FRANCIS NGANNOU successfully defended his heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Ciryl Gane in a huge title fight at UFC 270.
And in the co-main event of the evening, Deiveson Figueiredo reclaimed the flyweight title throne with a decision victory in a thrilling trilogy fight with Brandon Moreno.
Boxing on the mind
Following his decision victory over Ciryl Gane, Francis Ngannou made it clear that he’s not given up his dream of boxing professionally.
He told Joe Rogan: “As I always say, boxing is always in the back of my pocket. It’s something that I must do before the end of my career!
“And right now, I’m really looking towards any opportunity to get that because it’s not like I had a lifetime here.
“So I better start thinking about it.”
- Gane speaksA cresftallen Gane told UFC commentator Joe Rogan: “I’m so sorry for today.”Congratulations to Francis. He did very well. I’m a little bit sad but it’s a good experience.”
- Ngannou retains the titleFrancis Ngannou is still the UFC heavyweight champion following a unanimous decision victory over Ciryl Gane.The judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47, 48-46 in his favour.First title defence in the books for The Predator.
- Ngannou vs Gane – Round FiveA final glove touch and they’re off. Gane is opening up more with his punches and elbows.A lead elbow lands for the Frenchman. Gane backs the champ up with a good combination.Takedown for Gane and Ngannou is on his back. But he’s refusing to accept the position.Gane went for a heel hook and has given up position. But he’s got it again.Gane is refusing to give up the hold. But he loses position and is now dealing with Ngannou in full mount.Gane is desperately trying to get back to his feet but is meeting a brick wall in Ngannou’s top pressure.The horn goes and they go the distance.
- Ngannou vs Gane – Round FourGane lands a nice teep to the body of the tired Ngannou to open the round. Gane continues to chip away at the lead leg and stay light on his feet.Bon Gamin lands another front kick to the chest seconds before Ngannou initiates a clinch.Another takedown. for the champion, who is doing well to hold down his former training partner.Gane gets back to his feet but is quickly dragged back down. Ngannou almost transitions to the mount but Gane shows good defensive prowess to avoid the bad position.Ciryl scoots back to the cage fence but eats a knee to the chest for his troubles. The horn goes.The score is 2-2 in my book, so it’s to fight for in round five.
- Ngannou vs Gane – Round ThreeNgannou needs figure out a way to close the distance to land his big shots. A big uppercut lands for the champion.Ngannou catches a body kick and sends Gane to the canvas with a HUGE power slam.The Predator moves into side control but is scrambling out of position. Ngannou briefly takes the back but Gane manages to get back to his feet.Ngannou briefly grounds the fight with a hip toss but Gane pops right back up.Gane cracks Ngannou with a huge elbow on the break.A high kick grazes the chin of Ngannou who responds by taking down his old pal.Gane goes for a kimura but Ngannou is wise to it. He rides out the round in front control against the cage
Ngannou vs Gane – Round Two
Another touch of gloves kicks off the round. Gane is more than happy to operate on the outside and allow a slow-looking Ngannou to plod forward.
Gane peepers the lead leg with kicks. But he gets cracked with a good shot coming in.
Gane clips the champ with a right hand after landing a body kick. Ngannou swings and missed with a huge overhand right. They clinch again before Gane pushes him off.
Spinning heel kick connects for Gane and draws a huge pop from the crowd.
Gane is playing with Ngannou at range is only in danger when he recklessly enters.
Ngannou lands a body kick from the southpaw stance. Ngannou checks a body kick before the horn.
- Ngannou vs Gane – Round OneThey touch gloves and Ngannou takes the centre of the cage. Gane is light on his feet and shocks the crowd by shooting for a takedown.They clinch against the fence and Ngannou lands a nice knee. They break and Gane is back on the back foot.Ngannou eats a body kick but closes the distance and clinches the Frenchman.They exchange strikes in the clinch, where Gane lands a nice elbow.Ngannou lands a nice uppercut in tight but Gane takes it partially on the gloves.Gane is showing good evasiveness so far. Spinning back kick lands for Gane. A nice knee to the body lands for the interim champ.Ngannou misses with a wild overhand right hand. Ngannou initiates a clinch up against the fence and lands a good knee before Gane reverses position.Gane returns the favour before they break. Ngannou is breathing heavily as the buzzer goes.
- Spar warsWe’ll soon see if there was much to the footage of former MMA Factory training partners Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane.But as the old saying goes: sparring is one thing, fighting is another.
The big one is almost upon us
Right, folks, We’re moments away from the eagerly-anticipated heavyweight title unification bout.
Undisputed champion Francis Ngannou and interim titleholder Ciryl Gane are set to throw down for all the marbles.
It won’t be long until we see which one of these former team-mates will have their hand raised.
- Run it back againThat fight, like their previous two, was an absolute barnburner. It was a very close one and could have gone either way.I want them to run it back again. And the UFC brass will no doubt want to too.
- And new!!Deiveson Figueiredo reclaims the UFC flyweight title courtesy of a unanimous decision victory in his trilogy fight with Brandon Moreno.All three judges scored it 48-47 in his favour.That’s one win apiece for the pair, who will more than likely run it back again.
- Moreno vs Figuieredo – Round FiveNo glove touch after the restart. Moreno works hard for a takedown and gets his man down on the canvas.Figueiredo gets right back, though, and is going back to work on Moreno’s lead leg.Figueiredo lands a good left hook and follows up with a nice right hand.Moreno lands a hook of his own.A big right hand briefly sits Moreno down. But Moreno pops back up and lands a head kick.Both men being cautious in the final minutes, perhaps aware of what’s at stake if they lose an exchange.Moreno gets stung with three big right hands. An insane exchange ensues and Figueiredo eats several shots his corner will be fuming with.Both men get a huge ovation as the fight goes to the judges.
- Moreno vs Figuieredo – Round FourAnother outside leg kick from Figueiredo hurts Moreno, whose movement is compromised.Moreno’s lead leg is badly swollen and is limiting his pressure. But he has no trouble throwing it.Figueiredo closes the distance and presses the champion up against the fence with double underhooks on the back.They separate and trade heavy leather on the break.
- Moreno vs Figuieredo – Round ThreeFigueiredo returns to the calf kick well immediately after the restart. Moreno gets taken down after a reckless running knee attempt.But he’s only down briefly as he works his way back up to his feet.Another calf kick lands for Figueiredo. Figueiredo drops Moreno with a good check left hook.Another check left stuns the champion, but he rocks Figueiredo with his own.Calf kick drops Moreno, whose movement appears to be compromised.But as I say that, he presses forward and lands a nice left hand. They trade left hooks. A good straight right lands for Figueiredo.Moreno gets dropped with a huge right hand and gets caught in a guillotine seconds before the horn.
- Moreno vs Figuieredo – Round TwoNow feeling out process in the second as Figueiredo looks to get the fight to the ground but Moreno stuffs the attempt.Another calf kick lands for Figueiredo. Moreno returns fire with one of his own.A crazy scramble ensures after Figueiredo misses with a spinning back kick to the body.Moreno lands a good one-two flush on Figueiredo’s chin. Moreno punctuates a nice three-punch combo with a left hook.Figueiredo drops for a takedown but is unsuccessful. They trade heavy leather and Moreno lands a big left hook.A big right hand stuns Moreno, but the champ bounces back with a nice two-punch combo that briefly wobbles Moreno.They trade and miss high kicks before the buzzer.
- Moreno vs Figuieredo – Round OneFigueiredo looks to feint his way in early as Moreno looks to get ready on him.The former champ misses with two leg kicks and gets rushed by Moreno after the second.Moreno has Figuieredoup against the fence and is looking to fight off a single underhook.Good reversal from Figueiredo, although he seems to be stalling and waiting for a separation.They separate and are back to feinting. Figueiredo drops the champ with a calf kick.Another calf kick lands for Figueiredo. who narrowly escapes a one-two combo.Figueiredo eats a big right hand after landing another low calf kick. The God of War dives under a right hand from Moreno and secures a takedown.But he loses the hooks during a transition and they’re back to the centre of the cage.A right hand lands for Figueiredo, who follows up with a steep before the buzzer.
- Co-main event timeUp next is the eagerly-anticipated trilogy fight between Deiveson Figuieredo and Brandon Moreno.Brazilian Figuieredo will bid to reclaim the flyweight belt he lost to Moreno last June.Will it be a repeat of their UFC 263 showdown or will Figueiredo exact his revenge. We’ll soon find out.
Pereira’s win streak continues
Michel Pereira defeats Andre Fialho via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the contest 29-28 in his favour.
That’s four wins on the trot for the Brazilian, who will be hoping to re-book his cancelled bout with Muslim Salikhov.
Pereira vs Fialho – Round Three
Pereira lands a good combination early in the stanza. Fialho comes forward but eats a big overhand right.
A nice check hook lands for Pereira, who follows up with a nice combination.
Fialho is showing such a limited attack as he looks to close the distance, which is to his detriment.
Pereira is starting to slow down but is still landing shots. Fialho is still in the Brazilian’s face but is showing now versatility.
Pereira accidentally lands a front kick to the groin of Fialho and the action is paused.
The action resumes. The swing for the fences before the horn goes. We go to the judge’s scorecards.
Pereira vs Fialho – Round Two
Fialho is continuing to pour on the pressure but eats a big right hand from Pereira.
Pereira lands another big straight right hand and tries to close the show with two big flying knees.
Fialho returns fire with a big left hand. A hard teep to the body pushes Fialho back.
Pereira narrowly misses with a rolling thunder kick. Pereira is investing heavily in the body now.
Pereira tries another flying knee but it’s blocked. They briefly clinch. Pereira misses with a wild spinning wheel kick before landing another good front kick to the body.
Pereira lands good knees to the body in the clunch. The Brazilian is now the aggressor.
Another front kick lands to the body from Peierea, who follows up with a big right hand.
Takedown for Pereira, but he’s unable to do anything before the end of the round.
- Pereira vs Fialho – Round OnePereira doesn’t start with a wild strike, which is very unlike him. Instead, it’s Fialho who throws a wild spinning kick that misses its target.Pereira lands a couple of good front kicks to the body.Superman punch attempt from Pereira misses. Fialho is continuing to pour on the pressure but is now being conservative with his strikes.Stiff jab puts Pereira back on his heels but he recovers quickly.A nice low kick lands for Pereira, who lands a good overhand right a few moments later.Fialho cracks a retreating Pereira with. a good combination up against the fence.Pereira misses with a flying knee and is once again on the back foot. Takedown attempt for Pereira is stuffed.A nice straight right hand lands for Pereira. The Brazilian slips after trying to throw a flying knee and lands on his back.Fialho jumps into his guard but is unable to land any meaningful shots before the horn.
- More welterweights to comeUp next is another 170lbs showdown in the former of Michel Pereira and Andre Fialho.Fialho will be making his UFC debut following four wins on the bounce in the regional circuit.Brazilian Pereira is known for his high-flying and flashy antics. No doubt we’ll see some of them soon.
- UFC 270 – Ngannou vs Gane LIVE REACTION: Ngannou calls for boxing bout after WIN, Figueiredo edges Moreno – latest (thesun.co.uk)