Fernand Lopez, Cyril Gan’s trainer and Francis Ngannou’s former trainer, suggested in an interview with SE that the Cameroonian fighter plans to take Gan to the ground in their upcoming fight at UFC 270.
– Nasrudin Imavov is an ideal partner for Cyril Gan in this camp, because a lot of things depend on speed. There are two types of contact in sparring. If you’re working on wrestling, you need someone powerful and strong, but not too technical. That’s how Francis is. I assure you that Francis against us will want to take the fight to the ground. Against all public expectations. I need a man who can quickly get to Cyril’s feet, but when he throws his legs back, the partner should cover him with an overhand. This is where I need speed from a sparring partner. And in the stalls and grappling, the partner should already be heavy and strong. That is, two types of contact to prepare for an opponent like Francis. Speed is to respond to the threat of a fight, and strength to the fight itself.
Can Francis finish Cyril as a kimura like he did with Anthony Hamilton?
– Yes maybe. It all depends on the specific biomechanics. We saw in the UFC how Frank Mir finished Antonio Nogueira with a kimura. When you get into a certain situation, whatever black belt you are, the whole biomechanics works against you. If Cyril Gun gets into a clean grip on a kimura with a fighter as powerful and physically strong as Francis, then we’re screwed. This will be the end.
– Kimura is Francis’s signature move, given his physical strength?
– Not. If you call some technique a crown, it means that you must constantly hone it. This is not the case for Francis. But if he closes the kimura, it will be extremely difficult to get out. I’m not saying that he knows how to go to kimura from any position. Here’s how, for example, Ronda Rousey, who could enter the armbar from any position. This is called mastery of technique, special skill. In the case of Francis, it cannot be said that he is a kimura master.
Ngannou and Gan will fight on January 22 at UFC 270 in Anaheim.
