Ciryl Gane Said Sparring Clip With Francis Ngannou Made Him ‘Look Good’

Recently released sparring film from Ciryl Gane and Francis Ngannou’s time together at France’s MMA Factory has fueled imagination on how the fight would unfold.

Ngannou recently expressed his disgust with the leaked tapes, implying that the film made Gane appear better than he is. Gane responded to Ngannou’s in a recent interview with French publication La Sueur.

“It’s true that in that clip – I’m not going to lie – it was a soft sparring and I could confidently develop my game,” Gane said.

“There were other sparring sessions where he [Francis Ngannou] had more the edge. One time it was me, one time it was him. To say that he was far ahead, no, it’s not necessarily true. But it’s true that this particular clip made me look good.”

Although Gane and Ngannou appear to appreciate one another ahead of their encounter, there has been friction between the two teams. Ngannou and Gane also had an unpleasant backstage encounter at UFC 268.

Ngannou has a strained relationship with his old coach, Fernand Lopez, who has guided Gane to the top of the heavyweight category. Lopez accused Ngannou of being a lousy teammate at MMA Factory and neglecting to pay an annual fee to train there.

Gane will compete for the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight championship against Ngannou at UFC 270. As the promotion’s first pay-per-view main event of 2022, the heavyweight dogfight will help kick off the new year.