"He can land more punches, make more pressure" - Ciryl Gane dismisses comparisons between Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis

Ciryl Gane has dismissed comparisons between his former opponent Derrick Lewis and his next opponent Tai Tuivasa. Former interim UFC heavyweight champion and current No. 1-ranked UFC heavyweight Gane is scheduled to face the No. 3-ranked Tuivasa in a five-round heavyweight bout.

The Ciryl Gane vs. Tai Tuivasa fight is set to headline the UFC Paris event on Saturday, September 3rd. Gane is coming off a closely-contested unanimous decision defeat against reigning UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in their title unification matchup that transpired in January.

Meanwhile, Tuivasa is fresh off a second-round KO victory over fan-favorite knockout artist Derrick Lewis, whom he fought in February. Tuivasa is riding an impressive five-fight win streak, with all the wins coming via KO/TKO.

During Gane’s media scrum ahead of his much-awaited return to the octagon, a journalist referenced the fact that none of Tuivasa’s aforementioned five wins have gone past the second round.

They asked Gane for his thoughts on what he’d expect from Tuivasa if their fight goes past round two and into the later rounds. ‘Bon Gamin’ responded by suggesting that Tuivasa is often mistakenly compared to Derrick Lewis.

Gane faced and beat Lewis via third-round TKO in August 2021. He insinuated that unlike Lewis, who’s known to fade in the later rounds, Tuivasa has better conditioning. Dismissing comparisons between Lewis and Tuivasa, Gane stated:

“We can expect from this guy [Tuivasa] big, like he like to do usually – big pressure, land really more punches. He’s really good on it. A lot of people compare him [Tuivasa] with Derrick Lewis, but he’s not exactly the same. He can land more punches, make more pressure, more conditioning also. So, that’s why I say he’s dangerous.”

Watch Gane discuss the topic at 2:32 in the video below:

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Ciryl Gane on the danger posed by his UFC Paris opponent Tai Tuivasa

The consensus is that Ciryl Gane has to use his footwork and elusive movement to nullify Tai Tuivasa’s powerful striking. Speaking to MMA Junkie earlier this year, Gane acknowledged Tuivasa’s terrifying KO power. Touching upon the striking aspect of their fight, he noted that ‘Bam Bam’ is extremely dangerous in mid-range exchanges.

The French fighter noted that he'll utilize his footwork to steer clear of Tuivasa and fight at long range. Furthermore, Ciryl Gane promised to put on a spectacular show for his hometown fans in Paris and finish his Australian opponent. ‘Bon Gamin’ said:

“He's really dangerous every time at middle distance. It's really hard to fight with him at middle distance. So, you know already I have good footwork. I can keep my distance, so you know already what I'm gonna do.”

Watch Gane’s assessment below: