Ciryl Gane Inviting Kylian Mbappé and His Teammates to UFC 285
Plus, Stipe Miocic is poised to rumble for the heavyweight title. And diving deeper into the must-see March card.
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Ciryl Gane is getting his shot at stardom in March at UFC 285, where he will challenge Jon Jones for the vacant heavyweight title.
After a decade of discussion, Jones (26-1-1) will finally make his debut at heavyweight. Now 35 years old and having last fought in February of 2020, Jones seeks to prove he is the greatest of all time by stepping back in the cage and winning a title in a different weight class. Standing in his way is Gane (11-1), a rising star out of Paris, France.
Though far newer to the sport, only three years separate Gane, 32, and Jones. Yet there is an entire world of fame and notoriety. If Gane wins this fight, he will instantly become the most recognizable name in the sport.
“This is my chance to make a statement in mixed martial arts,” says Gane. “This is all I ever wanted, to compete against the best in the world.”
Before developing his passion for MMA, Gane’s first love was soccer. He played keeper, and his reach, intelligence, and competitiveness made him a force in net. He remains devoted to the sport, and he traveled last month to Qatar to watch France compete against Argentina in the World Cup finals.
“We started to play our game, but it was too late,” says Gane, who was devastated to see France lose in a penalty kick shootout. “But we are a young team. I have many friends on the team. We will be back. I’m really confident in our future.”
Soccer sensation Kylian Mbappé is one of Gane’s closest friends, and he is among those receiving an invitation to the title fight in Vegas. After Gane watched one of the most thrilling finales in the history of the World Cup, it is now his time to give his friends and country a lasting memory in his fight against Jones.
“Mbappé is a great friend, and he and many other French futbol players want to come to my fight,” says Gane. “A lot depends on their schedule in March, but my coach, Fernand Lopez, has invited many of the players.”
There are a myriad of reasons to believe Gane will be victorious. Jones has not fought in three years, which is an especially long break, and he looked a step slower in his last two fights prior to the break against Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes. Advantages in length and reach will both favor to Gane, as will power, but grappling should be an area where Jones shines.
Gane last fought in September, where he tested himself against Tai Tuivasa in front of a fiery crowd in Paris. Tuivasa showcased his elite power, dropping Gane to the mat. But before Tuivasa could deliver the type of ground-and-pound necessary to win the fight, Gane was back on his feet and responding with multiple power shots of his own. Gane ultimately won by knockout, a masterpiece that stands as the most impressive victory of his career.
“I showed anything is possible,” says Gane. “I can win many different ways, and I can win a war. My team already knew that, but now even more people recognize it.
“I had an injury to my hand in that fight, but I’m OK now. I have no restrictions in my training. My body, my mind, everything is OK to fight.”
An entirely new opportunity now presents itself for Gane. More than just the title is at stake. If Gane defeats Jones, he becomes a legend.
“I’m fighting the GOAT,” says Gane. “This means a lot to me, my family, my teammates, and my coach. Plus, if we win this fight, we’re going to have the belt. I am really excited for this fight.”
Stipe Miocic Ready for His Title Shot
Stipe Miocic's patient approach looks to have paid off.
Miocic (20-4) lost the heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou in March 2021, then was completely written out of the title picture. He has not fought since then, refusing to settle for anything but a rematch for the title. Unfortunately, it will not be against Ngannou, which would have been a fascinating trilogy bout after they split their first two. But the prospect of seeing Miocic against Jones this summer is well worth the wait.
If he wins the title for a third time, and defeats Jones in the process, it will be hard to say Miocic is not the greatest UFC heavyweight champion of all-time.
UFC 283 Centered Around Two Title Bouts
UFC 283 is headlined by two title fights. For the first time in a couple months, a new light heavyweight champion should finally be crowned. Jiri Prochazka was forced to vacate the title due to an injury in November, and the first bout to determine a new champ—pitting Magomed Ankalaev against Jan Blachowicz—ended in a draw. The opportunity is now bestowed upon Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill.
Hill (11-1, 1 NC) is talented, and extremely powerful, but Teixeira (33-8) has more ways to win this fight. Hill is on a three-fight knockout streak, which is impressive, but there are levels to this sport and none of the men Hill sent to the shadow realm—Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos—are anywhere near Teixeira's level. The last time Teixeira was knocked out occurred in a loss to Alexander Gustafsson, which took place six years and 10 fights ago. Hill suffered his only loss two years ago to Paul Craig, and that was a TKO defeat, which is Teixeira’s best route to victory. Experience, seasoning, and ground work all favor Teixeira, who is seeking his second reign with the belt.
The second title bout on the 283 card is Deiveson Figueiredo defending the flyweight championship against Brandon Moreno. Remarkably, this is Figueiredo's fourth consecutive fight against Moreno. The first fight ended in a draw. Moreno (20-6-2) won the rematch by submission, then Figueiredo (21-2-1) won an extremely close unanimous decision bout in the trilogy. While Moreno also defeated Kai Kara-France in July, it has been a year since Figueiredo last fought.
It is not out of the realm of possibility that these two meet again, but there will be a gap between the fourth and fifth encounters. Moreno was forced to move away from James Krause’s coaching amidst his gambling scandal, which is horrible for a fighter preparing for the most important bout of his career. Figueiredo should benefit from far more continuity in his training.
Permitting he makes weight, Figueiredo will likely overpower Moreno. But it is impossible to discount Moreno’s chances. This should be an outstanding bout, and the winner will (at least temporarily) have bragging rights over this incredible series of fights.
James Krause Falling into Deeper Trouble
The James Krause saga continues to worsen.
Krause, an MMA coach with many high-profile fighters, reportedly worked as an agent for an offshore sportsbook. The report is especially damaging to any potential future for Krause in the sport, and will only serve to hurt him in any ongoing government agency investigations.
Currently suspended indefinitely by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the UFC informed their fighters that anyone who trains with Krause or at his gym will be banned from events. Brandon Moreno, who fights for the flyweight title at UFC 283, had worked with Krause, but was forced to cut ties following the UFC's edict.
So often in large-scale gambling scandals, there is one person who takes the fall. It appears Krause will be the one in this particular situation. As this story gets uglier, and more complex, Krause’s future in MMA appears over. His problems with the government look even more dim.