UFC 265 features a interim heavyweight title fight between Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane. Though fans were expecting a rematch between Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis the fight could not come to fruition as Ngannou was not ready to accept the fight for UFC 265.
And UFC needed a big main event. Props have to be given to Derrick Lewis who risked his shot at the undisputed heavyweight title and agreed to fight an extremely dangerous opponent in Ciryl Gane.
Ciryl Gane has shocked the fans with his striking prowess. Many fans have criticized him because he is not a traditional heavyweight who is finishing fights in style. But, he might just be the best striker we have ever seen in the UFC heavyweight division.
And on the other hand, we have the most decorated knock-out artist in UFC history in Derrick Lewis who has 20 knockouts on his resume. So fans can expect a nerve-wracking contest in this fight.
Also Read: Why is Derrick Lewis called Black Beast?
Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane stats:
Derrick Lewis:
Wins/Losses- 25/7
Knockouts-20
Height/Reach- 6 ft 3 inches/ 79 inches
Striking Accuracy- 50%
Significant wins in UFC- Alexander Volkov, Curtis Blaydes, Francis Ngannou, Blagoy Ivanov, Travis Brown
Ciryl Gane:
Wins/Losses-9/0
Knockouts- 3
Height/Reach- 6 ft 4 inches/ 81 inches
Striking Accuracy- 54%
Significant wins in UFC- Alexander Volkov, Junior Dos Santos, Jairzinhio Rozenstruik
Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane prediction:
Derrick Lewis’ frightening Knock Out power
It’s never easy to predict a fight that has Derrick Lewis in it. His ability to finish a fight at any moment makes him one of the most unpredictable fighters in UFC.
Derrick Lewis might be losing the entire fight up until the final minute of the fight where he would get a KO to win out of nowhere. He got dominated in his fight against Alexander Volkov and yet finished the fight with only seconds remaining on the clock.
Curtis Blaydes outnumbered him in striking and Lewis barely landed any significant strike. But, Blaydes landed an uppercut in round two and the fight was over. Often you think Lewis is losing a fight until he lands the knock-out blow.
However, Derrick Lewis has certainly evolved ever since his loss to Daniel Cormier and Junior Dos Santos. He is more durable now after focusing more on his diet and training. He does not have his infamous back problem anymore which helps his performance in the octagon as well. He has also been patient in his recent fight instead of just going for the knockout. However, he is still not as skilled as Ciryl Gane.
Also Read: What is the meaning behind Ciryl Gane’s nickname?
Ciryl Gane’s spectacular striking
Ciryl Gane’s striking is extremely impressive when you think about his size and weight. It’s hard to think of a heavyweight who can move like him, switch stances, throw leg kicks, manage the distance with his stinging jabs and body kicks. He is a complete striker in the heavyweight division.
He also has a good ground game but it will not be a smart idea for Gane to have a wrestling-heavy approach against Lewis especially in the early part of the fight.
Ciryl Gane is likely to use his kicks and jabs and pick apart Derrick Lewis from the distance. He can use his footwork and avoid the power shots from Lewis, which is not going to be easy as Lewis will come like a freight train to hit him. But, Gane’s footwork and fight IQ should keep him safe. And his jabs and leg kicks will do some serious damage against Lewis.
Both these fighters have two common opponents, Alexander Volkov and Junior Dos Santos. Lewis lost to both of them and those fights were predominantly striking battles. However, Ciryl Gane beat both Volkov and JDS.
It should also be considered that Ciryl Gane defeated a much better version of Alexander Volkov while Lewis got outclassed in his fight against Volkov. In every aspect of the fight game, Ciryl Gane is a better fighter than Derrick Lewis.
However, Derrick Lewis has the great equalizer in his hands. He is also durable and can withstand a huge amount of punishment in a fight. Finishing him won’t be an easy task for Ciryl Gane.
Derrick Lewis has also shown better ground game and wrestling defense in his last few fights. Lewis is a much better fighter now than when he was during the title fight against Daniel Cormier. However, Ciryl Gane should win this fight via a late-round TKO. There is always a possibility that Derrick Lewis will knock out any opponent inside the UFC octagon but Ciryl Gane should be the favorite going into the fight.
In fact, stylistically Ciryl Gane is a worse matchup for Derrick Lewis than Francis Ngannou.
Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane prediction: Ciryl Gane by late-round TKO