UFC Paris: Gane vs. Tuivasa Preview and Prediction

Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa headline the UFC Paris. The two heavyweights who are currently among the best in the division compete in the City of Light at the Accor Arena. This is the first battle for Gane following his loss in the title fight against Ngannou. Tuivasa is after his sixth consecutive win and the one which will for sure provide him a shot at the belt. The Aussie has been on fire lately, and he wants to use the momentum.

Preview

Ciryl Gane (-600) (10-1) lost to Ngannou at the UFC 270 via unanimous decision. The reason for the loss was grappling and wrestling, with Ngannou completely stunning his rival and taking the battle to the mat. It is the only place where Gane isn’t able to control the pace and the rhythm.

The French fighter has superb Muay Thai knowledge and uses both his legs and hands very well, keeping the rival at a distance. Gane’s tremendous power helps him rebuff all the takedown attempts or clinch issues, and his superb cardio is yet another reason why he managed to reach the championship fight after just ten battles.

Gane holds wins over Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Alexander Volkov and Derrick Lewis. He went to distance three times, winning twice against Rozenstruik and Volkov, while losing to Ngannou. Four of his victories were by KO and three by submission.

Tai Tuivasa (+400) (14-3) had an explosive rise in the last two years. The Aussie had three losses in a row, the previous to Sergey Spivak in October 2020. He would then beat Struve, Hunsucker, Hardy, Sakai and Derrick Lewis, all via KO, three of them in the opening round.

Tuivasa isn’t looking athletic at all, but his explosiveness and punching power are a winning combination. The way he bursts and the volume of shots he unleashes on the rivals in stunning, so it is no wonder why this guy jumped all the way to place No.3 in the heavyweight standings.

In 17 fights, he had 14 wins, 13 of them by a KO and only one after a decision. On the other side, Tuivasa has one loss by KO, submission and decision. His cardio is a big enigma because we didn’t see him going to distance often, only twice in his life. Even though he significantly improved, a lot of doubts surround the Aussie.

Prediction

Tuivasa is one hell of a puncher, but Gane knows how to handle guys like him. The Frenchman will keep the distance with leg checks and jabs, and, whenever possible, try to hit and prevent any initiative coming from the other side. Gane is a very stubborn and disciplined fighter, and that’s why his bouts are usually very dull and unattractive, but he gets the desired result in the end.

The former challenger is more versatile in the octagon and has a much wider arsenal of weapons, which is why we expect him to beat Tuivasa, probably via a late KO in the fourth or fifth round. His cardio will solve this event.

Pick: Gane -600