Tomorrow afternoon the UFC returns to Paris and we will see a heavyweight showcase in the main event. Former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane (11-2) is back as he takes on the surging Serghei Spivak (16-3). This is a massive matchup for the heavyweight title picture.
For Serghei Spivak, he will be looking for the biggest win of his career and his fourth win in a row. The last time we saw him was earlier this year when he took on Derrick Lewis in a main event. Spivak mauled Lewis and choked him out in the first round. It was his third straight win all by finish. overall, he’s 6-1 in his last seven fights.
Ciryl Gane defeated Derrick lewis by third round TKO to win the interim title back in 2021. He then lost to Francis Ngannou for the undisputed title. Following that, he headlined the UFC’s first card in Paris last year and put on the best performance arguably of his career when he knocked out Tai Tuivasa.
That knockout win earned him a heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones. Unfortunately for Gane, he was taken down extremely fast in the first round and was submitted by Jones in just over two minutes. Now, he’s looking to make a statement and show that he deserves to be right in the mix for another title shot.
UFC Paris Prediction
This is the ultimate striker versus grappler matchup. In Gane you have one of the best strikers in the heavyweight division and with Spivak you have one of the best grapplers and finishers in the division. If you’re going off recent performances, you might be quick to pick Spivak.
Spivak has looked like a mauler as of late whereas Gane struggled with Jones and Francis Ngannou when it came to the grappling. However, I just don’t think Gane was prepared for the grappling of Ngannou and Jones closes the distance way better than Spivak does.
I actually like Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris. Spivak comes forward in a slightly clumsy way and I believe he’ll leave himself open for counters. He might get a takedown at some point in the first round, but in the second round, Bon Gamin will find his chin and put him away.
Prediction: Ciryl Gane by TKO – Round 2