Francis Ngannou training with GLORY HW Champion Rico Verhoeven for fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270

UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is training with GLORY Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven as he is preparing for his much anticipated first title defense against UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is scheduled to fight the interim champion Ciryl Gane who is known for his elite striking. Francis is known for his striking but basically, he is the champion because of the inhuman power which he possesses in both of his hands. But to fight against someone like Ciryl Gane, Ngannou needs to work on his striking, and for that, he has got the current GLORY heavyweight champion Rico in his team.

Rico Verhoeven was set to fight the former UFC heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem back to the kickboxing ring last month at Glory Collision 3, but due to an injury, Overeem canceled their meeting. Now he seems to be the key part of Francis’s training camp. Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick revealed on Instagram that GLORY Kickboxing world heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven is training with Ngannou in preparation for Gane.

“Found this dude cruising through the parking lot, thought he’d make for a good sparring partner this camp…”

Francis Ngannou last fought at UFC 260 against then-champion Stipe Miocic. The fight turned out to be a one-sided affair as Ngannou dominated Miocic in all aspects of the game and then knocked him out in the second round. Ngannou is now all set to make his first title defense against his former teammate, Ciryl Gane.

Ciryl Gane last fought at UFC 265 against Derrick Lewis for the interim heavyweight championship fight. He won the fight via TKO in the third round.

Francis is not excited about Ciryl Gane fight

Speaking to MMAFighting.com’s The MMA Hour, Ngannou said that he liked the Ciryl Gane matchup but it isn’t much appealing for him as the previously targeted Jon Jones matchup.

“Not particularly,” Ngannou said. “But it’s a good fight. You have to be aware of the danger of any fight, so it’s a fight, he’s a good opponent, but not on the level of a Jon Jones fight for example if that’s what you’re asking. It’s not the same thing.”

UFC 270 will take place on January 22, 2022, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The UFC Heavyweight Championship title unification fight between champion Francis Ngannou and interim champion Ciryl Gane will be heading the card.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Francis Ngannou has brought in GLORY Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven for his training camp of UFC 270

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