Ciryl Gane finally opened up about the infamous leg lock at UFC 270.
At UFC 270 last month, in the fifth and final round of the heavyweight title main event, Gane grabbed a leg lock on Francis Ngannou; however, it did not end well. Ngannou would reverse Gane and end up on top of him, which would win him the fight.
Fans, media, analysts wondered why Gane went for that leg lock. Well, we finally got our answer.
No regrets
On Wednesday, Gane appeared on The MMA Hour and explained why he went for that leg lock. The fighter from France felt like the fight was very close, and he wanted to finish the fight.
“We just needed to finish the fight before the end,” Gane said. “That’s why I did this takedown, I did very well, and after I did this choice to go to the ankle, unfortunately, yes, I did some mistakes in my technique.”
There were no regrets from Gane.
“No, because I was really sure. You see, this technique for me, I can do that on everybody that I have in my gym. High-level wrestling, high-level BJJ, and I can do it. I’m really comfortable with this technique, so that’s why I decided to do that, because I know the position was really good for me to go on this technique. I was really good. I was sure to finish the fight, in my mind.
“That’s why no regrets. I was a little bit tired, so that’s why I don’t do exactly the good thing, but that’s okay.
“The point is I was lucid, so I remember the whole of the action of the fight,” he said. “I was lucid. But I did some mistakes and I recognize the mistakes. Like, I give my legs too easy to Francis [Ngannou]. With the foot on the head, he catch me like that, and after that he understand that this is a good plan for him. So no, unfortunately, I think after the fight I was ok.
“If I really wanted to win this fight, the good plan was just to do the ‘Bon Gamin.’ Like Bon Gamin do everything, like touch and never be touched. No legs, nothing like that. Not to go hard, and if I did that I think I would have the belt in my home, but that’s OK.”
Gane submitted Don’Tale Mayes in his second UFC fight with a leg lock, so it makes sense why he was confident going for the submission. Unfortunately for him, Ngannou was too slick and defended it, causing Gane to go home with the loss.
Gane is still ranked No. 1 in the UFC’s heavyweight rankings and is a fight or two away from another title shot. After a busy 2020 and 2021, it might be a little while before we see him again, but who knows, as fighters often say, the best way to get over a loss is to go knock somebody out.
