"They fought already and it sucked" - Fans react to Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov rematch reportedly being booked for Abu Dhabi

Former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane is reportedly set to take on Alexander Volkov in a rematch at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. The event is scheduled to take place on October 26, 2024, at the Etihad Arena, marking the organization's 20th visit to the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The matchup was reported first by Ag Fight and confirmed later by multiple outlets. During their first encounter at UFC Vegas 30 in June 2021, Gane delivered a dominant display against Volkov capitalizing on his precise striking and evasive footwork. The Russian failed to mount significant offense as Gane kept him at bay, dictating the pace and controlling the rhythm of the fight. In the end, the judges scored the contest 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46 in favor of the Frenchman.

However, fight fans aren't particularly thrilled by the idea of the fight and they made it known with their reactions on X. One fan wrote:

"They fought already and it sucked."

Another fan wrote:

"Game is gonna win this fight again. I know people are gonna pretend like Gane sucks and that we didn’t see this fight before. But Gane is legitimately a high-level striker and Volkov [in my opinion] just isn’t better than Gane unless he tries really hard to grapple which I don’t think he does."

Yet another fan wrote:

"Gane completely outclasses him like he did in the first fight."

Check out some of the reactions below:

Gane overturned the loss against Jon Jones at UFC 285 with a unanimous decision win over Serghei Spivac in September 2023. Meanwhile, Volkov has embarked on a career resurgence, collecting four straight victories over perennial contenders including Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

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Jailton Almeida wants a title eliminator clash with Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris

While rumors of Ciryl Gane's fight against Alexander Volkov are marking the rounds, top-ranked contender Jailton Almeida wants a crack at the Frenchman for a title eliminator clash.

Almeida wields a solid 21-3 record with a 7-1 showing in the UFC. A sizeable section of the MMA community believes he has what it takes to be the champion. With all that in mind, the Brazilian wants a fight against Gane at UFC Paris to determine the next challenger for the heavyweight throne. According to a statement issued to MMA Junkie:

"I’m looking forward to my next fight. I’ve been targeting Ciryl Gane in France because France’s cards are always very good and today Gane is one of the most-ranked athletes in the category and with excellent morale within the UFC. I believe he would be a great fight.”