“He’s Not a Genius”– Ciryl Gane’s Coach Reveals Sergey Spivak Behind the Scene Training From Years Ago, Comes Clean on Crucial Matchup

This weekend, the stage is set for the clash of two of the UFC’s titans: Sergey Spivak and Ciryl Gane. Despite their short time with the UFC, both men have established themselves as legitimate threats in the division. And when the two giants will share the octagon together this Saturday, fans can expect some serious fireworks from both sides.

Though both men are considered dangerous in their own right, there’s no doubt that they have advantages in different aspects of the game. While Gane is known for his vicious striking, Sergey enjoys an edge on the ground. Although they haven’t faced each other yet, it looks like Gane might have an ace up his sleeve. Something that the Frenchman’s coach might have hinted at.

Ciryl Gane’s coach acknowledges Sergey Spivak’s threat

In a recent interview with ‘MMA Junkie,’ Ciryl Gane’s coach, Fernand Lopez, discussed his experience with Sergey Spivak. Lopez revealed that Sergey had trained at the MMA Factory in Paris for six months. And according to the coach, the Moldovan is ‘dangerous’ and ‘picks things up fast’. Although, he later added that the WWFC Heavyweight Champion is not a genius. This revelation came about during his recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun.

In Lopez’s own words: “He was here in this same gym. I don’t remember the year, but he spent maybe six more years in MMA Factory, and he’s tough. He’s not someone… He’s not a genius, but he’s very good to pick up, very good to learn. He’s dedicated. He’s giving everything to win a fight. And I think we have a good fight on Saturday.” This definitely comes off as a surprise considering we haven’t heard much on this earlier. Neither from Spivak, nor from Lopez.

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This was a response to Hannoun’s question inquiring about Lopez’s view on the matchup. For those unaware, Gane was previously scheduled to Sergei Pavlovich. But instead, the French fighter will face Spivak in Paris. To this, Lopez gave a comic response, mentioning “he’s one of the Sergey, right?” before talking about his experience with ‘Polar Bear’. But is this experience going to make any difference?

No guarantee for an edge at the upcoming clash

Being familiar with your rival’s style and training method can be a huge asset going into a MMA bout. And Lopez’s experience can give an edge to his prodigy. However, that’s not always the guarantee. Something that was seen when Gane faced Francis Ngannou last year.

For those unfamiliar, ‘Predator’ too was one of Lopez’s disciples but left the camp following some personal dispute. However, during their UFC 270 encounter, Francis Ngannou shocked the world after he chose to grapple instead of striking midway into the fight. This ultimately led Gane the match and the title. Considering this, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Lopez’s familiarity with Sergey Spivak might not be that big factor during their upcoming clash. What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments.

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