Ciryl Gane on his fouling critics: 'I'm not here to try and convince anyone'
The UFC heavyweight champion calls the criticism "a struggle with acceptance" and says "you don't see strategies like eye-gouging" in his training, days before he defends the title against Josh Hokit.
Ciryl Gane says he is "not here to try and convince anyone" about the fouling criticism that has followed him into his first UFC heavyweight title defence, against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Saturday.
Gane's eye pokes injured Tom Aspinall in their title fight at UFC 321, and Gane went on to win the interim title against Alex Pereira before he was elevated to undisputed champion. Pereira has repeatedly criticised Gane over strikes to the back of the head in that interim title fight.
Speaking in French to RMC Sport Combat, in an interview translated by MMA Fighting, Gane said of the criticism: "I think it's a kind of frustration, or in any case, a struggle with acceptance that's hard to deal with."
He suggested some critics see him as "not a warrior" and want to "drag his name through the mud". He went on: "Because honestly, when I look in the mirror or when you see the training at the gym, you don't see strategies like eye-gouging."
"I'm not here to try and convince anyone. I train hard. I control what I can control: my training, my fights, and so on," Gane said. He added: "I really try to respect all of my opponents from start to finish. And actually, by beating them, I'm respecting them."
Gane said Hokit's trash talk is aimed at fighters "who are susceptible to being destabilized", adding: "I don't think I am." He admitted that Hokit "also makes me laugh a little when he doesn't cross the line or insult too much." Gane has already said Hokit's insults cannot get to him: "You can insult my mum, you don't know my mum."
Gane defends the undisputed heavyweight title against Hokit in the UFC 334 main event at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday 14 November, in the early hours of Sunday UK time.
Every UK fight result and what's next, every Friday. Get the free UK fight briefing
More MMA from Combat Sports UK
- Paddy Pimblett tells Ilia Topuria to pick Georgia, Spain or Germany: 'You can't be all 3'
- Ali Abdelaziz calls Usman Nurmagomedov's Merab brawl 'unacceptable', apologises to Abu Dhabi
- Paddy Pimblett says RAF is 'good for dickheads like Arman who need the publicity'
- Ciryl Gane on Josh Hokit's 'bad word' at their face-off: "This guy is so stupid"
The UK fight briefing
The stories, results and upcoming fights worth knowing. Every Friday.