Sport
UFC 270 preview: Ngannou squares off with Gane for heavyweight title
The first UFC pay-per-view of 2022 takes centre stage this weekend as heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou faces off against unbeaten interim belt keeper Ciryl Gane in a title clash for the ages.
Before that, however, we’re treated to a tasty trilogy bout between flyweight champ Brandon Moreno and former belt holder Deiveson Figueiredo.
We’ve previewed the main event and co-main below.
Francis Ngannou v Ciryl Gane
This is a meeting of the two best heavyweights in the world right now – and we cannot wait for it to get cracking.
Francis Ngannou has been on a tear, winning five straight bouts and answering every question there was about him in his championship-sealing effort against Stipe Miocic last March. He showed improved patience and a more diverse attacking arsenal, as well as strong takedown defence and the trademark power that has been the hallmark of his whole career to date.
Ngannou is available at 6/5 to win outright and has been enhanced from 13/10 to 6/4 to make it yet another KO/TKO victory.
Ciryl Gane’s head coach Fernand Lopez was the man who guided Ngannou at the start of his career, but the pair soon had a falling out soon after “The Predator” moved to the US full-time. That wound still seems unhealed, as evident by Ngannou walking by Lopez, Gane, and Nassourdine Imavov backstage at UFC 268 without offering his former team so much as a nod.
Last year saw Gane earn three more victories to push his record to 10-0 overall, while claiming the interim heavyweight title with a third-round stoppage win over Derrick Lewis on the road in Houston. “Bon Gamin” is smooth and fluid, exhibiting the ability to work at a steady clip for 25 minutes if needed, and possesses a wide range of skills to take advantage of at any given opportunity.
You can find Gane at 4/6 to continue his winning ways and emerge as the undisputed heavyweight champion, and he is 11/4 from 12/5 to find a finish on the night.
Brandon Moreno v Deiveson Figueiredo
Brandon Moreno entered as the challenger in each of the first two meetings between these two but arrives as the champion here after becoming the first Mexican-born title holder, with a dominant third-round submission win last time out.
He clearly studied their first encounter and made the necessary adjustments; working behind his hands, staying tight and really taking the fight to Deiveson Figueiredo without letting himself over-extend.
Now boasting five wins from his last seven fights – which includes two draws – “The Baby Assassin” enters this bout as the 8/15 favourite and has been enhanced from 3/1 to 7/2 to retain his belt via submission stoppage, just like last time out.After a six-fight run where he looked poised to dominate the division for a considerable amount of time, Figueiredo came out flat in last summer’s sequel.
Whether it was just a bad night or the impact of another tough weight cut, “Deus de Guerra” wasn’t himself, and will need to remedy that if he wants to get back to the top of the division this weekend.
After battling to a majority draw in December 2019, most believed Figueiredo would earn a clear victory in the rematch, since a point deduction was the only reason things ended level the first time around.
So you can always expect Figueiredo to bring the heat. He is 6/4 for the outright victory and is boosted to 5/1 to enact his revenge via KO/TKO/DQ.
