Ciryl Gane has emerged as a leading figure in French MMA, a significant achievement given that the sport was previously banned in his home country.
Gane is set to face Alexander Volkov in a rematch this Saturday at UFC 310, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This bout represents a pivotal moment for Gane as he looks to solidify his standing in the heavyweight division.
“Bon Gamin” began his MMA career with a stellar 10-1 record, becoming interim UFC heavyweight champion before challenging Francis Ngannou for undisputed status at UFC 270, where he suffered a decision loss. His second title shot came at UFC 285, where he was submitted by Jon Jones in the opening round. Despite these setbacks, Gane remains a top contender in the division.
In a recent vlog by Red Corner MMA ahead of his return, Gane revealed that his journey into combat sports was inspired by boxing superstar Anthony Joshua.
“When I started doing Muay Thai, I remember I did exactly the same [as] Anthony Joshua,” he shared. “Like, ‘Damn, this guy is so f***ing good! I want to be like him!’ I remember saying… ‘Okay, let me do some push-ups like this! I want to be like him!’ It was a motivation, and everybody needs that, to have a target.”
Interestingly, Joshua recently suffered a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, and his next fight remains unconfirmed. As Gane prepares for his next challenge, his story highlights how inspiration from sports icons can fuel the rise of new stars in other disciplines.
