After seeing Ciryl Gane struggle, Francis Ngannou was drawn back to his first fight with Stipe Miocic.
Francis Ngannou ending up with a decision win over Ciryl Gane was a surprise to almost everyone, but what may be more surprising was that the bout reminded Ngannou of his first fight with Stipe Miocic.
Ngannou looked in trouble in the early rounds but began to shock everyone as he came back with his wrestling skills.
“By the second round, I’m like, ‘Man, I’m losing this fight,” said Ngannou on The MMA Hour.
“I came back in the third round, handled it well and at the end of the third round… I looked at him and saw me when I fought Stipe the first time. I’m like, ‘This guy is done.”
When Ngannou used his wrestling to hold back his threatening opponents, he seemed to be following Miocic’s lead, and the fact that he felt like he mentally conquered his opponent backed up that theory.
“He wasn’t even able to listen to his coach, I was listening to his corner talking to him and he wasn’t reacting.
“I’m like, ‘he’s done.’ This is exactly like me when I fought Stipe… that’s the moment I knew I won the fight.”
“He was broken”
While Ngannou became increasingly exhausted as the bout progressed, he felt his physical exhaustion was preferable to his mental exhaustion.
When Ngannou glanced at Gane, he declared he felt he was broken.
“He was broken, I could tell. I looked in his eyes and thought ‘this is a done deal.’
“I was definitely tired but I knew I was able to control my mind and to feel everything but I know he wasn’t able to do that. He wasn’t even listening.”
Also Read:UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou reveals injury before UFC 270
