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BBC Africa ran a story earlier today after being told by the UFC’s chief operating officer Lawrence Epstein the promotion aims to host an event in Africa sometime next year, with Senegal’s Dakar Arena the most likely destination. All things considered, how probable is this and will it live up to the billing?
Continue reading “UFC Africa: As Senegal is named frontrunner destination, how viable is this project in 2024?”
Regardless of the result from this weekend’s UFC 285 main event between former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane and a returning Jon Jones for the vacant title, Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick will still consider his charge Francis Ngannou the promotion’s undisputed champion. All things considered, it’s another defiant nudge during the biggest fight week for a while. Continue reading “Eric Nicksick’s reminder a sobering one before Jones-Gane at UFC 285 this weekend”
Former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane stayed composed and rallied from the first knockdown of his UFC career en route to a third-round TKO finish against Tai Tuivasa during a fun headliner, capping an electric Fight Night card in Paris leaving many talking points – including Robert Whittaker’s future after a masterful decision win over Marvin Vettori and Nassourdine Imavov now riding a three-fight win streak, what’s his next move at 185lbs? Continue reading “UFC Paris: Five things we learned from a memorable Fight Night card in new surroundings”
Messy and slow rather than the barnstormer both promised, Tyson Fury asserted full control early and retained his WBC heavyweight strap with a sixth-round TKO win over British rival Dillian Whyte as a record 94,000 crowd watched at Wembley. Afterwards, he insisted it’s now time to retire before leaving the door open for exhibition fights, like a hybrid matchup vs. UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou: who was among the interested audience ringside. Continue reading “Fury fires R6 uppercut to TKO Whyte, retains WBC belt again before retirement talk resumes”
After plenty of build-up, expectations and storylines aplenty, the first UFC PPV event of the new year didn’t disappoint. Deiveson Figueiredo regained his flyweight title in a competitive chess match with Brandon Moreno before Francis Ngannou fought through pre-existing knee injuries to make the first defence of his heavyweight strap against former training partner Ciryl Gane. Continue reading “UFC 270: Ngannou inflicts Gane’s first defeat, after Figueiredo regains flyweight strap”
The heavyweight champion makes his first title defence this weekend against a familiar foe, with a well-documented backstory and storyline that has plenty invested. Will interim titlist Gane – who knows him intimately – prove spoiler? Or can the Cameroonian reign supreme? Continue reading “UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane – Long-awaited heavyweight unification bout upon us”
Ahead of his first title defence against former training partner and interim titlist Ciryl Gane on January 22, UFC’s heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has stressed a need for there to be provisions allowing him to box professionally, if and when he agrees terms on a new deal with the promotion. While his wishes have been well-documented, this added noise helps no-one. Continue reading “Francis Ngannou’s desire for boxing clause in future UFC deal an unwelcome distraction”
Although he fell way short of his own sky-high expectations against Ciryl Gane for interim gold in August, Derrick Lewis wants to end 2021 by righting that wrong against soaring heavyweight contender Chris Daukaus set for his first main event this weekend. Continue reading “Daukaus-Lewis a classic matchup between rising contender and dangerous veteran”
After earning fast finishes against Jake Collier, Alan Baudot, former champion Andrei Arlovski and most recently Sergey Spivak in his first four UFC appearances since debuting last July, there’s a clamour from many to witness Britain’s Tom Aspinall face much tougher opposition in a division lacking true prospects. Currently ranked #11, he doesn’t see the need to rush. Continue reading “No rush: UFC heavyweight prospect Tom Aspinall happy for gradual growth”
Ciryl Gane (#3) improved to 10-0 after another impressive win – this time in enemy territory from Houston’s Toyota Center – blasting Derrick Lewis (#2) with a third-round TKO finish to seize the UFC’s interim heavyweight title. Beforehand, there were impressive victories for a determined bantamweight contender in Jose Aldo as well as welterweight title hopeful Vicente Luque.
Continue reading “UFC 265: Gane outclasses Lewis with R3 TKO, becomes new interim HW champion”
Ahead of their interim heavyweight title fight headliner at this weekend’s UFC 265 PPV, Derrick Lewis (#2) and Ciryl Gane (#3) have previewed an intriguing matchup that could either be a boring 25-minute affair or live up to the billing: one of the pair landing a devastating knockout.
Continue reading “UFC 265: Derrick Lewis, Ciryl Gane preview their interim heavyweight title fight”
After five tests of increasing difficulty, Ciryl Gane knew the Volkov challenge was a necessary litmus test to see whether he was more than the UFC’s rapidly-growing hype machine. During an entertaining striking battle, the Frenchman passed with flying colours and won all five rounds on two of the three judges’ scorecards, before eyeing a title shot vs. Francis Ngannou. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 30: Composed Ciryl Gane passes Alexander Volkov test, remains unbeaten”
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