Ciryl Gane on Alexander Volkov fight: “ Everywhere, I’m a real problem and I want to prove it this Saturday”
Interview with Ciryl Gane above
Ciryl Gane is looking to continue his climb up the heavyweight rankings as he takes on Alexander Volkov at UFC Vegas 30. This bout will be his sixth foray into the octagon since signing with the UFC back in 2019.
Slated for the main event, this fight is expected to help figure out who will be next to challenge for the heavyweight championship once the triangle of Francis Ngannou, Derrick Lewis, and Stipe Miocic comes to an end. For Gane, this is only his ninth career fight, a remarkable position to be in so early in his career.
“I’m really excited about this fight because for me this is one of the best in this division,” Gane told MyMMANews. “You know he’s tall, he’s heavy, he’s technical in his striking. Not only his striking but his ground game, his wrestling game. For me, it’s one of the best in this division so I’m really excited about that because I’m young in my career, I’m really young and this is a good test to know myself. Because I don’t know myself so this fight is going to help me find myself.”
Still young in his career, Ciryl Gane admits he’s still trying to figure out who he is as a fighter. Even though he’s at the top of the heavyweight division, the Frenchman still needs to discover his true form.
“I don’t know [who I am.] Because you see a lot of people thought that my last fight was easy for me. His opponent was really not good, it was not a good day for his opponent or something like that,” Gane said. “This fight [against Volkov] will put me in a strong situation [to know myself.]”
Gane’s last fight against Jairzinho Rozenstruik was largely considered a snoozefest by the masses. Even the Frenchman admits it wasn’t the most entertaining fight.
Dana White was especially critical of Gane claiming the Frenchman was unable to seize the opportunity. Gane understands the criticism but he doesn’t necessarily agree with all of the negativity.
“I was really comfortable with my fight, with my performance,” Gane said, “But I can understand all of these people and the feeling of Dana White. I promise you that for me this fight was really good. I know for the people that don’t know really what are the Martial Arts and the people who just want a fun fight… fine. Maybe it was boring. For the specialists, it was a really great performance. So I’m comfortable with the situation.”
Now Gane has another opportunity when he takes on Volkov on Saturday. The matchup is an exciting one, and Gane expects it to deliver.
“This is a really good matchup,” Gane said. “Because people said for my last fight ‘ yeah it’s going to be a good matchup’ because of two guys with a good striking matchup. I think now it’s a real matchup with a striking level. I think Volkov is going to have to manage with the striking and I like that.”
The outcome of the fight is a tricky one to figure out. With heavyweights though, five rounds is a big ask.
Gane isn’t worried about getting a particular finish. He’s here to prove a point. A violent point.
“Like every time I don’t know exactly,” Gane said of the outcome of the fight. “But I want to prove I’m a real problem in the striking, I’m a real problem in the ground game, in the wrestling game. Everywhere I’m a real problem and I want to prove it this Saturday.”
