UFC heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov has sharply criticized the newly crowned UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, labeling him as “dirty.” Gane claimed the heavyweight title after the previous champion, Tom Aspinall, was forced to relinquish it due to eye injuries sustained during his bout with Gane at UFC 321 last year.
Interestingly, Gane’s ascension from interim champion to undisputed champion happened despite being responsible for the injury that ended Aspinall’s reign. Furthermore, Gane captured the interim belt in a fight against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250, where he landed multiple strikes to the back of Pereira’s head before finishing the fight.
During an appearance on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Volkov accused Gane of performing illegal moves in his matches. He stated, “I can say the same about Gane, honestly. Watch his fight with Jon Jones. He gave up early and resorts to dirty tactics. He pokes his opponent’s eye, then claims the other fighter is mentally weak for avoiding the fight. That’s cheating and outside the rules. If he had just fought cleanly, he could claim victory honorably. Instead, he caused an injury that required surgery, sidelining the champion. In his bout against Pereira, he also repeatedly struck the back of the head. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but it happens frequently.”
Volkov is scheduled to return to the Octagon next month at UFC 333, where he will face Rizvan Kuniev in an important heavyweight matchup between two top contenders. A victory for Volkov could position him for another shot at the title, potentially facing the winner of the upcoming Gane vs. Josh Hokit fight at UFC 334 in November, set to take place at Madison Square Garden.
It’s worth recalling that two years ago, Volkov narrowly lost a split decision to Gane in a bout many fans and media outlets believed he had won.
Fan Take: This clash of personalities and accusations adds a fresh layer of drama to the heavyweight division, keeping fans hooked on the rivalry. If these allegations lead to increased scrutiny of fighter conduct and rule enforcement, it could push the sport toward greater fairness and competitiveness.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
