Ciryl Gane has grown accustomed to playing the villain, even after some of the finest performances of his career. But following another successful title defense — a unanimous decision over Josh Hokit at UFC 334 in New York on Saturday — perhaps the UFC should offer its heavyweight champion a warmer reception. A fight on home soil may be exactly what he needs.
In the co-main event, Amanda Nunes possessed the experience and striking ability to give Kayla Harrison a difficult night. Instead of forcing Harrison to fight on her terms, however, Nunes walked directly into the champion’s greatest strength. The result was a costly tactical error that ultimately decided the fight.
Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim break down the two title fights.
The UFC should book Gane a fight in France
Heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane has absorbed his share of boos over the past several years. I believe it is time to change that.
Anyone who thinks Gane has earned those jeers has a fair argument. He looked flat and almost intimidated in a 2023 loss to Jon Jones. Questionable decision-making may have cost him a win against Francis Ngannou in 2022. Tom Aspinall has been unable to return to competition since Gane poked him in the eye during their 2025 title bout. And Gane’s biggest win to date — a second-round stoppage of Alex Pereira in June — was somewhat clouded by Pereira’s claim that Gane landed strikes to the back of the head.
UFC CEO Dana White suggested as much during Saturday’s post-fight news conference. He said he believes Gane receives appropriate credit for his achievements, and that much of the criticism stems from things Gane has, in fact, done.
Yet Gane also dug deep on Saturday to turn away a hungry challenger in Hokit — and was booed for his effort. He landed the most strikes in a single heavyweight fight in UFC history, but some fans may spend Monday morning arguing that Hokit was robbed of a decision.
I would like to see the UFC create an opportunity to put Gane in a setting where he is celebrated rather than jeered. He has earned it. Gane has compiled an impressive résumé that places him among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. For the past year, he has embraced the role of a calm, unbothered villain. I want to see what he looks like in a different environment — one that matters most to him — competing in his home country of France. — Okamoto
Nunes was beaten by the wrong game plan
Kayla Harrison fought a Kayla Harrison fight. Amanda Nunes fought a Kayla Harrison fight, too.
You can probably guess who is better at fighting a Kayla Harrison fight.
Harrison made the first defense of her UFC women’s bantamweight title look easy by controlling the grappling — no surprise from a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist who has been dominant on the canvas since transitioning to MMA. The only genuine surprise was how willingly Nunes abandoned her striking, where she held a clear advantage, to step into Harrison’s domain.
Nunes had been away from the sport for 3½ years and is 38 years old, so it would have been reasonable to assume her physical tools had declined. That did not appear to be the case. Her game plan did her in.
If anything, Nunes handed future Harrison opponents a blueprint of what not to do against the champion — along with a few brief glimpses of where they might find openings, given that Harrison’s striking is rudimentary at best. Whoever steps in to challenge Harrison next will have to find a way to keep the fight standing. Good luck with that. — Wagenheim