Francis Ngannou Says He Knocked Ciryl Gane Out With A Head Kick In Sparring

UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou has a sparring story of his own in the lead-up to his fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.

Ngannou is set to face Gane for the unified heavyweight title, nearly a full year since he first earned the title at UFC 260 over Stipe Miocic. The buildup has featured quite the back-and-forths with Fernand Lopez, his former coach while at MMA Factory.

Gane is now Lopez’s star pupil entering UFC 270 after Ngannou was kicked out of the gym and eventually joined Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. One key component of the buildup has been the brief sparring sessions between Ngannou and Gane during their time together at MMA Factory.

During his UFC 270 pre-fight press conference, Ngannou told one reporter that he knocked Gane out with a high kick in a sparring session on accident.

Francis Ngannou Vs. Ciryl Gane Is Arguably The Biggest Heavyweight Bout

Ngannou and Gane will wrap up the first UFC pay-per-view of 2022 in an emphatic fashion at UFC 270. The heavyweight clash from a stylistic standpoint is arguably one of the most intriguing matchups in recent memory.

Gane earned the title shot against Ngannou by defeating Derrick Lewis for the interim title at UFC 265. He is undefeated in his MMA career and has earned big wins over the likes of Junior dos Santos and Alexander Volkov.

During a recent exclusive interview with LowKickMMA, Lopez claimed that Gane knocked down Ngannou in sparring with a knee to the body, although that footage has yet to be publicized.

The talk of sparring sessions will subside on Saturday night at UFC 270, as these two giants finally meet in the octagon. UFC president Dana White has called it the biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history, which is certainly a reasonable assertion.

What is your prediction for UFC 270?