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Original Description
Ciryl Gane joins Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas ahead of #UFC321 ahead of his heavyweight main event bout vs. Tom Aspinall in Abu Dhabi.
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Video Transcript
Well, Sierra, we're here in Abu Dhabi.
The chance to fight for a title, a place
you've been before. Does this week feel
any different compared to the past title
fights that you've had?
Uh
something like uh I knew this feeling
already like you see and I'm really
comfortable uh on this week on this
Saturday for this Saturday. Given the p
the fact that you've been able to fight
for a title before, what are some of the
experiences or lessons that you've
learned from those fights with Jon Jones
and Francis Inanu that you're taking
into this week and this fight with Tom
Aspenol?
Yeah, every time we're talking about the
pressure we have uh on the shoulder
during this fight week uh into Saturday
because a lot of media, a lot of
storytelling, but I knew already this
feeling like I remember the the the my
first time was again Francis Enanu. was
a huge a huge pressure because of the
story telling my former partner in the
gym and some stories like uh uh less for
John J uh uh but it's still John so and
less for Aspen obviously I got to
experience
and for this camp you came over to Dubai
early you said you did some training in
Paris then came to here what's just your
mindset how are you kind of approaching
this fight with Tom Aspenol someone who
has such little cage time and and
footage on him
comfortable on this situation. Uh when I
started my career in the in the in the
MMA, I was already at the very uh first
year comfortable on my grand game at the
wrestling game when you look the
statistic I finished some some some
fight on the grand game with some
submission and unfortunately I lost just
one time by submission. Anyway, I'm
really comfortable uh now on the
wrestling some guy because as far with
Umar Kh is a really bully guy under from
the the wrestling from Synagal. Uh some
guys with like MD going to fight also
this Saturday. A lot of guys wrestler
guy.
So yeah, I'm really comfortable with it.
And Thomas someone that has such short
time in the octagon but you've gone 25
minutes before. you've been under the
lights title fights. When you think
about what could happen in the in the
later rounds, the third, fourth, fifth
round. How does that kind of play to
your advantage?
Uh I got the experience of uh the the
the the five round. Uh so I think if we
go on it, it's going to be an advantage
for me of course because I know this
feeling uh even if I know also a short a
short fight, you see. So I think this is
an advantage for me. and you've been
able to bring the interim belt back to
France. You've kind of become the face
of French MMA. You're just here telling
DC you moved to Morocco just because of
how crazy it is in Paris. But for you to
be able to look back at all the past UFC
Paris events to go as a fan to compete
there when you think about the path that
you're helping pave for French MMA, how
special and important is that for you?
It's going to be really special. Uh this
is going to be uh make me proud. Really
proud. Uh I was already when I got the
the the the answering belt and uh and
the feeling was really huge when the I
did some meeting with my belt with the
fun with the the fun in France and
everybody know now with the legalization
with stuff like that more and more
and you said something on UFC countdown
that really stuck out to me. You said I
know I'm a good fighter but to have a
belt will be different when you think
about hearing and new to have the belt
bring it back to France. What do you
think that feeling seem to feel like?
Yeah, like I said, to have the bet mean
uh you are the baddest guy in this
planet, you see.
So, it means something for me and uh for
the people also and I'm going to be
really grateful about the life.
Well, Sar, best of luck to you.
Congratulations.
Best of luck to you and good luck.
I like it. I like it. I like it.
I'm getting ahead of myself.
I'm so used to the post fight.
Congratulations.