Khabib Nurmagomedov wanted to train Ciryl Gane in Dagestani wrestling back in 2022
Ciryl Gane will likely rue his decision not to train in Dagestani wrestling with Khabib Nurmagomedov following his loss at UFC 285 this weekend.
Gane and Jon Jones headlined last weekend's card as they fought for the vacant heavyweight title. 'Bon Gamin' headed into the bout off the back of a stunning KO victory over Tai Tuivasa, whereas 'Bones' returned after a three-year hiatus.
It proved too big of an occasion for the Frenchman, however, as within just two minutes of the first round, Jones wrestled him to the mat before locking in a guillotine choke for the victory.
jon jones put in zero effort to sink in that choke. gane didn’t even think about fighting his hands https://t.co/ARXNQKlSfV
The loss against Jones was the second time Ciryl Gane had come up short for the heavyweight belt. The 32-year-old previously lost to Francis Ngannou via unanimous decision back in January 2022 to unify the title. Like 'Bones', 'The Predator' opted to use wrestling to outclass Gane as they identified it as an area of weakness for the French fighter.
Following his loss to Ngannou, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov offered to train Gane in Dagestani wrestling. 'The Eagle' had put out a message to 'Bon Gamin' and assured him that working with him for a year or two would guarantee Gane the title:
"Ciryl Gane come to Dagestan brother. You have to come to Dagestan, stay there one and a half, two years, learn about wrestling...We have a lot of heavyweights who can wrestle with him. He [has] to learn wrestling and after a few years he can be champion.”
Catch Nurmagomedov's comments here:
As of now, there has been no official response from Gane to Nurmagomedov, but his latest loss to Jon Jones may mean he's now open to the invitation.
Ciryl Gane reflects on his loss to Jon Jones
Following his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285, Ciryl Gane sat in front of the media to face questions about his performance.
The French fighter was audibly and visually disappointed with himself and admitted to feeling like he had let down all of his fans and those he trained with. The 32-year-old also stated that he was angry with himself because he didn't follow his gameplan.
"The biggest feeling is really angry about myself. Yes, we accepted this fight but the time was not for long. But man, we worked a lot and we spent a lot of time in the gym, sparring. I'm really angry about myself as I spent a lot of time with my partner, my coaches, my families and I don't reflect that in the fight."
"Everything, I'm disappointed in everything... My start was really not good."
Catch Gane's comments here: