UFC Paris: Ciryl Gane vs Tai Tuivasa preview

THE UFC heavyweight title picture will become a little clearer after the UFC lands in Paris, France for the very first time tomorrow night.

Parisian stylist Ciryl Gane takes on Australian KO king Tai Tuivasa in a totally engrossing and contrasting main event that pitches the #1 against #3 in the monster weight class.

With current UFC champion Francis Ngannou – who started his MMA journey in the gyms of the French capital – sat cageside, a truly life changing opportunity awaits the victor.

American grappler-puncher Curtis Blaydes put himself in pole position for the next title shot in July when his London showdown with Tom Aspinall ended prematurely after the Brit blew out his knee in the opening exchanges.

But the manner of the outcome left the door ajar for either Gane or Tuiivasa to leapfrog him with a sensational finish on Saturday night.

Of course, the spectre of Jon Jones – MMA’s GOAT (Greatest of all Time) – still casts a significant shadow over Ngannou’s next step, with talk of his long-awaited return and switch to heavyweight rumoured for December.

But right now those rumours are exactly that and more a far more likely next challenger seems to be either Blaydes or the tomorrow’s winner.

Gane, naturally, is the favourite. He went the distance with Ngannou in his last outing and, whilst that also brought his first career defeat (10-1), the Frenchman is improving at a rapid rate.

The #UFCParis main event is official ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/SZeQxqRYN6

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 2, 2022

One of the new generation of heavyweight – who move with the speed and agility of middleweights but the power of the big boys – Gane’s ascension to that of champion isn’t a case of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

However, I said a similar thing about Aspinall earlier in the summer and nobody could have predicted his body would let him down so dramatically. But this is MMA and anything can, and usually does, happen.

Tuivasa, 29, is from the inner suburbs of Sydney but currently based out of Dubai where he’s built a winning team around him.

After kicking off his UFC tenure with a 3-3 run of results, he’s won five straight – all knockouts, all quick and the last three with performance bonuses attached.

Winning is a habit in sports and Tuivasa has found the magic ingredient that’s transforming him from being a cult here to a genuine heavyweight contender.

All the focus will be on Gane, 32, after all he’s the poster boy of the event. But Tuivasa may not have the look of a champion, but has the heart and power to triumph over any kind of adversity.

Expect the big Aussie to start strong, cut down the cage and throw bombs on bombs. But if he’s not landed after 15 minutes, the final two rounds will be torture – especially against a technician like Gane.

With demand for tickets in Paris through the roof, the Accor Arena will be bouncing. But come that main event one big shot and you’ll be able to hear a pin drop.

TIP: Tuivasa by TKO Round 2 (24/1)