him “evil and manipulative” after sparring footage with Ciryl Gane went viral. Ngannou and Gane are set to square off for the unified UFC heavyweight title at UFC 270, the first pay-per-view of the new year. The two elite strikers […]

MMA Factory head coach Fernand Lopez isn’t happy with his former protege, Francis Ngannou, calling him “evil and manipulative” after sparring footage with Ciryl Gane went viral.

Ngannou and Gane are set to square off for the unified UFC heavyweight title at UFC 270, the first pay-per-view of the new year. The two elite strikers were once teammates at MMA Factory before Ngannou was kicked from the gym after a falling out with Lopez.

The two sides have gone back-and-forth on their relationship at MMA Factory before Ngannou ultimately joined Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Both have accused the other of various misdoings. Lopez claims that Ngannou tried to stop the UFC from signing Ciryl Gane. ‘The Predator’ has since denied trying to stand in the way of Gane signing for MMA’s premier promotion.

During an exclusive interview with LowKickMMA, Lopez responded to Ngannou’s recent comments on his YouTube page.

Fernand Lopez Explains How Francis Ngannou Talked Down On Ciryl Gane

“If Francis denied that he didn’t try to prevent the UFC from Ciryl, he’s a fucking liar,” Lopez said. “Francis Ngannou told me ‘coach… I had a meeting with Mick’. And he asked me, is it true that Ciryl is ready for the UFC? And I said to him, he’s a good young kid, he’ll be good one day. But I told him he’s not ready yet.’ If he says this isn’t true, then he’s a f**king liar.

“I’m not surprised that he said that, because I don’t think Francis Ngannou ever thought that Ciryl was the kind of guy to face him one day,” Lopez added. “He basically pretended that Ciryl was irrelevant, always talked him down. That’s who he is, I’m giving you guys the reality. I took him from the street, helped him stay in the gym without paying any fee, gave him money and sponsors, and a place to sleep.

“And I’m evil? How am I evil when I’m the one who called Joe Silva when you were 4-1 and got you in the UFC? I told him he could become a champion. He’s full of s**t. Francis Ngannou is full of s**t and has a victim mentality.”

The Lopez/Ngannou tensions have been a key component to the buildup ahead of UFC 270. While Ngannou and Gane don’t appear to have legitimate animosity for one another, it’s clear that he doesn’t care for his former coach.

The UFC heavyweight title fight will be the main focus of Fight Week, but the back-and-forth between Ngannou and Lopez will almost certainly be a topic of discussion for weeks to come.

What is your reaction to Fernand Lopez‘s comments?

EXCLUSIVE | Fernand Lopez Admits Sparring Footage Didn’t Tell The Whole Story: ‘Francis Got Dropped’

MMA Factory head coach Fernand Lopez has cleared up what really went down between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane in their sparring sessions and now-viral footage. The buildup to Ngannou vs. Gane at UFC 270 has been interesting, to say the least. After Gane won the interim heavyweight title over Derrick Lewis, sparks have flown […]

MMA Factory head coach Fernand Lopez has cleared up what really went down between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane in their sparring sessions and now-viral footage.

The buildup to Ngannou vs. Gane at UFC 270 has been interesting, to say the least. After Gane won the interim heavyweight title over Derrick Lewis, sparks have flown from both sides, especially between Ngannou and Lopez.

Things turned up a notch after footage of Gane and Ngannou sparring each other during their time at MMA Factory went viral. The clips show the two going at it in a light sparring session, with Gane arguably showing a bit more technical striking, despite it being in a training environment.

During an exclusive interview with LowKickMMA, Lopez asserted in never before released footage that Ngannou got dropped by a knee from Gane, briefly halting the session.

Fernand Lopez Claims Francis Ngannou Got Dropped With A Knee To The Body While Sparring Ciryl Gane

“That footage didn’t tell the whole story of what happened in training,” Lopez said. “There were so many opportunities where they got the better of each other in sparring. So we couldn’t have manipulated the footage. He didn’t want me to release the whole footage because, in that specific training, Francis Ngannou ate a knee shot to the liver and got dropped. Stopped the whole training. These are facts. Francis was on his backside. If he’s saying this isn’t true, I’ll release the whole footage. But, my content manager didn’t want to release it because we have privacy in the gym. When guys train in your gym, they expect things to stay in the gym.”

Lopez’s comments come after Ngannou went as far as calling his former coach “evil and manipulative” for leaking the sparring footage. Gane has also said that he’s able to manage Ngannou’s power and that the heavyweight champion is aware of this.

The first UFC pay-per-view of the year features a heavyweight showdown for the ages, and this ongoing controversy will surely fuel the fire of both men.

What do you think about the Francis Ngannou/Ciryl Gane sparring controversy?

Francis Ngannou Unamused By Ciryl Gane Downplaying His Power

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou won’t allow himself to divert from the gameplan ahead of his UFC 270 clash with Ciryl Gane.

Ngannou will make his first title defense against Gane, a former teammate of his while they were at MMA Factory in …

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou won’t allow himself to divert from the gameplan ahead of his UFC 270 clash with Ciryl Gane.

Ngannou will make his first title defense against Gane, a former teammate of his while they were at MMA Factory in France. He’s been at an impasse with the UFC brass amidst an ongoing contract dispute but is ready to defend his belt at the UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2022.

Ngannou and Gane have had a bit of an interesting buildup to their fight. The two had an awkward run-in backstage at UFC 268, and Gane recently downplayed the champion’s trademark knockout power.

“I think Francis did a lot these last years, and he proved he improved and he’s more intelligent,” Gane said in an interview with BT Sport. “And that’s great. He’s well-rounded now. And I think it’s gonna be more like that. Because he (knows) I can manage the power. I think he knows I can manage the power.”

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Ngannou responded to Gane’s remarks and thinks his prediction was a bit forced.

“That’s probably his prediction because he has nowhere else to go,” Ngannou said.

“He has nothing else to do. Instead of expecting to jump around and waiting for the decision, I’m sure he’s going to be like, ‘I’m going to take him to the long rounds, the deep water’ and all this. That can be his only prediction, which could be very contrary of my prediction, which is knocking him out.”

Francis Ngannou Vs. Ciryl Gane Wasn’t Expected To Happen Next

Gane earned the title shot after winning the interim heavyweight title over Derrick Lewis at UFC 265. He was able to stifle Lewis on the feet and control the pace of the fight, eventually earning a TKO finish.

Ngannou was widely expected to face Jon Jones for his first title defense after earning the belt over Stipe Miocic. The UFC then targeted a matchup between him and Lewis, but contract negotiations stalled as Ngannou asked for more money.

The Ngannou vs. Gane matchup pits two of the most elite strikers in MMA against one another. If Ngannou were to lose to Gane, his UFC future could be uncertain as he would then enter free agency.

What is your prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou Unamused By Ciryl Gane Downplaying His Power at MMA News.

Ciryl Gane Admits Ngannou Sparring Footage Made Him Look Good

UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane agrees with Francis Ngannou that their leaked past sparring sessions were to his benefit.

Gane is set to face Ngannou for the UFC’s unified heavyweight title at UFC 270. The heavyweight slugfest will help…

UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane agrees with Francis Ngannou that their leaked past sparring sessions were to his benefit.

Gane is set to face Ngannou for the UFC’s unified heavyweight title at UFC 270. The heavyweight slugfest will help ring in the new year for the promotion as the first pay-per-view main event of 2022.

Recently leaked sparring footage from Gane and Ngannou’s time together at MMA Factory in France has increased speculation for how the fight will play out. Ngannou has recently voiced his displeasure for the leaked clips, alluding that the footage made Gane look better than he is.

During a recent interview with French publication La Sueur, Gane gave his reaction to Ngannou’s latest comments about the footage.

“It’s true that in that clip – I’m not going to lie – it was a soft sparring and I could confidently develop my game,” Gane said. “There were other sparring sessions where he [Francis Ngannou] had more the edge. One time it was me, one time it was him. To say that he was far ahead, no, it’s not necessarily true. But it’s true that this particular clip made me look good.” (h/t LowKickMMA)

Ciryl Gane, Francis Ngannou Have A Complicated Relationship

While Gane and Ngannou appear to have mutual respect for one another ahead of their matchup, there has been tension between the two sides. Ngannou has a fractured relationship with his former coach, Fernand Lopez, who has helped direct Gane’s rise to the top of the heavyweight division.

Lopez has accused Ngannou of being a bad teammate during his time at MMA Factory and allegedly failing to pay an annual fee to train at the gym. Ngannou and Gane also had an awkward run-in backstage while both attended UFC 268.

While it’s debatable who got the better of the exchanges in their past sparring sessions, Gane and Ngannou will put it all on the line in their highly anticipated heavyweight battle.

What is your prediction for the UFC 270 main event?

Continue Reading Ciryl Gane Admits Ngannou Sparring Footage Made Him Look Good at MMA News.