UFC 265: CIRYL GANE DOMINATES, BLASTS DERRICK LEWIS WITH THIRD-ROUND TKO TO BECOME INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION – DAZN News

Ultra impressive showing from the undefeated French fighter.

Ciryl Gane has punching power, too.

After picking apart Derrick Lewis with smooth movement and precision striking over the first two rounds, Gane blasted him with an uppercut and finished the show moments later with a right hand and relentless hammerfists to get the third-round TKO in the main event of UFC 265 on Saturday night. The most significant victory of his career to date improved the French fighter’s record to 10-0 and more importantly, had him crowned the UFC interim heavyweight champion of the world at the Toyota Center in Lewis’ hometown of Houston.

The victory also sets up an imminent showdown with Gane’s former teammate and current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

“Let’s go!” Gane said after extending his winning streak. “Just let’s go.”

After softening up Lewis with a series of leg kicks that nearly took “The Black Beast” off his feet, Gane landed a sweeping right uppercut that hurt the Houston fighter. He followed that by detonating massive right hands of his own and three lefts to boot. While Lewis tried valiantly to fight back, landing a left hand, Gane put him down with a short right before teeing off with left hands and several right hammerfists onto the head to get the third-round stoppage against the UFC’s all-time heavyweight knockout leader.

The decisive output was preceded by two rounds of a masterclass from Gane, who picked Lewis apart with clean jabs, stinging leg kicks that went unchecked and constant movement that negated the hometown fighter’s noted one-punch power.

If it wasn’t apparent before, it’s more than apparent now that Ciryl Gane, the new interim heavyweight champ, is a problem for the division.

Here’s how the entire UFC 265: Lewis vs. Gane pay-per-view event went.

GANE FINISHES LEWIS WITH THIRD-ROUND TKO
4 hours ago
05:42
Leg kick lands for Gane. And another. Overhand right from Gane now, too. Gane sticks in a left hand and comes across with a right for good measure. Lewis now moving forward, looking to detonate that massive right hand. Lewis presses forward and wraps his arms around Gane’s waist. Gane digs a right hand into Lewis’ body. Gane is keeping Lewis off balance with agility and smooth lateral movement. Gane takes out Lewis’ leg and lands a looping right uppercut. The shot hurts Lewis. Gane is teeing off on Lewis now with massive right hands of his own. Three massive lefts follow. Lewis’ mouthpiece is out. Lewis rifles back with a right hand. But Gane brushes Lewis back with a left hand, now unleashes a short right to drop him. Lewis is down and Gane is detonating left hands and a series of right hammerfists. The ref steps in and ends it! Gane is a problem!

LEWIS-GANE; ROUND 2
4 hours ago
05:36
Left jab splits Lewis’ gaurd. Lewis with a leg kick as Gane moves forward. Gane with another leg kick. Right hand lands for Gane now, too. Lewis partially tags Gane with a right hand. Jump knee from Gane and Lewis wraps him up. Lewis is pressed up against the Octagon. Another knee lands for Gane. He has his left hand locking up Lewis’ right hand, while launching another knee. Shrewd stuff from Gane. Lunging right hand lands for Gane and he clinches up with Lewis now. Gane with a stiff right hand and elbow. Lewis misses his mark with a switch kick. He has to land more strikes. Through two, Gane is making good on his promise to produce a masterclass. (10-9 Gane, 20-18 Gane)

LEWIS-GANE; ROUND 1
4 hours ago
05:29
Both heavyweights feeling each other out. Lewis goes high and slips. He’s back up on his feet. Gane is calm and bouncing around on the outside, almost as if he’s welcoming Lewis in. Lewis launches a kick that misses. Gane with an up jab. Two leg kicks. Make it three. Gane is loose. Lewis pressures and Gane gets the hell out of the way. Smart. He picks at Lewis with the jab. And another. Smooth. Leg kick from Gane. Body kick from Gane now brushes Lewis back. Lewis lands a body shot with that right hand. Lewis throws a low kick and Gane is given time to recover from the groin shot. He doesn’t need much time and action resumes. Ninety seconds left in the round. Lewis swings and misses and Gane ties him up in the clinch. Lewis detonates that right hand and Gane literally runs away with a smile. Body kick lands for Gane. Left jab-overhand right to the temple lands for Gane. The French fighter catches Lewis with a jab, but the hometown fighter thought it was an eye poke. Impressive, cerebral and collected round from Gane. (10-9 Gane)