- Ciryl Gane takes on Alexander Volkov in the main event of the upcoming UFC Fight Night.
- Gane is 8-0 in MMA, and is a well rounded rising star in the heavyweight division.
- Volkov is a veteran with some tough losses to top guys in the division who can hang with Gane on the feet.
LAS VEGAS - Two heavyweights headline the upcoming UFC Fight Night on Saturday.
Ciryl Gane is a fighter who has been rising through the ranks, and is seen as a potential challenger to newly minted heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Ngannou is likely going to face off against Derrick Lewis in his first title defense, but Gane could be next up, depending on what former champ Stipe Miocic decides to do with his time.
Gane is still fairly new to mixed martial arts, but has amassed an 8-0 undefeated record in his time competing.
Gane, ranked fifth in the division, will face off against Alexander Volkov, an extremely talented fighter whose highlight in the UFC, unfortunately, is getting decked by Derrick Lewis after dominating him for the entire fight.
After losing for the better part of 3 rounds and being at a 82 significant strike differential, Derrick Lewis puts Alexander Volkov's lights out with only 11 seconds left. #UFCVegas6 pic.twitter.com/ANI0knapt2
— BirksMMA (@BirksMMA) August 7, 2020
That loss looks a bit better in retrospect, as Lewis is currently the next contender for the belt, but Volkov also has a loss to Curtis Blaydes on his resume.
That said, someone more charitable might put Volkov’s highlight in the UFC as his Fight of the Night against Fabricio Werdum, or his retirement of Alistair Overeem.
Basically, Volkov is a fighter who needs to make up for some losses to other top-five guys in the division by beating a top-five guy in the division.
The online sportsbooks, however, favor the young gun over the savvy veteran.
Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov Moneyline Odds
- Ciryl Gane -165
- Alexander Volkov +135
The fear that the online sportsbooks seem to have with regards to Volkov is that he’s lost to men in similar positions to Gane.
Losses to Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, the men who bracket the third ranked Gane in the heavyweight rankings, are worrying.
Still, Volkov should have won the Lewis fight, and is a very talented and savvy fighter who could legitimately pose a problem for Gane.
Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov Method of Victory Odds
- Ciryl Gane Wins By Decision Or Technical Decision +200
- Alexander Volkov Wins By Decision Or Technical Decision +350
- Ciryl Gane Wins By KO, TKO Or DQ +300
- Alexander Volkov Wins By KO, TKO Or DQ +325
- Ciryl Gane Wins By Submission +725
- Alexander Volkov Wins By Submission +1400
- Draw Or Technical Draw +6000
Volkov is a fighter who is comfortable fighting to a decision win or fighting to a knockout but has not really involved submissions in his game.
Gane is slightly more well rounded, with three submission victories, three KO victories and two decision victories on his resume.
Volkov is likely a more accurate striker, while Gane is a better defensive fighter, which could make the fight very interesting to watch in terms of how the stand-up game plays out.
Volkov averages 6.19 significant strikes per minute, while Gane averages 5.04, but Volkov absorbs 3.3 significant strikes per minute, while Gane only absorbs 1.85 significant strikes per minute.
The most likely outcome, according to the online sportsbooks, is a Gane victory by decision, followed by a Gane victory by KO.
However, Volkov winning by decision and Volkov winning by KO are right behind those odds on the odds boards.
It seems as though the bulk of Gane’s advantage comes from the idea that he will win a decision, and his well-rounded game seems to compare well to Volkov’s striking style of fighting.
Still, the fight seems like it could go either way, and it could be one of the most intriguing fights of the year.
The Main Card for UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Volkov starts at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, so online gambling fans should set their alarms!