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Cyryl Gane reveals ‘great friend’ Kylian Mbappe has been invited to watch UFC 285 as French heavyweight star labels Jon Jones ‘the GOAT’ of MMA ahead of big Las Vegas showdown
Ciryl Gane’s ‘great friend’ Kylian Mbappe has been invited to watch the massive UFC 285 showdown against Jon Jones on March 4.
Mbappé and several of the PSG players are close to the French heavyweight star and want to see him in action.
Gane, who will challenge for the vacant title after Francis Ngannou left the organization, revealed that some of the best players will be cageside if their schedule allows.
Cyryl Gane (right) will fight Jon Jones for the vacant belt at UFC 285 in Las Vegas
Kylian Mbappé has been invited to watch the big fight but has a fight the next day
Jon Jones is set to go to the UFC heavyweight division after moving up
He told Sports Illustrated: ‘Kylian Mbappé is a great friend, and he and many other French footballers want to come to my fight.
“A lot depends on their schedule in March, but my coach, Fernand López, has invited a lot of the players.”
The fight is on March 4 at T-Mobile Arena and PSG plays home against Nantes on March 5, meaning players are unlikely to be able to attend unless suspended or injured.
Gane is a huge soccer fan and was in Qatar to watch Les Bleus lose the World Cup final on penalties against Argentina.
Gane would make a major statement by beating Jones in their title fight on March 4.
Of the game, he said: ‘We started playing our game, but it was too late.
‘But we are a young team. I have many friends on the team. We will be back. I am very confident in our future.’
UFC 285 will be Jones’ first fight at heavyweight and he has been out of action since vacating the light heavyweight title more than three years ago.
It remains to be seen what kind of fighter will show up on March 4, but Gane is in no doubt that the American is the best to do it.
Jones hasn’t fought in more than three years, but is considered by many to be the best.
He continued: ‘I’m fighting the GOAT. This means a lot to me, my family, my teammates and my coach. Also, if we win this fight, we will get the belt. I’m very excited about this fight.’
The Frenchman defeated Tai Tuivasa in a brilliant battle in his last outing and believes he showed he can go deep when necessary.
“I showed that everything is possible,” he added. ‘I can win in many different ways, and I can win a war. My team already knew this, but now even more people recognize it.
“I had a hand injury in that fight, but now I’m fine. I have no restrictions in my training. My body, my mind, everything is fine to fight.’