UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is now training with one of the best strikers on the planet ahead of his title unification bout.
At UFC 270, Ngannou (16-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) will face former training partner and current interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane (10-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the main event of the UFC’s first pay-per-view event of 2022.
Bringing in world-class talent to mimic opponents is a key to success at the top levels of combat sports and Ngannou’s team has leaned on of the best professional kickboxers on the planet.
Wednesday evening, Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick revealed on Instagram that GLORY Kickboxing world heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven is training with Ngannou in preparation for Gane.
Rico Verhoeven and Francis Ngannou (Image courtesy of Eric Nicksick)
Nicksick told MMA Junkie the plan is to have Verhoeven work with Ngannou over the next week, if not more depending on how schedules align.
Verhoeven was set to welcome former UFC heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem back to the kickboxing ring last month at Glory Collision 3, but an injury to Overeem canceled their meeting. Instead, Verhoeven met replacement opponent Jamal Ben Saddik and won via TKO in the first round to retain his heavyweight title.
The kickboxing champ has one professional MMA bout on his record and has professional boxing experience, but most know Verhoeven as one of the best kickboxers today.
Being that Gane (10-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is a former unbeaten muay Thai champion, bringing in a kickboxing champ would certainly give Ngannou good looks. In his 10 MMA fights, Gane has displayed a well-versed striking style, ranging from kicks, knees, punches and elbows.
Former training partners Ngannou and Gane never spent too much time sparring at their once shared gym MMA Factory Paris, but things have gotten a little testy between Ngannou and his former head coach Fernand Lopez since Ngannou moved to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. A video of Ngannou walking right past Gane and his team backstage at UFC 268 in New York went viral, leaving Gane rather perplexed at what he deemed as an unnecessary snub.