Ciryl Gane’s “Lazy” Training Statement May Be a Trap

Ciryl Gane is booked for a heavyweight championship fight against MMA legend Jon Jones in UFC 285. The event is right around the corner: Saturday, March 4. It may be the most difficult opponent Gane has ever faced in his career, as Jones is considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

Jones’ unpredictable style makes him a dangerous fighter and frustrating to train for. You never know what he’s going to throw at you. This makes preparation for fighters of the utmost importance, ensuring they drill several situations they may find themselves in during the fight against Jones. And yet, Gane recently stated that he has a history of “lazy” training:

“Unfortunately, I’m lazy. That’s the truth. I only train when a fight is announced. I have a lot of media obligations. Professional opportunities outside of the sport. You can’t say no to all these things. I also have to give time to my family and rest well.”

A strange statement to make before the biggest fight of your career, needless to say. But Jon Jones already had a response.

Mind Games

Jones is famous for his Twitter activity. He’s famously exchanged heated words with fellow UFC legend Daniel Cormier before their two separate title fights. Those “Twitter beefs” went down in history as one of the most documented back-and-forths between opponents.

Clearly, Jones is well accustomed to Twitter’s platform. That’s why it’s no surprise he had something to say regarding Ciryl Gane’s statement about his “lazy” training:

I smell a trap, either way doesn’t matter, I’m training my ass off https://t.co/CrvyXAwynM

— BONY (@JonnyBones) February 22, 2023

Jones might be spot on with what Gane was trying to do with this statement. It’s truly a bizarre thing to say before a championship fight, so it may have been a way to throw off the UFC legend and gain a mental edge over his opponent.

This is backed up by Gane’s coach clarifying the statement, saying that’s how Gane used to train but has changed his behavior since his loss to Francis Ngannou. It could be a case of the coach and fighter not being on the same page when it comes to the media.

If it is a game, though, it doesn’t seem to have worked, as is evident in Jones’ response. Jones is a master of the mind games himself, so it’s not surprising he can call bluffs where he sees them. He’s also sure to train as hard as anyone, regardless of his opponent’s words.

Nonetheless, it will be interesting to keep an eye on the discourse between these two fighters throughout the next week leading up to the big event.

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