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French mixed martial artist Ciryl Gane stopped his American opponent Derrick Lewis in the UFC 265 pay-per-view (PPV) main event earlier this month in Houston, Texas. He not only registered a win in the interim heavyweight strap but also secured himself the next shot at reigning 265-pound titleholder Francis Ngannou. The figures of how much Gane was paid are now doing the rounds on the internet.
Reports emerging from media suggest that Gane, who improved his 10-0 with his finish of “The Black Beast”, had told L’Equipe (via MMA Junkie) that he was in fact paid $350,000. This is estimated to be around $188,000 after tax deductions. Although it might seemingly appear a huge tax deduction, he also had to pay for his team and other pre-fight expenses.
However, the good news is that Gane banked a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus along with $32,000 as a part of the UFC Promotional Guidelines program. It would not be wrong to say that it was a night to remember for the Frenchman but not so for Lewis.
There hasn't been any confirmation so far on the booking of Gane vs Ngannou but with the calendar of the promotions' swiftly filling up, the possible window for the fight to take place seems to be either in late December or early next year. That too barring unforeseen situations.
Earlier, Gane had taken to social media to write an elaborate message, dedicating the belt to his team.
"This belt doesn't belong to me, it belongs to my team. When I started MMA three years ago, it was because @lopez_fernand had seen something in me. He knew that I could do something in the sport. So he did everything he could to help me reach that goal, and now here we are. The road is far from over, but he and my team at @mma_factory_paris already changed my life forever. See you all soon for the next Chapter. ???," he chose to caption the post.
Sensing from his post, the 31-year-old looks determined to win more fights and if his recent form is anything to go by, there is reason to believe that he can do so.
