5 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 190: Ciryl Gane’s road to gold, ‘OSP’s’ appeal, more

What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 190 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …

1. Ciryl Gane's rapid rise

Whether you think his fighting style leaves something to be desired from an entertainment standpoint or not, it's hard to deny [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] has all the attributes of a legitimate threat to the UFC heavyweight title after he outclassed Alexander Volkov for five rounds to win a unanimous decision in the main event. It cannot be overstated enough that Gane (9-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) only made his MMA debut in August 2018. When he's in the octagon he looks like a fighter with experience well beyond his less than three years of competition, and that's a scary thought. Gane was able to beat former Bellator champ Volkov (33-9 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a fight that was entirely a standup affair, which is nothing short of remarkable at this stage of his career. In almost every other division, a fighter showing what Gane has thus far would be pushed on a rocket ship to the belt, but he currently finds himself a victim of circumstance in his quest for the title. It's entirely possible Gane would give heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou a run for his money if they fought tomorrow, and potentially even win. With Derrick Lewis and from all appearances Jon Jones ahead of him in the queue for a title shot, though, Gane might not be able to realize those title ambitions any time in the near future. Gane's post-fight comments about icing himself on the sidelines for as long as it takes for his title opportunity to come up might not be the best decision given the circumstances, but he should express some patience until there's clarity over the pecking order. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUXtOBeYlMY

2. Tanner Boser's finish: Fair or foul?

Was there controversy around [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag]'s knockout of [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag]? Or did we maybe see a revolutionary technique involving a getup using the fence? That's the debate the morning after Boser (20-8-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) finished Saint Preux (25-16 MMA, 13-11 UFC) in a rather curious sequence. Make no mistake, on the feet the fight was a total mismatch. Boser was battering "OSP" in the striking exchanges through the first round, and there wasn't much reason to believe that was going to change. Saint Preux got a critical takedown, though, and if the momentum was going to shift, it was going to be because of work from top control. Boser got himself out of the bad position, though, butt scooting to the fence then using leverage from the cage to work his way back up. He knocked out Saint Preux moments later. From the replay angles it was hard to tell definitively if he grabbed the fence at all, or if he used a fist and his knuckles to press off and make space. The former would be illegal, but the latter would be an acceptable technique under the unified rules. Boser got the knockout win officially, but will it stand? Saint Preux's team already has declared intentions to file an appeal with the Nevada Athletic Commission to potentially get the result reviewed. It's an understandable move, but history doesn't give much hope for Saint Preux to get the loss overturned, so Boser likely doesn't have much to worry about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myw_E7PcWC0

3. Andre Fili's costly error

[autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag]'s no contest with Daniel Pineda was the perfect example of how much can be lost due to an error inside the cage. In what was looking like perhaps Fili's (21-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC) best performance to date, he accidentally poked Pineda (27-14 MMA, 4-5 UFC) in the eye early in the second round of their featherweight bout, causing the fight to be waved off.` Not even Pineda, who tried to persuade the cageside physician and referee Herb Dean into allowing him to continue, was happy to see the fight end that way, and he was almost certain to be headed to a stoppage or lopsided decision loss. This is actually better for his record, but for Fili, it's a terrible blow. The inability to control his weapons – be it accidental or not – not only took a win away from him on paper, but it also cost him the second half of his contract that would've come with getting his hand raised, and possibly even a bonus, too. It's super unfortunate, but given the rules and Pineda's condition, was ultimately the right call. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na2kCMu5s6g

4. Kennedy Nzechukwu does it again

[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag] might have to change his name to "The Comeback Kid" after rallying once again from a two-round deficit on two of the three scorecards to stop Danilo Marques by TKO in the final frame. Although it shouldn't be the reputation a fighter necessarily wants for himself, Nzechukwu (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has shown multiple times now that he's capable of climbing out of a hole in a fight to win. Last time against Carlos Ulberg it was a comeback after getting pieced up on the feet, and this time against Marques (11-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), he rebounded from being out-grappled. The upside for Nzechukwu here was that, while he was still losing, he didn't take much damage in the fight. That's something he expressed wanting to avoid after the war with Ulberg, and he did so against Marques. He found himself in some compromising grappling situations, but managed to keep composed and wait for his opening, which came in the third round when he flurried on his fatiguing opponent and got the stoppage. At just 29, the Fortis MMA product seems to have the tools to be a player in the 205-pound division. Nzechukwu has some clear deficiencies to work on, but with a strong team and coaching from Sayif Saud, his upside appears strong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSdcs5pPzT8

5. Shavkat Rakhmonov gains more hype

The praise for [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] poured in following his second-round submission of Michel Prazeres, and rightfully so because he's an incredibly legitimate and dangerous welterweight prospect. After just two fights in the UFC, Rakhmonov (14-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has made his mark. He's submitted Prazeres (26-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Alex Oliveira, who have a combined 21 UFC victories to their credit. The Kazakhstani fighter has now stopped all 14 of his career opponents, and he seems to have all the physical tools to be a real contender. It's hard to know exactly how fast the UFC would push him. Beating the opponents he has already, pretty much anyone outside the top 15 would be something of a step back. He may not have the most marketable personality due to his inability to speak English, but his talent trumps all that, and he should get the opportunity to let his fighting do the talking against someone with serious credentials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3UyvngyTpI

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