Ciryl Gane
Vitals
The Read
Gane is the most polished pure striker in the heavyweight division, a former Muay Thai standout whose game is built on length, feints and lateral movement rather than raw power. At 6'4" with an 81-inch reach he works at range behind a probing jab and low kicks, circling constantly to keep opponents reaching — and the numbers back it up: 5.29 significant strikes landed per minute against just 2.33 absorbed. When the fight stays on the feet and at distance, few heavyweights can touch him.
Both of his losses came in heavyweight title fights, and both exposed the same gap. Francis Ngannou out-wrestled him over five rounds at UFC 270, and Jon Jones took him down and submitted him with a guillotine in just over two minutes at UFC 285. His most recent outing — a title shot against undisputed champion Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 — ended as a no contest after an accidental eye poke, leaving him without a decisive result in over a year. Against Pereira he finally meets an opponent who won't try to drag him down; the read is whether his volume and footwork can bank rounds before Pereira's one-shot power finds him.
Next Fight
Record
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NC
vs Tom AspinallNo contest (accidental eye poke) · R1 4:35
UFC 321
25 Oct 2025
25 Oct 2025
Gane challenged undisputed champion Tom Aspinall for the heavyweight title in Abu Dhabi. Late in a competitive opening round, Gane reached out with an open hand while throwing a kick and poked Aspinall in both eyes. Aspinall could not see out of his right eye, and the bout was waved off as a no contest at 4:35 of round one.
Key moments
- A competitive opening round between two elite strikers.
- An accidental double eye poke in the closing seconds of round one.
- Aspinall could not continue; the bout was ruled a no contest.
- Left Gane without a decisive result and in line for a rebooking.
Win
vs Alexander VolkovDecision (split) · R3
UFC 310
7 Dec 2024
7 Dec 2024
In a rematch of their 2021 bout, Gane edged Volkov on a controversial split decision. He led in significant strikes and scored two takedowns, but Volkov out-landed him in total strikes and controlled more time late, making the verdict a contentious one.
Key moments
- Gane swept the first round on all three cards.
- Volkov took the third and out-grappled Gane down the stretch.
- The split-decision verdict drew heavy criticism.
- Gane's first win after the Jon Jones loss.
Win
vs Serghei SpivacTKO (punches) · R2 3:44
UFC Paris
2 Sep 2023
2 Sep 2023
Headlining in Paris, Gane bounced back from the Jones loss with a dominant striking performance. He picked Spivac apart at range, dropped him and finished with ground strikes in the second round to reassert himself as a top contender.
Key moments
- Controlled distance against a grappling-first opponent.
- Dropped Spivac and finished with ground-and-pound.
- Second-round TKO in front of a home crowd.
Loss
vs Jon JonesSubmission (guillotine) · R1 2:04
UFC 285
4 Mar 2023
4 Mar 2023
Gane met Jon Jones for the vacant heavyweight title in Jones' debut at the weight. Jones closed the distance almost immediately, took Gane down and locked up a guillotine choke, forcing the tap just over two minutes into the first round.
Key moments
- Jones shot in early and dragged the fight to the mat.
- Gane had no answer for the wrestling exchange.
- Tapped to a guillotine at 2:04 of round one.
Win
vs Tai TuivasaKO (punches) · R3 4:23
UFC Paris
3 Sep 2022
3 Sep 2022
Headlining the first UFC card in Paris, Gane survived an early scare — Tuivasa rocked him in the first round — before settling into his rhythm. He took over with volume striking and finished Tuivasa with strikes in the third round to rebound from his title loss to Ngannou.
Key moments
- Tuivasa hurt Gane early in round one.
- Gane regrouped and out-struck Tuivasa over the next two rounds.
- Third-round KO in front of a roaring Paris crowd.
Signature Finishes
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