Ciryl Gane defeated Josh Hokit by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Ciryl Gane rallied to defend the undisputed UFC heavyweight title with a hard-fought victory over Josh Hokit.
Hokit came out at a breakneck pace, staying to face Gane despite the big hits coming early, counting on the fact that he would tire the French technician. While Gane landed well and at a higher pace than the challenger, Hokit’s assumption was correct and by the end of the first the fight had devolved into a kind of relentless chaos that favored the American challenger. Hokit continued to be the aggressor, eventually getting to the point where he was landing the better blows in the third, only for Gane to have a much better round in the fourth, landing good knees to the body as Hokit’s production waned.
In the fifth, Gane continued to land the hardest-hitting and most meaningful blows, as Hokit’s energy gauge drained and the champion really began to gain the upper hand. To his credit, Hokit never stopped trying to connect and take the fight to Gane, landing a few good shots late, but Gane wore them well and continued to press.
After a tough 25 minutes, the judges were tasked with determining the winner, and when the scores were collected and totaled, it was Gane who emerged victorious, retaining the undisputed UFC heavyweight title. It was a grueling fight, record-breaking in terms of the number of strikes landed and thrown, and one where both men are able to take major positives from their respective performances as we head into what should be another fun year in the heavyweight ranks.
Gn sports
