“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” The maxim of Benjamin Franklin echoes through time.
As United States’ minister in France, Franklin brought the French into the war against the British in 1778. Three years later, America had won its War of Independence from colonial rule.
They are words Ciryl Gane adheres to. Franklin’s words are as prescient now as they were then. French flair is being called on to curtail the rampant rule of the British. Gane, the modern-day cavalier, answering the call to stop the unrelenting war machine Tom Aspinall.
A seven-month training camp is excessive by any standard, but one Gane believes necessary for overcoming the formidable challenge of Aspinall. The Englishman puts his UFC heavyweight championship belt on the line against Gane in the main event at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25.
“We started training in March,” a jovial but utterly exhausted Gane tells The National after a workout at Tripl3 Gym in Dubai, where he has set up camp to fine-tune his preparations for fight night.
“We have had a lot of sparring partners, a lot of different skillsets. We’ve had a boxing guy, a kickboxing guy from Glory, UFC guys. Today we’ve been with guys with a high-level ground game. I’ve brought in an Olympic wrestler to help with training. [As a team] We’ve really grown up in every department, not only on the wrestling game and the ground game, but everywhere.”
Gane knows the perils of being undercooked when facing the best only too well. In 2023, he agreed to fight Jon Jones, already the greatest light heavyweight in MMA history, for the vacant heavyweight championship.
Gane took the fight at short notice. Jones had been absent from the octagon for over three years and was stepping up a division. Ring rust didn’t come into the equation – Jones submitted Gane via guillotine choke in a shade over two minutes to become a two-weight world champion.
“Unfortunately, I made a mistake against Jon Jones. Not only during the fight, I accepted it [the fight] only four weeks [notice], so I was not properly prepared. I tried to do my best, but my preparation was nowhere near long enough.”
Many would have been scarred by the manner of the defeat. For Gane, it was a learning curve.
“I learnt a lot from this fight. I learnt not just about this sport, but also about the lifestyle, the mindset – everything changed for me after this fight. I grew up.”
What changed specifically? “The mindset, definitely. I do this for me. I have a target: get the belt. I’m not focused on social media, the people outside talking about me. I focus on my family, my friends, my team, my goal, my target, and training, training, training.”
Twice Gane has fought for the undisputed heavyweight title and came up short both times. He was dominated by Francis Ngannou for most of the five rounds at UFC 270 before tapping out to Jones at UFC 285.
Both Ngannou and Jones are out of the picture now, Ngannou signing on with the Professional Fighters’ League soon after beating Gane and Jones retiring earlier this year.
Filling the void now is the obscenely talented Aspinall, who was anointed the division’s undisputed champion following Jones’ decision to call it a day.
Aspinall’s attributes are many; bulk, speed, dynamite in both hands and one of the most accomplished ground games in the sport. There are few chinks in his armour, and those in the know predict a dominant run as the division’s top dog for the Englishman.
But the threat Gane poses cannot be dismissed. The Frenchman is unique in that he has the build of a heavyweight but moves like a middleweight. A bulldozing ballerina, if you like. If Aspinall has the edge on the ground and arguably with his fists, Gane’s elite-level kickboxing background makes him just as much of a threat on the feet.
“Aspinall is really well-rounded. I have said for a long time that Tom Aspinall is the new generation. When I arrived [in the UFC] I was the new generation also. How I’m going to win this fight? I’m not going to give away my game plan. He’s got his strengths, I’ve got mine. I’m really only focused on mine and I’m going to do my best to win this fight.”
When asked the areas he feels he does have the advantage over Aspinall, whose record stands at 15 wins against three losses, Gane replies: “Everybody knows my strengths already: I can move very well, I can manage distance, my striking is high level and so I’m going to manage all this during the fight.”
Since losing to Jones, Gane has wins over Serghei Spivac and Alexander Volkov. The latter was fiercely disputed, with many observers believing Volkov came out on the wrong side of a split decision. UFC president Dana White even apologised to the Russian after the fight. Gane claimed to have suffered broken toes in the opening round, and was so disappointed with his performance he initially refused his post-fight interview before being coerced back into the octagon.
But as he is put through a brutal regimen in Dubai, grappling with the likes of Reug Reug, the ONE FC heavyweight champion, among others, it is clear no stone is being left unturned as he prepares for his third crack at undisputed UFC gold.
Though confident he has the tools to take Aspinall down, Gane (13 wins, 2 losses) does not see the fight as his last shot at redemption. “Now or never? No, no. I am 35, still young,” he jokes.
Aspinall is no stranger to Abu Dhabi; his first two fights with the world’s lead MMA promotion were in the UAE capital, both victories. For Gane, UFC 321 will be his debut on these shores. He says he has been surprised by the warm reception he has received, and he plans to put on a show for his fans on October 25.
For Gane, UFC 321 is not simply another title shot, but the culmination of lessons learnt, scars endured and sacrifices made. The body is sharp, the mind clear. Against Aspinall, the Frenchman knows he is walking into the fire – but this time, he is armed with preparation, conviction and the belief that the belt is finally within reach.
