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Third-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Ciryl Gane, 31, has been outstanding over his first eight professional mixed martial arts bouts. More than half of those have taken place inside the Octagon, and in that time he has dispatched of a couple of top-10 talents in former division king Junior Dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Yet, on Saturday afternoon inside the UFC Apex, the French powerhouse sees his UFC Vegas 30 main event opponent, Alexander Volkov, as his stiffest test yet. And he believes the Russian could take his MMA skills to new levels as he continues his transition from kickboxing to MMA.
Ciryl Gane: Volkov ‘biggest challenge in my career’
“This is a big opportunity because, for me, I think it’s the biggest challenge I’ve had in my career,” Gane told reporters at the UFC Vegas 30 media day. “Volkov, for me, is one of the best in this division. The challenge is big and I’m excited by that. I want to prove [myself] because I’m new. I’m just starting MMA.
“I don’t [really] know myself. And with this challenge, maybe this fight is gonna [push] me to make a new version of myself. Maybe I’m going to show you something new, and I like that. “
Facing a competitor like “Drago” is likely to lead to new experiences for any fighter. That’s what happens when you step into the Octagon with an experienced and talented fighter standing at 6’7″ tall. However, the 6’5″ Gane is a monster of a man himself, and he has discovered during this camp that he rather enjoys competing against taller foes. In preparation for Volkov he brought in a member of the French Olympic boxing team and tenth-ranked Glory Kickboxing heavyweight Tomas Mozny. Talented strikers the same height as his foe on June 26.
This Volkov specific preparation has “Bon Gamin” feeling excited and confident heading into a fight that very well could set up a top contender for Francis Ngannou and his UFC heavyweight title. Although, the Frenchman won’t go as far as guaranteeing a finish, he does hope to improve on his current 78% career finish rate.
“Some people say it’s complicated to fight a guy taller than him, but no, I am comfortable with that,” said Gane. “Every fight I do, I want to make a show for the fans. If I can finish the fight before the end with a KO, or the submission, yes, I want to do that for the fans.”
Success in MMA has come rapidly for Gane. He was in the UFC after just three fights, and could very well be in a championship booking a little over two years after making his Octagon debut. This new found fame before a second straight UFC main event could bring a great deal of pressure, and glare from such a bright spotlight. Yet for Gane, he is enjoying the experience, and can’t explain why he still hasn’t developed pre-fight nerves before his sixth Octagon appearance.
“I feel comfortable. I don’t know why,” he said. “I’m not the guy who stresses it. I can’t tell you why [and] I’m good with that.”
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