Watch: Francis Ngannou does high cardio training ahead of Ciryl Gane fight at UFC 270
Francis Ngannou is working on his cardio as he gears up for the fight of his life at UFC 270.
Later this month, Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane will meet for the UFC heavyweight belt and title of "baddest man on the planet."
Ngannou's knockout power is expected to play a huge role in the fight. However, if he can't get Gane out of there in the first couple of rounds, fatigue could set in. If that happens, the headlining unification clash could come down to who has more left in the tank across 25 minutes.
Ngannou has been the full five-round distance before. While he didn't get finished, he was made to look like an amateur at times by then-champion Stipe Miocic. While he's grown a lot in the time since, 'The Predator' doesn't want to make the same mistake twice.
You can tell how determined he is to grit it out in the training footage uploaded to his YouTube channel below:
Ngannou can be seen doing high intensity workouts with high cardio across five rounds, working out a simulation for how the fight may go.
Of course, mimicking the fight pattern of Ciryl Gane is only going to get them so far. However, it definitely shows how serious the champion is taking the task ahead of him.
What is the contract status of Francis Ngannou?
Francis Ngannou is known for being a remarkable talent in the sport of MMA. However, he's also known for his issues with the UFC.
The promotion seems to be at odds with Ngannou regarding his future contract. While Dana White has put it down to the Cameroonian's representatives, others believe the UFC are the ones holding any potential deal up.
With that being said, Ngannou has admitted that he'd like to transition over to pro boxing, potentially as soon as in his next bout after UFC 270. A departure from the promotion will be possible if he's defeated by Gane.
There's no way of knowing for sure whether or not he'll go through with it. While he's still an official member of the UFC roster, that could all change in the coming months.