Kevin Holland casts his prediction for the Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane heavyweight title fight
Kevin Holland has predicted the outcome of the upcoming heavyweight title unification fight between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane at UFC 270.
Holland picked Ngannou to beat Gane and stated that he would like to see 'The Predator' display his enigmatic power in the fight, which is set for January 22.
In an interview with Helen Yee, 'Trailblazer' asserted that because he trains with Francis Ngannou's coach Eric Nicksick a lot, he is favoring the Cameroonian to retain his title.
Holland also revealed that he has had a few run-ins with Ngannou. Based on those interactions, he believes 'The Predator' is "a pretty cool guy."
"I mean, I train with Eric quite a bit so I'm not gonna go against the grain, you know what I mean? So yeah, I met Francis quite a few times, seems like a pretty cool guy. We actually had a funny little interview not too long ago, so yeah, it'd be nice to see Francis put that knockout power there [and] get the job done. Me personally, I would like to sit frontside for a Derrick Lewis - Francis rematch. So yeah, I'd like to see Francis get the job done and then see that fight, yeah. That'd be pretty cool."
Watch Kevin Holland's full interview with Helen Yee below:
Ngannou, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, will face interim titleholder Gane at UFC 270. The pair will look to unify the title and go home with an undisputed strap, along with the title of the baddest man on the planet.
Although Ngannou's scary power is a nightmare for all opponents, Gane is slated to be the Cameroonian's most skilled and technical opponent to date.
'Bon Gamin' is a Muay Thai specialist and built an undefeated 13-0 record in the discipline before transitioning to mixed martial arts. The Frenchman has since amassed a perfect 10-0 record in MMA, with seven wins coming in the UFC.
Gane's impeccable footwork and clinical striking might pose challenges to Francis Ngannou, who will undoubtedly rely on his monstrous power to shut his former training partner's lights off.
Francis Ngannou ranks Ciryl Gane as the best Kickboxer in MMA; believes Jon Jones to be the best striker
Francis Ngannou recently revealed who he believes is the best striker and kickboxer in MMA, specifically UFC, at the moment.
'The Predator' ranked Jon Jones has the best MMA striker on the planet. He also noted that his upcoming opponent has the best kickboxing out of all the fighters in the world.
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Francis Ngannou said:
"If I'm about to say the best striker for MMA striking, it would still be Jon Jones. But if we go kickboxing style, then I think it will be Ciryl. But for MMA striking, I would give it to Jon Jones. Because, like, with his elbow and all this stuff that he does... the oblique kick, all those stuff. For MMA, is the perfect striking."
Catch Francis Ngannou's YouTube video below:
Jones is also planning a potential move to heavyweight and is bulking up for the division, as seen from his social media posts. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has shown interest in fighting Francis Ngannou for the title.
However, with the heavyweight title on the line in January 2022, Jones' potential comeback opponent is yet to be decided.