"He can't be out there getting jabbed to death" - Josh Thomson explains why Tai Tuivasa needs to fight "in a phone booth" to win against Ciryl Gane

As the Paris debut of the UFC edges closer, Josh Thomson discussed what Tai Tuivasa must do to win against Ciryl Gane in the card's headliner on September 3.

'Bon Gamin' is one of the toughest matchups in the heavyweight division, and there are not many competitors like him in the weight class. Using his incredible footwork, snappy strikes, and forward pressure, the 32-year-old Frenchman likes to frustrate his opponents and grind them down throughout the entirety of the bout.

While he is good at being composed, attacking fighters' lead legs, and hurting them with devastating power punches, Tai Tuivasa has been urged by Josh Thomson to fight in a specific way if he wants to be successful this Saturday.

On a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, Thomson opined:

"His fight, if he wants to win this fight, is in the phone booth. He can't get on the outside getting stuck, he can't be out there getting jabbed to death, he can't be out there getting kicked to death. He's gonna have to check those kicks and counter and get on the inside, and keep his head in good posture. He can't afford to dip his head, get his head shoved down and get taken down or be stuck on bottom... Tuivasa's gotta make sure he's countering the leg kicks so he doesn't allow Gane to get comfortable."

Ciryl Gane is looking to get back in the win column after losing a closely contested decision to Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 earlier this year. The Frenchman had looked almost flawless prior to his clash against 'The Predator' and will fancy his chances of beating the heavy hitting Australian.

Check out what Josh Thomson had to say about the heavyweight bout in the video below:

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Can Tai Tuivasa compete against Francis Ngannou?

Knocking people out and drinking alcohol from a shoe is something that Tai Tuivasa loves doing and has earned him a large following on social media. That said, could he ever beat someone like Francis Ngannou and become the heavyweight champion?

The 29-year-old Australian is capable of standing and banging with anybody in the division and will never back down from an exchange of strikes, as seen in his recent fights against Derrick Lewis and Greg Hardy.

However, one major hole in 'Bam Bam's' game is his lack of defensive grappling. If 'The Predator' continues to implement wrestling into his arsenal, Tai Tuivasa may have a hard time dealing with the physical presence of the champion.