Ciryl Gane is preparing for his rematch against Alexander Volkov at UFC 308 by training with NBA star Rudy Gobert, utilizing Gobert’s height and defensive skills to leave no stone unturned in his quest for victory.
Ciryl Gane has a tall test ahead of him. So, what better sparring partner to help him prepare than NBA big man Rudy Gobert?
At UFC 308 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi, Gane faces Alexander Volkov. It’s a heavyweight bout and a rematch of their June 2021 Fight Night encounter that Gane won via unanimous decision.
Gane is leaving no stone unturned to ensure he beats Volkov again. His team at MMA Factory in Paris recently released footage of Gane training with Gobert.
Gobert, a key member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, is fresh off winning his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. At 7-foot-1, Gobert towers over the 6-foot-7 Volkov, one of the tallest fighters in the UFC.
Watch the footage below (courtesy of Championship Rounds).
In the clip, Gane navigates Gobert’s condor-like wingspan while cautiously slipping in punches. One particularly accurate shot brings a comical pause to the action.
Since his first win over Volkov, Gane has seen mixed results. He won an interim heavyweight title with a knockout of Derrick Lewis but failed to unify the belts against champion Francis Ngannou at UFC 270.
He rebounded with a win over Tai Tuivasa, then fell short of the undisputed title again when quickly submitted by Jon Jones.
In his most recent outing, Gane scored a second-round knockout of Serghei Spivac this past September.
See the MMA Factory’s post below, which was also shared by Gobert.