5 important things we learned from UFC 265: Ciryl Gane vs. Derrick Lewis

#2. Derrick Lewis reached his ceiling at UFC 265

UFC 265: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane

UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis was never really a well-rounded fighter like some of his contemporaries. Just the same, 'The Black Beast' literally punched his way to the top of the heavyweight division, earning an opportunity to become an interim champion.

The Texas native really only has one weapon in his arsenal: the knockout punch. Some call him a one-trick pony, while others call him a KO artist.

Nonetheless, it appears that this is as far as Lewis goes. He remains one of the best heavyweights on the roster, but his limitations prevent him from breaking through the glass ceiling. A technical master like Ciryl Gane was a bad matchup for him, and it's no surprise that Derrick Lewis' flaws were utterly exposed at UFC 265.

Total Strikes in our #UFC265 main event! 👊1️⃣6️⃣ - Derrick Lewis1️⃣1️⃣2️⃣ - Ciryl Gane pic.twitter.com/3SxwG2DOFC

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 9, 2021

Granted, Derrick Lewis is one of only two men to have beaten reigning champion Francis Ngannou. However, his unanimous decision victory over 'The Predator' isn't the most convincing way to win an MMA fight, to say the least.

Moreover, Ngannou has drastically evolved since then. The current version of Ngannou is nowhere near the meek and hesitant fighter that met Lewis at UFC 226. Should a rematch between Ngannou and Lewis take place, a repeat performance for 'The Black Beast' is highly doubtful.

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#1. Ciryl Gane will be a problem for Francis Ngannou

UFC 265: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane

Ciryl Gane's striking clinic against Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC 265 is the definition of outclassing an opponent. The Frenchman landed 116 strikes while only receiving 12 over the course of three rounds. That's the closest any fighter can ever get to a perfect game, if there even is one.

The implication of Gane's interim title win, of course, is that he'll fight Francis Ngannou down the line for a heavyweight unification bout. Although that isn't always the case – just ask Tony Ferguson – a Gane-Ngannou collision is imminent.

Le champion. 🇫🇷🏆 #UFC265 pic.twitter.com/ysUImrndyc

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 8, 2021

And for the newly-crowned, undisputed champion, that's not good news at all. As dominant as Ngannou has been over his last few outings, Gane has the perfect tools to neutralize the heavyweight champ.

'Bon Gamin' gets criticized for being a "boring fighter." Whether or not that's true is in the eye of the beholder. What no opinion can change, however, is that Gane is really great at fighting on his own terms, while preventing his opponents from implementing their gameplans.

Images d'un ancien sparring entre Ciryl Gane et Francis NgannouPeut-être futurs adversaires 👀 pic.twitter.com/XUtEd5npGd

— ARENA (@MMArena_) August 6, 2021

Not to mention that Gane is well-acquainted with Ngannou due to their history as former training partners. Adding those factors together, Gane might just end Ngannou's reign in the UFC before it has even begun.