A French script and an American production. Saturday’s fight between Francis Ngannou, UFC heavyweight champion for nearly a year and Ciryl Gane, interim champion, has everything to satisfy a world that is content only with spectacle. The boss of the franchise, Dana White, admits it without difficulty: at this level of storytelling, it is tailor-made. “You can hardly write a better screenplay than this,” he said for
The sweat. You have two guys who come from the same gym, who trained together and who don’t like each other anymore. There’s all this animosity between them. »
The room is the MMA Factory of Fernand Lopez, who has also grown a lot since the time when the Cameroonian was doing his ranges in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. As for the animosity, it does not directly concern the two protagonists as much as Ngannou and his former coach, now mentor to Ciryl Gane. The champion repeats that he has “no problem” with his future opponent, but he has enough with Lopez to put a wind to the whole clique – including his historic sparring partner Nassourdine Imamov – when these beautiful people cross paths at Madison Square Garden recently. “Get closer to [Fernand], it would have been to give him an opportunity to say something to me in public […], Ngannou will say. We’re not friends, he attacks me all the time, I didn’t want to give him that. »
“I would not appear credible by doing trash talking”
Among the charges against the coach, the broadcast of a training video between Gane and his future opponent in which the French would appear to his advantage. Lopez counters that Ngannou should be happy that other alleged passages have remained secret. “Do you want me to tell you the truth? The video ends with Francis Ngannou sitting in the corner of the gym because he has [mangé] Ciryl Gane’s knee in the liver. A knee in the body. He sat down. He was exhausted, tired, he took the knee and sat down. »
Don’t count on Cyril Gane to put a coin in the machine and make the kéké. “My personality means that I would not appear credible by doing trash talking, he explains to 20 minutes. I could do it but it doesn’t amuse me more than that. Prejudicial in this world of sweat, blood but also entertainment? Khabib Nurmagomedov, the iconic heartthrob of Conor McGregor, recognized the superiority of the Frenchman – “the best fighter of the moment” – in remarks dating from last summer. But he also felt that Ngannou is “more interesting as a leader in the heavyweight category”.
Consultant for RMC sport, which will broadcast the fight on the night of Saturday to Sunday, Taylor Lapilus is not worried about the masses and recalls that the Dagestannais has himself conquered hearts without being a huge high roller. “If we take the example of Khabib, he relied on the big mouth of McGregor”. Proof that one can exist in UFC without having the tongue hanging out, even if the public across the Atlantic never says no to beautiful verbal jousting while waiting to see the gladiators sticking gnons in the face.
“The absence of trashtalking, it may be lacking in the USA but “Bon Gamin”[le surnom de Gane] replaced that with cool talking, reassures Franck Dupuis, manager of the Venum brand, official equipment supplier of the UFC and partner of the Frenchman. He is not mute, he has a presence and it is greatly appreciated. In the USA they are big fans of the guy. »
It is true that “Bon Gamin” exudes cool when you chat a little with the beast, never stressed, the type to ask that you Shazam the piece of his opponent three minutes before a fight.
Cut to reign for a long time?
When Nurmagomedov erects Ngannou as the best ambassador of the heavyweights, we must see, beyond the dirty talk, an obvious allusion to his style of fighter. Of his 16 UFC successes, the Cameroonian has 75% KO or TKO (referee stoppage). A bulldozer like the UFC loves them. Lapilus: “To become a big star in the UFC, you have to finish the fights in a radical way. Connor had both, he was a big mouth and he finished fights. Khabib came out because he was finishing his fights. »
2️⃣ days to go. ⚔️#UFC270 pic.twitter.com/LVzEHNP0Wz
— Ciryl Gane (@ciryl_gane) January 20, 2022
Ciryl Gane also knows how, as he has demonstrated by sending Derrick Lewis to the mat in a very fine way last summer, but he still has four victories by decision (against none for Ngannou, all of whose defeats have been… by decision). However, the RMC consultant advises Gane not to change his style for glory. “That’s how you have problems and how some athletes got lost,” he said. If your style works, you can always improve and enrich it. Ciryl Gane isn’t one to put her fingers in the plug anyway.
“When I started my career in feet-fists, I came with a two-year background in Thai boxing. I was playing guys who had been on the circuit for ten years, undefeated champions, stuff like that, very strong technically. I couldn’t say I was more technical than those guys, that’s not true. On the other hand I had this intelligence of combat which makes that I know very well that if I put the finger in there, I will be electrocuted. That’s how I won against guys who were either dangerous or very technical. Today, it’s something that I kept in my fights. Work with my forces and make sure that I cancel those of the opponent a little. It represents my fighting style exactly. »
If he is not destined to leave his mark in the UFC as an entertainer, the Frenchman has everything to build his legend over the long term by remaining undefeated thanks to this famous power of annihilation of his opponents. “I am convinced that Ciryl will become dominant by beating everyone, à la George Saint-Pierre [le combattant canadien ne gagnait quasiment que sur décision] “, ends Lapilus. It will necessarily go through a victory this weekend against his rival Ngannou.