Gane beats Volkov in tactical UFC main event

Ciryl Gane's path toward the top of the heavyweight division continued Saturday evening.

Gane defeated Alexander Volkov via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) in the UFC Fight Night main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The No. 3-ranked heavyweight had a great showcase in the striking department against Volkov, staying busier on the feet and landing more impactful shots.

Volkov had a few good moments in Rounds 1 and 4, but the second, third, and fifth frames were largely one-way traffic for Gane. He displayed a quick and sharp jab, also mixing in uppercuts, kicks, and knees throughout the 25-minute contest.

Gane's best round appeared to be the third, during which he snapped Volkov's head back with a right hand that was one of the fight's most significant strikes. Volkov's best shot of the clash was an uppercut in the fourth round.

With the victory, Gane improved to 9-0 as a professional and 6-0 in the UFC. The 31-year-old Frenchman was one of the top heavyweight prospects to emerge in recent years. Over the past seven months, he has cemented himself as a top contender in the division.

Gane has now won back-to-back main events, and his other notable victories include a decision over Jairzinho Rozenstruik in February and a knockout of former champion Junior dos Santos last December.

He is the fifth heavyweight to start a UFC career with six straight wins, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The other four - Randy Couture, Cain Velasquez, Dos Santos, and Francis Ngannou - all won the title. Ngannou is the current champ.

Volkov entered his second straight main event coming off a TKO win over Alistair Overeem earlier in 2021. The 32-year-old, who's ranked No. 5 at heavyweight, is now 2-2 in his past four outings.