The UFC decided to set up an interim heavyweight title fight between number 3 ranked heavyweight Ciryl Gane and number 2 ranked Derrick Lewis. The fight is set to headline UFC 265 on the 7th of August, in Houston, Texas.
The announcement came as a surprise since the UFC were planning to set up a fight between Derrick Lewis and heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Plus, Ciryl Gane had just fought two days before. He had beaten Alexander Volkov via. unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Vegas 30.
“I remember my interim title fight against Jairzinho”- Francis Ngannou
Following the news of the announcement, the champ Ngannou was left disappointed since the UFC never really gave him an interim championship title shot when he desperately needed one. In fact, the Cameroonian totally deserved it then, as well.
Ariel Helwani had tweeted, pointing out the same: “Between June 2019 and March 2021 Ngannou fought once … for a combined 20 seconds. Couldn’t sniff an IC title shot. And now three months after he wins, and seems to be on the cusp of superstardom, he has to see an IC title fight made. Doesn’t seem right.”
A disappointed and irate Ngannou quote tweeted Helwani’s tweet with the caption: “Nothing has been right here.”
He then tweeted, “I remember my interim title fight against Jairzinho …. oh wait.”
Ngannou was on a roll after losing to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226, via unanimous decision. He had transformed into a killing machine, destroying all his opponents. However, he was never given the Interim championship title shot. He had even requested the promotion to hand him the same, especially when he fought Jairzinho Rozennstruik in 2020.
‘The Predator’ has every right to be livid here!
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