UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane says despite the tense UFC 270 buildup, he doesn’t have anything against Francis Ngannou.
Gane is set to face Ngannou in arguably the best heavyweight fight in UFC history at UFC 270. He earned the interim title at UFC 265 over Derrick Lewis in a dominant performance.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Gane shared his thoughts on Ngannou as a person after things have become tense leading up to the event.
“We’ll shake hands before, during, and after the fight,” Gane said. “I have nothing against him. He’s just my opponent, I have no deal with him. Just an opponent, that’s it.”
Ciryl Gane’s Coach Has The Most Beef With Francis Ngannou
Gane and Ngannou used to train together at MMA Factory in France, and leaked sparring footage is part of what has caused a rift between Ngannou and his former coach, Fernand Lopez. In a variety of interviews, Lopez has attacked Ngannou’s character and added more spice to the buildup.
Ngannou has gone on the record saying he has no relationship with his former coach after allegedly being close for years. Lopez went as far as calling Ngannou a “f**king liar” over his denial of alleged Gane sabotage.
The speculation in regards to Ngannou and Lopez’s relationship began after the two sides had an awkward run-in backstage at UFC 268. While Ngannou and Gane have each denied that this fight isn’t personal for them, it’s hard to doubt that there won’t be a bit of extra motivation for each man to get their hand raised.
What is your prediction for Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane?
