In a largely tentative and tepid UFC Vegas 20 headliner, French standout, Ciryl Gane took home a one-sided unanimous decision win over a lacklustre, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and off the back of his first promotional headliner, Gane plans to make a title run in the ever-evolving heavyweight division.
Utilising his almost unrivalled movement and distance management at the weight class, Gane took a straight forward 50-45 unanimous decision win on all three judge’s scorecards. And come the release of the official rankings over the course of next week, the Ferland Lopez and MMA Factory staple is likely to claim the faltering, Rozenstruik’s #4 rank at heavyweight.
Finding his way in the clinch on occasion, Gane dominated largely on the feet, as Rozenstruik failed to ever get his feet moving in a positive, forward pressing motion — as he looked to counter as usual off his back foot. Pot shotting the Suriname kickboxer on cue, Gane found his target with both oblique and stiff calf kicks, as well as a whipping jab from his southpaw right to comfortably outpoint the now 11-2 striker.
Following on the heels of Derrick Lewis’ stunning knockout win over Curtis Blaydes last weekend at UFC Vegas 19, Gane spoke with press assembled following last night’s win — detailing how he’s “legit” and how he plans to make a siege to the heavyweight title next.
“I’m legit,” Gane said. “I’m undefeated and I’m the only one undefeated in this division in the rankings. I think I’m legit. I want to say it to everybody: In the next months, if you have a place, if someone has an injury, I’m here. I’m here, man.“
Taking relatively no substantial damage against Rozenstruik, Gane had claimed that he would be open to filling in on short notice for either Stipe Miocic, or former teammate Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 at the end of March in a title clash.
If his services aren’t required on short-notice, however, Gane still has championship aspirations in the not too distant future.
“I talked with my coach (Fernand Lopez) and he said if I win this weekend, I’m going to go after the belt,” Gane said. “It doesn’t matter who or how — we’re going to go after the belt now.“
With the win, Gane improved to 5-0 in the UFC, notching previous victories over Raphael Pessoa, Don’Tale Mayes, Tanner Boser, and Junior dos Santos.
Still undefeated. Improving to 8-0 — Ciryl ‘Bon Gamin’ Gane scores his fifth promotional victory, taking home a dominant unanimous judging win over monstrous striker, Jairzinho ‘Bigi Boy’ Rozenstruik. A lot of feints and pops from the shoulders of Ciryl Gane to get the first round started, before he fires off a lightening fast southpaw […]
