Ciryl Gane, the talented French heavyweight, is gearing up to return to the Octagon next weekend at UFC 310. He’s set to face the formidable Alexander Volkov in what promises to be an electrifying showdown.
Although Gane bounced back with an impressive TKO victory in his last fight, the sting of his quick loss to Jon Jones still lingers. That defeat has fueled his determination, and he’s stepping back in with a renewed focus to prove himself at the highest level.
Ciryl Gane Opens Up About His Loss to Jon Jones
Ciryl Gane has proven himself against nearly every opponent except Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Though these defeats are understandable, Gane has been refreshingly open about falling short in his fight with Jones. He’s taken it as a learning experience and is determined to grow stronger.
“When I look back at it, it was obvious that I was not there,” Gane said on the UFC 310 Countdown show, explaining how after months of intense preparation, it just failed to click under the bright lights of Las Vegas.
“It represented exactly how I felt on the day of the fight. It was a total misunderstanding of what was happening… I don’t recognize myself there. It’s something I’ve never done in my life.
“I’ve never fought that way before. My distance management, my movement, the alertness that I love to show – I had none of that.”
Ciryl Gane sees his title loss as a tough moment in his otherwise strong career, but he’s using that feeling to push himself even harder as he prepares for UFC 310.
“Looking back, I think that this experience may have been beneficial… For me personally, it helped me to refocus on myself. It gave me a spirit of revenge, a competitive spirit.”
Ciryl Gane is gearing up for his upcoming fight against Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. The two first faced off in 2021, with Gane taking home a clear win by decision. With their rematch on the horizon, Gane isn’t worried about Volkov’s size, saying,“So I train with guys who are much taller than me.”
To prepare for the 6’7″ Russian, Gane has been working at the MMA Factory in Paris, training with 6’5″ kickboxer Paulin Begai and 6’8″ boxer Maxime Vaz. Together, with his coach Fernand Lopez, Gane is sharpening his skills for the big fight.
“Ultimately, our will is to end the fight way before the [final] timer,” teased coach Lopez, claiming that Gane has begun to ‘perfect’ the arts of offensive boxing and wrestling.
“The way we work on boxing is that we look for power, but with finishing moves. We work on floor fighting with an offensive approach, not defensive – it’s exciting for me to know that he has perfected all these possibilities.”
