Former interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane has already had two chances to claim the undisputed heavyweight crown. First against Francis Ngannou in January 2022, and then against Jon Jones in March 2023. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, both attempts ended in disappointment and, coincidentally, in submission. Now, Gane is on the verge of a rare third opportunity to capture heavyweight gold.

The 35-year-old is set to face current champion Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena. In the lead-up to the bout, reports of Gane’s prior training in Dagestan with Khabib Nurmagomedov have stirred major curiosity among fans. Considering Aspinall’s elite grappling, such a partnership would make perfect sense—but the real question remains: did Gane actually train with the undefeated Russian legend?

Khabib’s Invitation to Ciryl Gane for Wrestling Training

Back in 2022, ‘Bon Gamin’ had just recovered from his first UFC loss at the hands of Francis Ngannou, as he secured a win over Tai Tuivasa in September of that year. This win had catapulted him to a second shot at UFC gold against Jon Jones. But before getting to Jones or Tuivasa, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov offered a helping hand to Gane. 

“Ciryl Gane, come to Dagestan, brother,” the Dagestani MMA legend urged during an interview with CanalPlus Sport. “He have to come to Dagestan, stay there [and] learn how to wrestle [and] learn how to [defend]. After a couple of years, he can be champion.” This could have helped Gane significantly improve his ground game, especially because of what happened to him next. 

In March 2023, Gane took on Jon Jones in a title fight at UFC 285. Unfortunately for Gane, Jon Jones capitalized on his superior grappling ability to win the fight. So, does this mean the Frenchman never went to Dagestan? 

Did Gane Actually Travel to Dagestan? What Reports Say

Despite the invitation from Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former interim UFC heavyweight champion did not travel to Dagestan to train with Nurmagomedov. Gane humbly declined the offer because of his duties as a father. “This is really kind of him [Khabib Nurmagomedov], but I have another job and that’s to be a father,” Gane told Mirror Fighting. 

“I have two daughters, and this is a big job. People underestimate this. To leave my family for six months for me is impossible.” Instead, the former interim champion revealed he’s open to bringing “high-level guys in judo, wrestling, and boxing” to his gym. Since the loss to Jones, Gane has secured two back-to-back wins over Serghei Spivac and Alexander Volkov. 

But is he currently training his grappling skills?

Is Ciryl Gane Training His Ground Game?

Unwilling to miss out on winning the heavyweight title a third time, Ciryl Gane has taken every step necessary to make sure his hand gets raised at the end of the fight. This includes recruiting top-level wrestling partners. According to reports, the French heavyweight has recruited Akhmed Tazhudinov.

Tazhudinov is a Chechen-born freestyle wrestler who won gold in the 97 kg category at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Gane intends to patch vulnerabilities exposed by elite wrestlers like Jones for the upcoming fight against Aspinall. Gane’s training clips with Tazhudinov on social media have given fans some hope that the Frenchman will bring his A-game to the ground.

That being said, only time will tell if Ciryl Gane’s training sessions with Akhmed Tazhudinov will pay off when he steps into the Octagon against Tom Aspinall on Saturday night. Still, it raises an interesting question—should Gane have accepted Khabib Nurmagomedov’s offer instead?