Published on : 12/22/2020 – 6:35 PM
Ciryl Gane is now in seventh place in the rating of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the benchmark in blended martial arts (MMA). The Frenchman modified dimension by beating ex-heavyweight world champion Junior Dos Santos. However, he prefers to place his scenario in the UFC into perspective. Interview.
RFI: Ciryl Gane, following your victory on December 12 in opposition to Brazilian Junior Dos Santos, you are actually in seventh place in the heavyweight rating of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). What does it imply to you ?
Ciryl Gane : It’s humorous, nevertheless it does not do a lot to me… As an athlete, for my profession, it is essentially one thing good. […] When we arrive in the high 10, it is true that we’re in a small pocket sq.. We are surrounded by fighters of very, very excessive stage. When we’re there, it implies that we’re one among the robust males on the planet.
When you be part of the high 10 of a league as prestigious and influential as the UFC, do you alter dimension? ?
At the second, I do not really feel like I’ve modified dimension (laughs). It’s sophisticated to reply… I do not really feel this variation but. Or possibly it is me who does not wish to change dimension.
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But do you discover that the seems in the direction of you will have modified, following your victory in opposition to a former world champion? ?
Yes. There is a little bit of the ” ok, there he passed a real test by beating a former champion “. My former opponents didn’t essentially have huge names. They had been excellent and gifted however they do not have a lengthy profession behind them like Junior Dos Santos. We will due to this fact say that I’ve taken a step.
Your victory in opposition to Junior Dos Santos appeared nearly simple. How did you expertise this battle ?
The technique put in place labored very nicely. We began with the thought of utilizing a lot of muay-thai strategies, which is regular given my background [Ciryl Gane a été champion de boxe thaïlandaise avant de se mettre au MMA, Ndlr]. You needed to not be inside putting distance. Juniors Dos Santos is a excellent striker. However, once we handle to maintain a distance, the adversary fails to try issues. In the finish, it is solely me who boxing and it could due to this fact appear simple. But it is simply that the techniques had been nicely outlined.
In latest months, you will have needed to face opponents much less recognized than Junior Dos Santos. How do you interpret the UFC’s alternative to arrange this battle in opposition to a way more posh fighter? ?
The UFC wished to check me first in opposition to opponents who had been getting into the high 15, like me. […] Finally, it was sophisticated to arrange since there have been a number of cancellations of fights in a row. So the leaders determined to take me straight to the subsequent stage.
But they needed to negotiate for it. Because the better-ranked fighters than me had no curiosity in going through a man who’s solely performed three fights in the UFC, has a very small profession, however continues to be annoying.
So they made certain to make preparations with Junior Dos Santos.
And the 12 months 2020 is ending nicely. Yet you’ve got seen your fights known as off 5 occasions in a row over the previous few months, every time for various causes. How did you handle to maintain your spirits up ?
It is true that it was annoying, if solely at the monetary stage. But I’m fortunate to play a sport in which you’re paid nicely. Besides, my household and I should not a spendthrift. So we needed to stay optimistic, inform ourselves that issues would work out, wait and practice. That’s all there was to do. In a scenario like this, if you happen to begin to complain, you might have a unhealthy time. Which does not assist.
Has the UFC already deliberate your subsequent battle ?
Not in any respect ! We are a bit in the darkish this time for as soon as. There are already loads of fights already booked in the UFC. So we do not actually know what’s deliberate. We are affected person. But I haven’t got to assume an excessive amount of. There aren’t many opponents left in entrance of me in the standings.
If you retain up the momentum, battle for the title of world heavyweight champion from 2021, does it appear potential to you? ?
If I handle to play three fights in the subsequent eight months, why not? At the finish of December, that may be potential. In truth, it’s going to depend upon the frequency of my fights. But to have the proper, will probably be essential to win at the least two or three extra fights.
