UFC news: Francis Ngannou unimpressed with Cyril Gane's KO victory over Tai Tuivasa
- Doug Mattushek
- 5 September 2022
UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou admitted that it was "hard to be impressed" with Cyril Gane's KO win on Saturday.
Gane cemented himself as the number one contender in the heavyweight division with an entertaining third-round KO of the dangerous Tuivasa in front of a rambunctious French crowd in Paris on Saturday.
Both fighters had their moments, with Tuivasa sitting Gane down in the second round. But Gane's body shots paved the way to a KO win as Tuivasa's defences crumbled.
Speaking to ESPN+ in the post-fight show, Ngannou gave Gane credit where it was due, but viewed the performance through the eyes of someone who had dominated Gane for the final three rounds just months ago...
You know @Francis_Ngannou wasn't going to miss the first French event in UFC history 🇫🇷
— UFC (@ufc) September 3, 2022
[ #UFCParis is LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/u7tt4OaoTH
"I know he's is a great fighter. It's hard to respond to that question for the guy that I beat - if I'm impressed with him. He's here for a reason. I fought him for a reason because he was probably the No. 1 contender. Yes, he's good, but I'm the champ. Yeah, so it's really hard to be impressed..."
It's difficult to predict what the UFC matchmakers have in mind for the heavyweight division. An Ngannou vs Gane rematch is too soon, while Jon Jones supposed UFC return at heavyweight is a story years in the making. Number 2 ranked heavyweight Stipe Miocic hasn't fought since March 2021, when he suffered a terrifying KO loss at the hands of Ngannou.
