Dana White Admits he "F*cked Up" Over Ciryl Gane Heavyweight Title Confusion
The UFC boss has confirmed Ciryl Gane's undisputed heavyweight title, correcting his claim that Gane would need to fight for the belt.
Ciryl Gane is the undisputed heavyweight champion—albeit after some confusion. Tom Aspinall's double-eye-poke injury from an illegal move by 'Bon Gamin' last year put the division in limbo. The fight was ruled a no-contest, and the Frenchman left without the belt.
A ruthless victory against Alex Pereira at The White House earlier this year secured him the interim title, but the division belt stayed with Aspinall. Now, with the position finally vacant, Gane has been elevated to the undisputed crown. That wasn't without its own complications, however.
Dana White Owns Up to the Heavyweight Title Drama
The UFC head honcho had originally pushed back on Bon Gamin's claim to the belt, adding that the interim champion still had to fight for the division crown. That confused many fans, who had naturally expected Gane to climb up. White has now addressed that situation.
“True . Nothing , I f*cked up," White told the UFC 331 post-fight press conference.
That may come as a dismay to some, given the dubious nature of his contest against Aspinall last year. In fact, 'Poatan' had famously clapped back at the initial news right after Aspinall vacated the belt, posting a graphic to his Instagram with the caption "Champion 😂😂😂." Pereira definitely has his own reasons to challenge Gane.
Beyond the title situation, Dana White also addressed Josh Hokit getting the title shot.
Dana White Shares Blunt Assessment on Josh Hokit
The San Francisco 49ers-turned-UFC-star is scheduled to fight Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight undisputed title at Madison Square Garden in November. The headlining UFC 334 fight, however, has Dana White on the fence.
Dana White's disapproval of Hokit's uniquely outspoken personality is nothing new. And while the promotion's CEO fears Hokit might just be one step away from serving as one of its key faces, White will have to reconcile his personal feelings with the star's growing influence.
“I literally don’t f*cking like anything that Josh Hokit says. That’s not going to change unless he changes, which I don’t see happening. I’m going to have to deal with that. That’s a ‘me’ issue and I’m sure a ‘you’ issue.”
Undoubtedly, the heavyweight division is in a tricky spot, with growing backlash. Where some see Gane as not worthy of the title, Hokit is also creating a divisive persona in the sport. That already gives an interesting early storyline to the November clash.
