Dustin Poirier understands Ciryl Gane’s pressure before UFC 321

American MMA fable Dustin Poirier has spoken retired astir the existent concern of French combatant Ciryl Gane. Although helium has ne'er held a existent UFC belt, the experienced Poirier knows what the 34-year-old Frenchman is going through; having been successful a akin presumption himself.

Ahead of the large lawsuit successful Abu Dhabi, wherever Gane volition effort to triumph the rubric for the 3rd time, Poirier said helium understands precisely the unit Ciryl is present under. Both men were interim champions before, but erstwhile it came clip for the "real" belt, they recovered themselves up against the biggest names successful the sport. 

Poirier has been defeated by Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev, portion the French combatant has mislaid to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

Now, facing a 3rd chance, Gane is erstwhile again entering arsenic an underdog. And Poirier knows however hard that tin be.

"Have I ever been successful his shoes? I inactive person them. I've lived successful them," Poirier told MMA Junkie. "It's a lot, man. A batch of pressure. Every nighttime you spell to furniture you deliberation astir it. When you get up, erstwhile you spell to the gym, it's ever successful your head, 'This mightiness beryllium the past clip I'm going to person a accidental to marque my imagination travel true.'"

"Every combat is different, each caput is different. Some fighters emotion that feeling, immoderate ace nether it. But that feeling is there, and helium feels it. He decidedly feels it."

A look astatine Aspinall

The erstwhile champion, who has been analyzing fights since July, says he's not wholly sold connected Tom Aspinall yet, though helium appreciates him arsenic a precise technically susceptible fighter.

"I'm not 100 percent sold connected Aspinall," Poirier said. "Gane has the tools to surprise, but he's going to person to beryllium done everything. That's what makes this combat interesting. You don't often spot heavyweights determination similar Gane; lateral, light, athletic. He's a existent heavyweight, not a feline who conscionable enactment connected value to beryllium successful that value class. He's muscular, he's fast, helium tin kickbox. The question is what Tom volition look similar erstwhile helium faces that benignant of fighter."

In a satellite wherever heavyweights who harvester explosiveness and grace are rare, Poirier sees Gane arsenic a existent trial for the English champion - and a reminder that adjacent the champion sometimes person to larn however to triumph portion carrying their ain doubts.

"He knows what it's similar to beryllium connected the enactment for 1 night," Poirier added. "And that's wherefore I judge this volition beryllium his toughest combat yet."