Tag: Cyril Gane

Daniel Cormier responds to fans questioning if he should commentate Jones vs. Gane: “Any other fights you want me off?”

Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones, Cyril GaneDaniel Cormier has taken to Twitter to respond to fans that have requested he takes the night off from commentating the title fight between Jon Jones and Cyril Gane. On March 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Jon “Bones” Jones (26-1) returns to fight Cyril Gane (11-1) for the vacant UFC Heavyweight title. […]

Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones, Cyril Gane

Daniel Cormier has taken to Twitter to respond to fans that have requested he takes the night off from commentating the title fight between Jon Jones and Cyril Gane.

On March 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Jon “Bones” Jones (26-1) returns to fight Cyril Gane (11-1) for the vacant UFC Heavyweight title.

Due to Francis Ngannou being released from the UFC after unsuccessful contract negotiations, the heavyweight strap was vacated and is up for grabs at UFC 285.

Jon Jones is widely known as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time but has not been in action in the UFC since February of 2020, when he was victorious over Dominick Reyes via Unanimous Decision.

His opponent, Cyril Gane, is fresh off a victory where he knocked out Tai Tuivasa at UFC Paris. Gane has only 1 blemish on his UFC record, and that defeat came at the hands of the former champ, Francis Ngannou.

Daniel Cormier Fires Back at fan Regarding Commentating Jones vs. Gane

As many MMA fans know, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones’ stories are deeply intertwined as the two once rivaled each other in the UFC Light Heavyweight division. One fan on Twitter requested that “DC” should not commentate the upcoming Jones vs. Gane fight, and Cormier responded starkly:

“Ok, any other fights you want me off? I took last night off at your suggestion. Was the experience much more enjoyable?”

Daniel Cormier was not present at the commentator’s table for this past Saturday’s UFC 284 super-fight between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski. Due to the history between Cormier and Jones, fans seem like they would prefer DC to sit this card out as well.

Jon Jones on the possibility of Cormier commentating the Fight

In their storied careers, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier met twice in the octagon: first Jones defeated Cormier at UFC 182 in 2015, and next a no contest (due to a Jones failed drug test) at UFC 214 in 2017.

Jones seems to be indifferent about the possibility of Cormier calling the fight at UFC 285. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Jones explained:

“I’m not competing against Daniel Cormier. I’ve already beat him twice. I’m really happy for Daniel Cormier. I love what he’s done in his life with his wrestling and broadcasting. I think it’s awesome when a fighter can retire and use his voice and intelligence to do something that he loves, so I’ve got nothing but respect for Daniel Cormier.”- (h/t bjpenn.com)

Do you think the history between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones should disqualify DC from commentating the fight?

Cyril Gane reacts to UFC 285 title fight matchup vs. Jon Jones: “It is a dream of every young fighter to fight against a GOAT.”

Cyril GaneCyril Gane will face the returning Jon Jones at UFC 285 as the pair clash for the now-vacant heavyweight championship belt. The heavyweight division had been in somewhat of a state with Francis Ngannou being sidelined following surgery and still having contractual issues with the UFC. However, that has all changed in just a mere […]

Cyril Gane

Cyril Gane will face the returning Jon Jones at UFC 285 as the pair clash for the now-vacant heavyweight championship belt.

The heavyweight division had been in somewhat of a state with Francis Ngannou being sidelined following surgery and still having contractual issues with the UFC. However, that has all changed in just a mere few hours.

Prior to the start of the promotions return to action in 2023 with UFC Vegas 67. A billboard on the T-Mobile arena revealed that Cyril Gane would compete against Jon Jones for the Heavyweight crown at UFC 285. Later as the night progressed and following Dana White’s media scrum it was revealed that current champion Francis Ngannou had not only been stripped of his title but had also parted ways with the promotion in hopes of finding more success elsewhere.

Disappointment for many of the community followed as there were hopes we would see Jones return to face arguably one of the scariest competitors in MMA in Ngannou for his heavyweight title.

One man who will not be sharing that sentiment however is Cyril Gane. Now with Ngannou out of the picture reports have confirmed that he will step in as an opponent for Jones upon his return.

Cyril Gane Delighted To Face ‘GOAT’ Jon Jones At UFC 285

Cyril Gane had called for the matchup with Jones just days before the announcement was revealed. When he spoke to the media after cornering his teammate, Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Vegas 67, the former interim world champion spoke to the media about his delight to once again be competing for the illustrious gold and his feelings on facing one of the all-time best in Jon Jones.

“I’m happy we got good news today. Everybody knows the situation with Francis (Ngannou) and Jon Jones, so okay, we are going to wait how long, how many times are we going to wait? I think it was a great decision because twenty-four hours after we got great news so I’m happy, I’m really happy.” Cyril Gane stated.

Gane also touched upon his opponent and how excited he is for the opportunity to face someone he considers one of the greatest of all time.

“I’m really young in MMA, everybody knows I started a few years ago and before that, I was really not in MMA. When I started to watch this of course Jon Jones was one of my favorite fighters and more so when I started MMA because I am really a fan of every sport in MMA and when you look at a guy like Jon Jones who is well rounded like this, you really appreciate it. He is a GOAT, look at his career. I am a young fighter and I think it is a dream of every young fighter to fight against a GOAT so this will be crazy for me.”

Fight fans can start the countdown as we are now less than two months away from seeing Jon Jones compete back inside an octagon.

Will Jon Jones claim heavyweight gold upon his return to the UFC at UFC 285?

7 Takeaways from UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane

UFC 270 was the first pay-per-view event of the new year and came in with two title fights for UFC fans. A fight for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title and a third flyweight title fight to settle who the “King of the flies” is once and for all.&nbsp…

UFC 270 was the first pay-per-view event of the new year and came in with two title fights for UFC fans. A fight for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title and a third flyweight title fight to settle who the “King of the flies” is once and for all. 

There was a lot to take away from UFC 270, here are some things that stood out.

COVID Protocols 

The UFC has new protocols in place for 2022. MMA Junkie obtained a copy of the memo sent to fighters on the UFC roster to let them know how they have to roll if they want to rock on fight week. In short, fighters and their corners have to take three pre-fight tests for the fight week of their scheduled events. One at-home test before showing up, one upon arrival, and one after weighing in. That’s three chances to lose fights for future events so, fans should keep their fingers crossed for fighters on cards being announced this year.

Lost Some

Speaking of losing fights, the UFC had to scratch quite a few bouts from UFC 270. Whittled down to 11 bouts the first pay per view of the year, as well as the previous weekend’s event lost fights for various reasons, including the above protocols. When thinking about that, the pay-per-view price increase for this year is really hard to swallow. 

Night of Something Strange

UFC press conferences in the past have usually been about the fighters, their antics, and trash talk to get fans riled up for a fight. Lately, not just this last one for UFC 270 it seems to be becoming a platform for members of the media to try and get their 15 minutes of fame. Questions obviously aimed at antagonizing fighters seem to keep happening more and more but it seems any attention is good attention for the UFC but is it good for MMA?

Victor Henry

What are the ingredients to make a “fight of the night” candidate? An underdog and a favorite, a high pace, and the fight going the distance. This fight featured all three and with Henry a +375 underdog, him winning and pushing the pace made this fight one that put Victor Henry’s name on the radar for UFC fans. Raoni Barcelos fought well and was a -510 favorite, but after watching this fight, you’d wonder who’s making odds over at Draftkings? 

Four Times The Charm?

Usually, a trilogy settles a rivalry in combat sports. However, when one is a draw, Brandon Moreno wins the second match, and Deiveson Figueiredo wins the third. These great flyweights are 1-1 against each other. Another one has to happen to truly close the book on who the true flyweight king is. For now, it is Figueiredo but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone against seeing them fight for the title again. This was the official “Fight of the Night.”

And Still

Francis Ngannou cemented his position as the most dangerous man in MMA by defeating the Interim Champion Cyril Gane. So, where does he go from here? He is still the champion but when asked in his post-fight interview by Joe Rogan, he clearly seems to want to try boxing. However, he also said he hurt his ACL and MCL in training which is likely why he wrapped both knees for this match with compression wraps. 

You Put it On Him

For winners of title fights, it is usually Dana White that wraps the belt around the champion when the announcement is made in the cage. However, when Ngannou won the decision in the main event, it was UFC Matchmaker, Mick Maynard who put the belt on him. 

There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here. Especially when it comes to the heavyweight division. Ngannou’s injuries obviously need time and the business between him and the UFC needs to be discussed. Dana White did not attend the post-fight press conference, which is usually something he does come to. Could be telling of the future.

What did you take away from UFC 270?

Continue Reading 7 Takeaways from UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Has Bleak Outlook On Jon Jones’ Future At Heavyweight

Daniel Cormier isn’t liking Jon Jones’ chances at heavyweight. 

It’s no secret that Cormier isn’t a fan of “Bones.” The pair have had clashes both in and out of the cage and their careers will forever be tied to each other. This means that whe…

Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier isn’t liking Jon Jones’ chances at heavyweight. 

It’s no secret that Cormier isn’t a fan of “Bones.” The pair have had clashes both in and out of the cage and their careers will forever be tied to each other. This means that when Jones is brought up, Cormier has no issue speaking his mind.

Cormier participated in a Reddit AMA recently, and a fight fan asked him how he felt Jones would do against the top of the heavyweight division. Here’s how the former double champion responded.

“I think Jon Jones has a chance against anybody. I think Ciryl Gane is a problem for him. I don’t know who it’s gonna be, but I think his time is coming. I am not confident that he wins the next fight,”

“I initially suggested that he fight a Curtis Blaydes, but it’s too risky not to cash in on him in a title fight. The first true loss of his career is very near.”

Jones Cormier
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier face off Image Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog

Will Jones Ever Return?

Now, it’s been over a year and a half since Jones graced the Octagon. His last bout was a closely-contested win over Dominick Reyes back at UFC 247. 

Jones vacated his light heavyweight title in August of 2020. Pay rate and a desire to move up to heavyweight as reasons for relinquishing his title. Jones said he would take some time off to bulk up and then return. Yet, when the Arizonian is involved, things are never that simple. 

After an extended lay-off, news broke that police arrested Jones on charges of domestic battery. Jones cited personal demons that he needs to overcome and spent his time on social media berating people for their comments on his situation. 

This latest legal battle may delay the former champion’s return even longer and has others claiming that he may never come back to the sport that made him a star. 

Do you think Jon Jones will lose in the heavyweight division?

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Has Bleak Outlook On Jon Jones’ Future At Heavyweight at MMA News.

Junior Dos Santos Says UFC Threatened To Cut Him If He Turned Down Fights

Junior Dos SantosFormer UFC Heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos has had a successful post UFC career so far, most notably making numerous appearances in an AEW ring. Speaking with MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca, the former UFC champion opened up on his final run in the company, where everything felt “forced and really weird.” Competing at AEW “lit […]

Junior Dos Santos

Former UFC Heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos has had a successful post UFC career so far, most notably making numerous appearances in an AEW ring.

Speaking with MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca, the former UFC champion opened up on his final run in the company, where everything felt “forced and really weird.” Competing at AEW “lit a gigantic fire inside of me” after not feeling so welcome in the UFC anymore.

“They were really unprofessional, let’s put it this way, with the way they treated [me], like they [treat] everybody else,” Junior dos Santos said. “I wasn’t the first and won’t be the last. The last two fights I got were on those terms, ‘You take it or you’re out.’”

“I was always a nice guy because that’s how I like to be, I like being nice to people so people are nice to me,” Dos Santos said. “I learned to be that way in life, to never expect from others something I don’t give them. I was always a nice guy, treating everybody well, always smiling, and in a way they took advantage of it, or treated it as a weakness, kind of putting me down, I don’t know. They tried to take the most advantage they could of the athlete I built, of Junior ‘Cigano,’ especially the way the last fight was, something really odd.

“But honestly, that’s in the past. There’s nothing I can do, so I won’t carry that with me because, like I said, that’s in the past and it can’t leave the past. I’ve done a lot of therapy and learned to deal with that in a better way. We can’t resolve some things, so they’ll stay that way, and that’s the case with this [situation]. Let’s move on. This type of situation now with pro wrestling showed how much Junior ‘Cigano’ is beloved and how much Junior ‘Cigano’ can still perform.”

Since Dos Santos is no longer under contract with the UFC, he is open to signing with a different MMA organization, but is focused on making the jump to the boxing world where the contract situations tend to differ vastly from the MMA contracts he’s used to citing, “you sign an eight-fight contract and [they will] do whatever [they] want with you.”

“That’s what happens in the UFC and these promotions,” said Dos Santos, who had five bouts left in his deal at the time of his departure. “That locks up the athletes, [losing] great possibilities to negotiate, and they do what they want. The UFC has the safety to keep you locked for eight fights. Now, you lose the first one and they can let you go if they want, there’s no safety [for the athlete]. It’s different in boxing, you negotiate fight after fight, contracts and pay. My case in the UFC, for example, I fought seven times before [fighting for] the belt. I was making the same amount of money stated in my contract.”

Dos Santos hopes that the future for MMA fighters is safer and better pay for all involved. He believes the structure in boxing is a lot better than the one in MMA, but hopes that can change in the future.

“There’s nothing helping athletes,” Dos Santos said. “Legally, we have no structure in MMA like boxing has with this law. … That’s very important for fighter’s protection because right now things happen the way [MMA promoters] want. They do as they will. If it worked, great. If not, they kick you out, they move you aside, lower your pay, do this or that. I think it would be very important if they would finally bring the Ali Act to MMA and make it all more clear and protect fighters more, with better contracts and a foundation to defend the athletes.”

How do you feel about Junior Dos Santos bashing the way the UFC handled his exit?

Francis Ngannou Coach: We Have Our Hands Full With Ciryl Gane

Francis Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick is expecting a difficult challenge from Ciryl Gane when the Frenchman will inevitably fight Ngannou to unify the heavyweight belts. Gane (10-0) easily dispatched Derrick Lewis this past weekend at UFC 265 wit…

Francis Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick is expecting a difficult challenge from Ciryl Gane when the Frenchman will inevitably fight Ngannou to unify the heavyweight belts. Gane (10-0) easily dispatched Derrick Lewis this past weekend at UFC 265 with a third-round TKO to become the new interim UFC heavyweight champion of the world. This puts Gane […]

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou Coach: We Have Our Hands Full With Ciryl Gane at MMA News.