June could be a defining month in the history of French sports.
The NBA Finals begin Wednesday, with 22-year-old superstar Victor Wembanyama looking to guide the San Antonio Spurs to a championship in his first playoff run against the New York Knicks.
Advertisement
As that series plays out, Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) seeks history of his own when he meets Alex Pereira (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) for the interim heavyweight belt in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Paramount+)
Both are significant moments highlighted by French athletes, but which title would be a more meaningful accomplishment for the country? Gane admits it’s challenging to determine.
“That’s a great question,” Gane told MMA Junkie. “I think to have the belt is something special. It’s really complicated to compare it. Both are going to be crazy.”
Gane, if victorious, would join Justin Gaethje as the only fighters in UFC history to have two separate interim title reigns. He failed to defeat Francis Ngannou in his first unification attempt but could get a second chance against Tom Aspinall if all goes according to plan.
Advertisement
The comparisons with Wembanyama and which achievement would be more significant is not a road Gane wants to go too far down. Instead, he would rather highlight the overall impact France is making at the moment and how it can also extend beyond UFC and NBA titles.
“Wemby, he’s got a huge career,” Gane said. “He’s really young. His maturity already, he’s already a leader. It’s completely crazy what he did and what he continues to do. I’m really proud of this guy because he’s a French guy. Also Paris just won the Champions League, and I’m going to have the belt. I also hope the French team at the World Cup is going to win also. It’s going to be really good.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC’s Ciryl Gane ‘proud’ of Victor Wembanyama ahead of NBA Finals
