'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In an edition of ESPN MMA’s DC & RC show, Daniel Cormier and co-host Ryan Clark addressed the Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane UFC 270 matchup. Cormier notably picked Gane to have a lengthy reign as the heavyweight kingpin but emphasized how difficult it is to remain champion at heavyweight. Cormier, himself a former UFC heavyweight champion, stated:
“I know how difficult it is. You know, when Cain Velasquez was the man, I thought nobody would ever beat him. But then he gets knocked out by freaking Junior dos Santos, and then [Fabricio] Werdum submits him. So, it’s like, things can change so fast in this weight class. There are no guarantees. Now, if I had to guess who would reign longer, I would probably choose the more well-rounded guy… Like, can we agree that the more well-rounded guy is Ciryl?”
Despite calling Gane the "more well-rounded" fighter, Cormier continued:
“So, it would seem as though Ciryl might be the guy that could reign for a long time. But with the way Francis knocks people out, you start to look at the rankings and who has he not knocked out? I mean, the number-three guy in the world is Curtis Blaydes, and he’s knocked him out twice. So, I don’t know who’s gonna beat Francis. Hey, Ryan, I saw that dude [Francis Ngannou] the other day – dude weighed 285 pounds, man. He put his hand on my shoulder, I was like, ‘This dude. He’s the man.’ He looks like the heavyweight champion of the world.”
You can catch DC’s comments in the video below:
Can Francis Ngannou become the first fighter to defeat Ciryl Gane?
Ciryl Gane captured the interim UFC heavyweight title by defeating Derrick Lewis via third-round TKO at UFC 265 in August. The French heavyweight star is undefeated as a professional MMA fighter and holds an impressive 10-0 record.
Gane is a former training partner of Francis Ngannou. Ngannou’s terrifying KO power, as well as Gane’s undefeated record and well-rounded skillset, set the stage for their clash to be one of epic proportions.
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane will fight at UFC 270 on January 22nd, 2022. The winner of this fight will emerge as the new undisputed heavyweight champion and could defend the title against Jon Jones in the second quarter of 2022.
