Paris, France – Fresh off a second round TKO finish in the main event of UFC Paris on Saturday heavyweight Ciryl Gane reiterated his goal to fight his way back to a title shot in a top-heavy division.
“That was my mission to (shine) tonight because I want to go back to the belt. This is my race, and I want to do that,” Gane told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.
Gane (12-2) was coming off a loss to heavyweight champion Jon Jones in which he was taken down and submitted within a couple minutes of the first round. The loss had fans doubting whether or not Gane has what it takes to become champion, but proving them wrong wasn’t the motivation for the heavyweight.
“It was not really important. That’s not a good word, but just to fix it. Just to fix the situation. It was a mistake, it was not me, I know my coach and all of my opponents know that,” he told Cageside Press of the performance against Jones.
“I was not (there) in that last fight. Today I was really here, really aware, and I proved it and we did it.”
The entire night was electric from start to finish, specially for the French fighters, but nothing topped Gane being sang out to the octagon while chanting his name. It was a special moment for Gane, but also for the rest of the French fighting on the card.
“Really special,” he said. “I’m so proud of my crowd. This is a big message not only for the fans, also for the UFC, the staff of the UFC.”
Moving forward Gane remains a top ranked heavyweight, but with the title on the line later this year between Jones and former champion Stipe Miocic, he finds himself in a bit of a holding pattern.
“The division now you see it’s not easy to manage this division for real. This is a new era for the heavyweight division,” said Gane.
“You have some big movement. We’re waiting for a big title fight with two GOATS, maybe (they’re) going to retire, so for me the good way is to go back. It was my mission tonight to (shine), to prove I’m still here, and I want to go back to the belt. So we will see.”
In terms of who he would want to face for the title Gane gave the fighter’s answer.
“No matter where, no matter who,” he said.
“I just want to go back to the belt.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Ciryl Gane above.
