Ciryl Gane issues statement after beating “a legend and someone I deeply respect”

Surging UFC heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane has issued a statement after defeating former heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos at UFC 256 last weekend.

France’s Gane and Brazil’s dos Santos collided in the event’s pay-per-view opener, and the Frenchman could not have looked much more impressive. After softening the former heavyweight champion up with kicks in round one, he sealed the deal in round two, vanquishing his foe with an elbow to the temple.

On the surface, this was easily the biggest victory of Gane’s career to date. Yet it was also a significant one because it marked his first fight since December, 2019 thanks to an injury and a procession of cancelled fights.

After this impressive stoppage win, Gane took to Instagram where he issued a brief but classy post-fight statement.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Real.C “BON GAMIN” (@ciryl_gane)

“Thank you everybody,” Gane wrote. “What a year it’s been. 5 fights cancelled, 4 different opponents, a very serious injury, a year without entering the cage, but finally… At the end of this first journey, a fight, and a win, against a legend and someone I deeply respect.

“I would like to thank my team at @mma_factory_paris and @managementfactory, my head-coach @fernand_lopez for the gameplan and for keeping me evolving, @sarfati.benjamin and @alan_baudot_mma for the coaching and for helping me throughout the week, thank you to anyone that helped me and reached out, and finally a HUGE thank you to the fans,” Gane concluded. See you soon, let’s keep climbing.”

With his victory over Junior dos Santos, Ciryl Gane is now a perfect 7-0 as a professional mixed martial artist. His four most recent wins have all occurred in the UFC’s Octagon, where he’s also beaten Tanner Boser, Don’Tale Mayes, and Raphael Pessoa. Prior to joining the UFC roster, the Frenchman reigned as the TKO heavyweight champion in Quebec, a French-speaking region of Canada.

What do you think is next for Ciryl Gane after UFC 256?