Cyril Gane, ranked No. 2 in the UFC Heavyweight Rankings, will face the No. 3 fighter, Alexander Volkov, on Saturday, December 7.
The Frenchman is aiming to stay relevant and potentially earn another shot at the UFC Heavyweight title. To achieve that, he must defeat the 6’7” Russian, who is on a quest for his fifth straight win.
Cyril Gane is renowned as one of the heavyweight division’s best strikers. A Muay Thai expert, he’s both powerful and fast. Gane holds a 12-2 record, with half of his wins coming by knockout or technical knockout.
His weakness lies in wrestling and grappling, which Francis Ngannou exploited in their 2022 title fight. After losing the striking battle, Ngannou switched to wrestling and won by decision.
Gane’s grappling let him down again in his second UFC Heavyweight title fight in 2023, when Jon Jones defeated him by submission in just 124 seconds.
However, Gane redeemed himself against Serghei Spivac last August. Spivac, known for his takedown prowess (4.63 TDs per fight), couldn’t take Gane down. Instead, “Bon Gamin” dominated with his striking, landing 109 punches and kicks while absorbing just 11 significant strikes. Will Gane replicate this performance against Volkov at UFC 310?
Alexander Volkov, standing three inches taller than Gane but with a one-inch shorter reach, might not have a significant size advantage in their upcoming bout. Nevertheless, Volkov has reasons to be confident.
A formidable striker with solid wrestling and grappling skills, Volkov utilized his BJJ expertise to defeat Tai Tuivasa last year with a second-round submission (Ezekiel choke).
Volkov’s boxing skills were also on display when he defeated Sergei Pavlovich, a fighter known for his high volume of significant strikes per minute. Volkov outperformed Pavlovich at his own game, landing nearly twice as many strikes.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: T-Mobile Arena in Paradise (Las Vegas), Nevada
- Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: PPV
Cyril Gane – 350
Alexander Volkov + 275
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, December 6, 2024
